The Survival Still

by Jason Marsteiner

 

While it may be one of the hardest water purification methods, a water still is probably the best and safest way to purify your water. We are not talking about your hole in the ground with a sheet of plastic over it. What we are talking about here is a man made still from manufactured items. If you do not have a survival still already in your possession, you can get creative and use items that you find to make one.

 

To make a still you will need the following:

• A fire large enough to boil your water.

• A container that will hold your contaminated water and allow it to evaporate as it boils

• A device (a lid) that will trap the evaporated water, allow it to condense and keep it from falling back down into your contaminated water.

• A funnel or tube that directs the condensed water away from your lid.

• A container for your purified water.

 

With this contraption, you are simulating the natural hydrologic cycle that can be found in nature. Basically what happens is that your contaminated water turns into steam (evaporation). The steam then collects above your water and then condenses (clouds). As long as this condensed water does not come in contact with the contaminated water again, it is pure (rain). You capture this condense water where it is now safe to drink (drinkable groundwater).

 

This method will remove all contaminates and will even allow you to drink saltwater. This method will also sterilize your water. Many people contest that sterilized water has no nutrients or essential minerals, therefore is not good to drink. This is not true as you are still giving your body the water that it needs and you can get your nutrients from other sources such as food that you eat.