In catastrophic times water will become the most highly demanded resource. Streams may dry or become polluted. Rain could become undrinkable or scarce. underground water could be monopolized by those in power and sold for to high of a price. In some parts of the world clean drinking water is already in such short supply that thousands die every year from dehydration.

Finding water

Water can come from three types of sources: the underground sources like underground springs and aquafers, above ground sources like streams and rivers, and from air sources like rain and water vapor.

Springs- Finding a spring in a survival scenario is like finding a gold mine, only better. This water is guaranteed fresh and ready to drink and will keep you alive. Drink your fill, and fill all of your containers before you move on. Springs usually can be found in mountain sides, but can be seen in many different places like desert oasis' and cliff sides near the ocean. If the water is coming out of the ground, it is a spring. Drink up.

Aquafers- ground water is generally safe to drink, but you must drill down to get to it. This is the water that fills our wells.

Creeks, streams and rivers- If you are looking for water, look for low points. Listen for the sound flowing water. Water follows a simple cycle of downward motion and evaporation. Beware of river and creek water as it may be contaminated with pathogens. If you are unable to purify this water, and you are dying of thirst try to drink from parts that are flowing and not from stagnant pools. Following a river downstream is a good survival technique when stranded because food sources tend to be near rivers and river may lead towards larger bodies of water where you may find civilization.

Lakes- The cool water at the bottom of a lake is less likely to contain dangerous pathogens than warmer surface. Most lakes have a stream or creek source which will have. If must drink from a lake, beware of it's stagnant waters.

Oceans- Drinking salt water will not quench thirst. However, Desalination is possible through distilling the water. See methods below for distillation.

Oasis' and Puddles- In an emergency finding a puddle of water, where no other water is available could save your life. Often an oasis is stagnant puddles in the desert. Look for green. Where plants grow, there is water.

Rain- Use anything you can to collect the rain. If you have a tarp or plastic bag, set it up to contain the water as it falls. Buckets and bottles can be filled from directing the water into there opening. Rain water with a few exceptions is generally safe to drink without further purification.

plants- some succulant plants like cactus contain water. you can cut them open and drink the liquid. Only do this if you are sure that it is from a safe source. In the desert, this can be useful. Also fruits from trees contain water.

Water purification

There are several safe reliable ways to purify your drinking water including boiling, filtering, chemical treatment, uv treatment, and distillation.

Boiling- 99.9% of all contaminants will be eliminated from boiling water. No need to boil for a long period of time.

Filtering-Filters can be anything from a small hand pump filter, to an over the sink faucet filter, to an installed under the sink filter, to an industrial sized filter installed at water sanitation plants. The most practical survival tool is a hand pump filter. These are small and lightweight and can filter water from any source without need for water pressure or electricity

Chemical treatment- Water sanitation plants use chlorine to sanitize city tap water. This is why tap water in the US is safe to drink. For a survivalist, iodine tablets will function in the same way and may save your life. Definitely include these tablets along with a hand pump water filter into your survival kit

UV treatment- UV waves kill bacteria and virus's. This is good news because the sun can now be used to purify your water. This method is simple and easy. Find a clear container such as a clear plastic bag, a clear plastic bottle, or a clear glass bottle. Fill the container and set out in the sun for 48 hours. Your water is now safe to drink. Also, UV wands are available and can speed up this process to about 2-3 minutes instead of 2 days.

Distillation occurs when water is evaporated and and the water vapor leaves all impurities behind. This is a very safe but time consuming way of purifying water. First you must contain the water in a place exposed to the sun. Second you must have a slick surface above the water source to collect the water vapor where it will condense and form drops.

Water storage- Storing clean drinking water will give you a guaranteed water source when renewable sources are depleted. Store as much water as you can. To do this, make sure that the container is clean and will not contaminate the water by off-gassing. Use glass containers if possible, but polyurethane can also be acceptable. Large containers are available for order on the web and can be found at these sites:

http://www.solareagle.com/waterstor.html