Generally in the wilderness we’re concerned with Giardia lamblia, which can cause severe diarrhea. Having this type of sickness in the comforts of your home is bad enough but out in the wilderness its much worse and can potentially put one in serious danger.


If you happen to be out in the wilderness and your water filter fails you can get semi-clean water. This is absolutely in no way what-so-ever fool proof and it won’t remove everything from the water. You should have water purification tabs for back up but if you’ve exhausted all means this is better than nothing.


When you find a water source first examine it. If it’s small like a pond and there is other water I would personally move on. Look for a large body of water or a stream that will appear much cleaner. Then instead of taking the water from the stream or lake dig a hole a few feet away from it. Then let the hole fill with water. The sand and dirt will help by acting as a sort of filter possibly removing the parasite that causes Giardia.

The water will be clouded with dirt but it’s better than dying from dehydration or getting sick. This method should only be used when all other means are unavailable and it’s necessary for survival.