SOLAR STILLS

Daniel W. Shrigley |

Solar Stills are a very well known survival trick to collect condensation water out from the damp earth. You will need a container to collect droplets of water and a medium size piece of plastic material. Dig a hole in the ground preferably two feet six inches deep, or until you reach damp soil. Avoid shaded areas when selecting your dig site. Great places to look are dry but moist creek beds or moist water runoffs as the water will be easily extracted. Once you hole is dug, place your water catch container in the center of the hole. Then with the plastic you selected lay it across the top of the hole, weight the plastic down with earth or several rocks around the edge. Remember to leave enough slack in the plastic to position a rock in the center to form the shape of a cone. The cone needs to point down into the center of you container without touching it. Allow the solar still to sit for a few hours and check back often, to collect enough drinking water you should set several stills up. The more you make obviously the more water they provide. This is a basic skills survival tip of the week.

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