Making a Solar Still for Drinking Water!

Tell your reporters in New Orleans this information, which they can pass on
to stranded people with no water.

They can make a "Solar Still"

You need a container (preferably of a dark color or totally transparent, to
soak up or allow sunlight to come in) filled to a shallow level with water.
Plastic, preferably clear, but black plastic might work (except that you
can't see inside) must cover the top opening of the container, but first an
empty drinking cup must be placed in the center of the inside of the large
container, at the bottom. The plastic cover must have an air-tight seal
(rubber bands looped together into one large rubber band, string, or duct
tape can be used) around the top of the large container. Put a small rock
or something else that is heavy on the top center of the plastic cover, so
that the center dips down over the cup. Put in the sun so that the shallow
contaminated water at the bottom of the large container evaporates and
becomes steam, which will condensate on the inside surface of the plastic
cover and run down the surface until it drips purified into the cup. DO NOT
break the seal on the large container until the cup has enough water to
drink. When there isn't contaminated water to use, leafy plants can also be
placed in the bottom of the large container.

--Uzi