Snow Water

One of the questions on winter survival is “Can snow be melted and consumed?” My answer is Yes. With a little work.

1) Gather your snow in the biggest container possible. The old saying is “10” of snow, is equal to 1” of water.
2) Melt it using fuel (wood, propane, etc.)
3) Bring it to a rolling boil for several minutes.
4) Let it cool down.
5) Strain the water through a coffee filter to rid yourself of the debris.
6) (My paranoid suggestion only). 5 to 8 drops of unscented bleach per gallon.
7) Let set for an hour.
8) Drink it up.

Some people say that pollutants make the water unsafe to drink. However, have you ever had rainwater, or well water (from an exposed well)? Same thing to me.

Photo from http://dirttime.com/?p=2356