How can I stay hydrated?

So far in DayZ, I've found a rifle, some ammo, some firewood, and even a bike!

The one thing I haven't found, however, is water. Or any kind of drink for that matter. I'm slowly dying of dehydration, and I have no idea how to fix this. Well, alright, I know that I need to drink something, but I can't find anything to drink!

How can I stay hydrated? Can certain containers be used to hold water?

Solution 1:

To rehydrate, you'll need either water or soda. Soda is a one time use item and will completely refill your thirst meter, but it makes sound and can actually alert zombies.

Water bottles (Canteens) on the other hand are refillable. The can be found either empty or full. A full water bottle will become empty after one use. To refill a water bottle, you'll need to find a lake/pond, well, or water pump. You cannot refill a water bottle in the ocean.

Alert: It is possible to lose all your equipment while refilling your water bottle in a pond. This is a feature.

Solution 2:

Make sure you check the bodies of dead zombies after you kill them - I have found at least a dozen cans of coke/pepsi/mountain dew from dead zombies in the few short hours I've played.

You can quickly tell if a zombie is carrying anything by hovering your crosshair over its body - if it shows a gun with some dots, the zombie has nothing, but if it's a gun with some arrows in a circle, the zombie is carrying something.

Also, the hospital in Chernogorsk usually has a lot of supplies, including drinks. However, it is surrounded by tall buildings, so it is one of the primary spots for sniper-bandits. If you're going to go there, do it at night, or on a near-empty server, or at the very least with a group of friends.