How to Convert Salt Water into Freshwater (Drinking water)

Water, water everywhere but not a drop to drink? No worries.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• pot with cover
• drinking glass
• heat source (fire, stove)
• salt water

1. Place the drinking glass inside the pot pointing up, as if it already had delicious clean water in it. Pour saltwater into the pot to be distilled. Just make sure no saltwater accidentally gets into the glass.

2. Invert the cover of the pot so that the knob of the pot is directly above the opening of the drinking glass.

3. Boil the water on the heat source. As the condensation accumulates on the lid of the pot, it will roll down into the glass. Voila! And you thought eighth grade chemistry class was useless...

Tips & Warnings

• Even though this technique will probably not save you if you're trapped on an island somewhere, (who gets trapped on an island with all of their Teflon cookware...?) it's a fun experiment to try at home or with kids.
• Be careful to occasionally release the steam from under the lid by lifting it. Steam pressure is a chemistry lesson you may not want to learn today.
• Make sure to let the water cool down significantly before you try it!!

[carolina67]

on 3/21/2009 Great for hurricane season! Thanks - 5* and rec

[kabney]

on 3/4/2009 Well said, I'm always interested in survival techniques even if I'm unlikely to use them. 5* and a recommend.

[mrsbolin2009]

on 2/20/2009 Very cool way to filter water. This type of thing just might come in handy some day.

[cheapcindy]

on 10/26/2008 Thank you - I was wondering how this was done!

[thesquirrelymom]

on 7/24/2008 This is very interesting.