23 When they came to Marah, they could not drink its water because it was bitter. (That is why the place is called Marah. 24 So the people grumbled against Moses, saying, “What are we to drink?” 25 Then Moses cried out to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a piece of wood. He threw it into the water, and the water became fit to drink. There the Lord issued a ruling and instruction for them and put them to the test." - Exodus 15:23-25.
CAN water truly be purified [or at least made sweet/potable] merely by placing [some kind of] wood in it? Let's examine that!
God as a survival instructor. . . what a concept! He taught Adam and Eve how to make garments from animal hides [I like to imagine God sitting cross-legged with an awl and cordage, lacing hides, and saying, "Now, this is how you do it" while Adam and Eve watch on], showed Noah a design how to build the sturdy ark, and taught Joseph to store and prep for famine.
Of course, I knew about the story of Moses striking the stone for water, but I'd glossed over the scripture posted above. Reading it recently, it got me very curious; can water be purified and made potable merely by placing some kind of [apparently disinfecting wood] into it? It's an interesting survival skill question and one I wanted to know the answer to!
So, I began by studying the scripture closely and made note that the water was "bitter". That does not necessarily mean undrinkable. Back in 2012, some friends and I went on a short backpacking trip to a place called "Sulphur Pots". I'd never been there, but what I found was the stream had eroded the bedrock, creating "pots" or catch basins. The water itself had a mildly sulphury taste. It wasn't pleasant, but it was drinkable. I could filter it, but it didn't improve the taste because of the minerals in the water. So it may be the water at Marah had a lot of minerals in it. After all, we are talking about the harsh Sinai desert.
But being the Creator of everything seen and unseen, God knew of a tree and a remedy for poor-tasting water. Something else to consider - Moses had spent many years living as a fugitive and an exile in the desert and had undoubtedly learned a few tricks. It may be that he recognized the "piece of wood" God showed him and that he knew the tree from whence it came and where it could be found.
We also need to remember, the Israelites were whiners - they constantly cried and moaned about their situation and tested Moses' [and God's] patience. They'd griped about being fed Manna, begged for meat, and then when God provided foul, griped about too much Quail. They could not be made happy and it just follows that they'd complain about water quality as well.
Whatever this wood was, it seems likely that it had some disinfectant quality or natural coagulants that bond with minerals or impurities in the water and render it less bitter and more palatable.
So I began to search around online, and I stumbled onto references to a Sinai desert tree called "Moringa" [ Moringa oleifera] which has several other common names, but is also called "miracle Tree" for it's many uses, including traditional medicine, vegetable, and yes, water purification [*Per COPILOT: "Moringa seeds contain natural coagulants that bind to suspended particles and microbes in water, causing them to settle out. This clarifies turbid water and can reduce bacteria and other contaminants. In high-turbidity water, one seed can treat a liter; in low turbidity water, one seed can treat up to four liters. the water can reach drinking quality in an hour or two. Widely used in Africa, Asia, and the Middle east for water purification, including the Nile River Basin].
Another candidate is the Gum Arabic Tree [Vachellia nilotica] which is used for "masking bitter flavors", and whose name you probably seen on in the ingredient list on soft drink cans and bottles. **I asked COPILOT, "Can Gum Arabic purify water?" It responded: "Gum Aarabic does not act as a disinfectant or pathogen-removing agent, so it cannot "purify" water in the sence of killing bacteria, viruses, or parasites. However, it can be used in water treatment processes to help remove certain impurities and improve water quality." So again, this fits the scripture as it addresses taste and potability.
Now, here in the USA, we have neither Moringa nor Gum Arabic Tree to treat our water. But we do have excellent backpacking filters and chemical products for treating suspect water. But lacking those tools, what can we do in an emergent situation?
Well, almost certainly the most well-known go-to is boiling. If you have a metal container and can make fire, all you need do is bring water to a rolling boil and you will have killed pathogens in the water. Some folks preach boil for 20 minutes, but I am told this is unnecessary, that if you want to allow a minute or two that is fine, but one it attains a rolling boil, it is safe to drink [once cooled].
Another primitive method I've known for years as many of you do, is that charcoal from burned oak wood can be used to draw toxic impurities from water. Charcoal has a porous structure that can absorb chemicals, impurities, and even some microorganisms from water. Many water filters use activated charcoal in them to trap contaminants***. Consider: Hospital treat poisonings by having patients drink a concoction of activated charcoal that bonds with the toxins and helps remove them from the body.
Another method is boil-free and this would be to seal water in a clear plastic bag, lay it in full sunlight for several hours, and allow UV rays to kill pathogens in the water. I always carry a couple of cereal box liners in my pack and reserve them for this purpose should everything else fail or to provide another layer of disinfection.
For the sake of brevity, I've omitted several methods of emergency water gathering [Building a sand filter, Transpiration Bag, Solar Still, Tying bandannas to your shins walking through a grassy field and wringing out morning dew, & etc.].
One final water comment: If you are lost/injured on a trail and awaiting help, and a water source is available, but you've no means to disinfect it AND are at risk of dehydration, DRINK THE WATER! Yes, you might get sick, but you might not Dehydration is a sure killer. Assuming you have left a hiking plan with a responsible person and have adhered to it. there is an excellent likelihood you will be rescued in about 48 hours. But it's on you to find shelter, hydrate, and signal for help.
Be smart, be safe, have faith.
Happy hiking!
GOBLIN RANGER
[Bushcraft Woods Devil]
[*AI - always confirm sources for yourself before implementing the information]
[**AI - always confirm sources for yourself before implementing the information]
[*** One of my favorite authors, Louis L'Amour, described a process in his short story, "THAT MAN FROM THE BITTER SANDS". L'Amour writes how a man lost in the desert made a fire, boiled water, then placed charcoal in the pan to draw contaminants out of the water. L'Amour gew up on a ranch in his youth and learned skills from cowboys].
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