The ability to stay hydrated is essential for survival. You need to drink water throughout the day to keep your self from dehydrating. It is always a good idea to bring a bottle of water with you in the woods. At pack and counsel events there is always plenty of clean water around, but what about water that we see out in the wild.
Water from creeks, ponds, streams, or any unknown source is always assumed to be unclean. If you must resort to drinking stream water, it must be made safe somehow. The most reliable method to make water safe to drink is by boiling it. Any bacteria or parasites will be rendered harmless by boiling.
There are other methods to make water safe to drink.
Filtering - A water filter like a "life straw" will filter out almost everything harmful
UV Light - This kind of light will kill microorganisms. This treatment requires clear water to be effective.
Iodine Tablets - These are tablets of a chemical that will make water safe to drink. They require time to work completely and may make water taste funny.
CDC's Drinking Water Fact Sheet
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