How to Purify Water on an Abandoned Island

If you find yourself stranded on an abandoned island, you need to know how to do two things: find some food to eat, and purify water so that you have something to drink. If you just drink the water without purifying it, you could get very sick. Since you are on an abandoned island with no medical help, this could be deadly. There are a few things you can do to purify your water and make it safe for you to drink.

Things You'll Need

• Container
• Sunlight
• Pot
• Fire
• Cup

Instructions

1. Collect water from a fresh-water stream or lake. Place it in a container and put it under the direct sunlight for 48 hours. This method will utilize the sun's UV rays to kill any diseases that may be in the water.

2. Place some water in a pot that you can cook in. Get a fire going and place the pot of water over the fire. Bring your water to a boil. All harmful organisms should be killed by the time the water reaches the boiling point, but to be on the safe side, continue to boil for 15 minutes.

3. Place a cup that can stand high temperatures in the middle of a pot. Pour salt water from the ocean in the pot, but not in the cup. Place the lid on the pot upside down. Bring the water to a bowl, and as the salt water begins to evaporate, the steam will go on the lid. It will then drip down into the cup. Keep boiling until you get enough water in the glass to drink.

Tips & Warnings

• When boiling the salt water, you may need to lift the lid up once in awhile to let a little steam out. You don't want the pot to explode.

Resources

• Sunlight Purification
• Water Purification Guide
• Buy Iodine tablets here.