WATER

 

 

Water is essential to life. A person can survive for three weeks without food but for only three days without water, therefore its discovery and conservation should be prioritised over food. Don’t wait until you have run out of water before you look for it. Conserve what you have and seek a source as soon as possible, preferably fresh running water, though all water can be sterilized by boiling or by using chemical puri-fiers. In a survival situation a 1 litre-jug (1¾pt) can be made to last 4 days, but if necessary the last ¼ litre (½pt) can be made to last 3 days. This is achieved by dividing the last ¼ litre into three, then drinking half of the day’s ration at mid-
day, and the balance at night, for 3 days.

Water is the coolant that keeps the body at an even temperature, it is needed to keep the kidneys functioning to eliminate wastes, is required for breathing, and for digestion. But the fluids contained in the body are limited. Lost water must be replaced or health and efficiency will suffer. The average human requires the minimum of ¼ litre (½pt) of water per day to survive.

Water loss
The average person loses 2-3 litres (3½-5¼pt) of water each day—even someone resting in shade loses about 1 litre (1¾pt). Just breathing loses fluids, and loss through respiration and perspiration increases with work rate and temperature. Vomitting and diarrhoea increase loss further. This must all be replaced to preserve the critical water balance, either by actual water or water contained in food

HOW TO RETAIN FLUIDS

Avoid exertion. Just rest.

• Don’t smoke.
•  Keep cool. Stay in shade. If there is none erect a cover to provide it.
• Do not lay on hot ground or heated surfaces.
• Don’t eat, or eat as little as possible. If there is no water available fluid will be taken from the vital organs to digest food,furtherincreasingdehydration. Fat is hardest to digest and takes a lot of fluid to break it down.
• Never drink alcohol.
• Don’ttalk—andbreathethroughthe nose, not the mouth

 

FINDING WATER

The first place to look is in valley bottoms where water naturally drains. If there is no obvious stream or pool, look for patches of green vegetation and try digging there. There maybe water just below the surface which will build up in the hole. Even digging in gullies and dry stream beds may reveal a spring beneath the surface, especially in gravelly areas. In mountains look for water trapped in crevices.
On the coast digging above the high water line, especially where there are sand-dunes, has a good chance of producing about 5cm (2in) of fresh water that filters down and floats on the heavier salt water. It may be brackish but is still drinkable. Where cliffs fall into the sea look for lush growth of vegetation, even ferns and mosses, in a fault in the rock formation and you may find a soak or spring.
If no freshwater can be found, saltwater can be distilled

Opuntia  cacti — Prickly pears, or Figilinda, have big, ear-like excrescences and produce oval fruits which ripen to red or gold. Their large spines are easier to avoid than those of many cacti. Both fruit and ‘ears’ are moisture laden.

Be suspicious of any pool with no green vegetation growing around it, or animal bones present. It is likely to be polluted by chemicals in the ground close to the surface. Check edge for minerals which might indicate alkaline conditions. ALWAYS BOIL WATER FROM POOLS. In deserts there are lakes with no outlets; these become salt lakes. Their water MUST be distilled before drinking.

Dew and rain collection

Despite the acid rain produced by industrialized countries, which can cause a build-up of pollution in the soil, rainwater everywhere is drinkable and only needs collecting. Use as big
a catchment area as possible, running the water off into containers of every kind. A hole dug in the ground and lined with clay will hold water efficiently, but keep it covered. If you have no impermeable sheeting, metal sheets or bark can beused to catch water in. If you have any doubt about the water you have collected, boil it. In climates where it is very hot during the day and cold at night, heavy dew can be expected. When it condenses on metal objects it can be sponged or licked off.

 You can use clothing to soak up water and then wring it out. One way is to tie clean cloths around the legs and ankles and walk through wet vegetation. These can be sucked or wrung out

REMEMBER: RATION YOUR SWEAT NOT YOUR WATER!
If you have to ration water, take it in sips. After going a long time without water, don’t guzzle when you do find it. Take only sips at first. Large gulps will make a dehydrated person vomit, losing even more of the valuable liquid.

 

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