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Aluminum foil to get safe water

by Damon
(United States)

If you are out there in the wilderness and you find a stream of water (which is one of the first things that you should look for - very important) don't drink the water raw. It may very well contain bacteria that would give you terrible and painful diseases.





So you must sanitize the water. You can boil it, and unless you want to lug around a heavy pot, you should always have some aluminum foil in a survival kit to mold into a pot (and yes, you can boil water in foil).

You could also use iodine tablets to sanitize the water. You can get them at your local sporting goods store for $5.00.

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Aluminum foil to get safe water

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Nov 19, 2009
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		aluminum really can hold water
by: Anonymous

i recently tried to fold aluminum foil into a cup shaped container and it really does hold water. the trick is to create a fold with the seams running verticle, top to bottom. to reinforce the side walls and the brim, i folded two plys of aluminum strips and wrapped it around the brim of the cup and near the bottom half of the cup. that's all folks!
Oct 11, 2009
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starstarstarstarstar 		clay pot
by: Just me

You can use aluminum foil to line a cup shaped container of raw air dried clay from the same river if the foil is the kitchen veriety, and this will keep contaminates in the raw clay out of the water, and alow the foil to keep shape.Make shure the clay"pot" has thick walls and is what potters call "leather hard" before trying this though!
Feb 22, 2009
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starstarstar 		maybe once but no longer?
by: LeeV

John D. McCann used to advise heavy duty aluminum foil for this purpose but has changed his mind:

http://www.bepreparedtosurvive.com/Don't%20Trust%20Aluminum%20Foil.htm

Sep 20, 2008
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starstarstar 		Using foil
by: Anonymous

Can you explain more about using foil? My experience has been that it loses shape before a boil occurs. Suggestions for folding or anything?
Feb 10, 2008
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starstarstarstarstar 		how?
by: Howard

I've played around with molding the foil, but I haven't figured out how i would support it long enough over a fire to boil water. I can't get it to hold its shape unless I cup it in my hands.
Oct 14, 2007
Rating
starstarstarstar 		Perfect!
by: Jon

I haven't though about this. Aluminum foil is easy to add to my kit.

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