Your body is made up of around 60% water - and it's important.

You can only survive three days without it, but drinking contaminated water is one of the fastest and most dangerous ways to get sick.

If you're travelling or spending time abroad, it's vital that you know where and how to access safe water - or be equipped with the knowledge and skills to get it and make it safe yourself.

http://www.independenttraveler.com/travel-tips/safety-and-health/drinking-water-safety

Image by Aidan Meyer

A free high-resolution photo of man, water, hand, drink and thirst by Aidan Meyer, taken in Pikermi, Greece with an Canon Canon EOS 5D Mark II

https://unsplash.com/photos/nvj-PDU98WU

Do Your Research

Before you depart, check out what kinds of food and drink are generally considered safe or unsafe by theCentres for Disease Control and Prevention.

Do a quick search online to find out whether the water in your destination is considered safe to drink.

Don't assume just because it's coming out of a tap that the water is clean - you have no idea what else could find its way into the water system, or even the materials the pipes are made of.

Lots of countries outside Europe and the USA won't have the same kind of standards in water testing and safety, so it's best to err on the side of caution.

https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/page/food-water-safety

Extreme Situations

Make sure that you know where you can get access to water, as you will need plenty of drinking water whether you're on a business trip or backpacking.

If you're only staying in urban environments, you should have fairly good access or be able to purchase bottled water.

If you're planning to venture out into the wilderness, brush up on your survival skills and teach yourself how to find natural running water or collect it from the environment around you.

http://backpackerverse.com/outdoor-survival-skills/

Make It Safe

Once you've got your water, you need to make sure it's safe to drink.

This is generally done in one of three ways, depending on what you think might be contaminating the water, and what resources you have available.

If you have a portable stove, then boiling the water constantly for one minute should get rid of bacteria or viruses, but won't completely eliminate dirt and organic matter.

Chemical tablets (normally chlorine) are great if you're saving space on a long trip, and will get rid of most bacteria but may be less effective on viruses.

The third option is a filtration device - usually a bottle with a physical filter.

The different filters will have varying capabilities, so depending on your destination and suspected contaminants, be sure to purchase one which matches your needs.

There's nothing which ruins a trip quite as thoroughly as getting sick, but by observing proper water safety practices, you shouldn't have anything to worry about.

Useful links

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