Is this item insanely rare? Because I only found in 2 games so far. I can't survive a week without getting sick and dying...
Since this is the main thing that is ruining my fun, I guess I'll have to use B.B.C.
I hope Dan adds a easy mode in the future (character always starts with this in inventory). Or maybe add a option for the player to drink water from rain? It's a bit strange how easy is to find food, and how hard is to find clean water.

They are somehow rare but why do you search for them at all?

I use Soup Cans instead, they take less space away, are lighter, do not degrade, are much more common and you can allways buy them at the convenience store at DMC for a few bucks (around 10 i think).
You have to click a few more times if you boil water or clean rages because you can only clean/boil one at a time but the AP/Movment points used are same Edit:(boiling 3X1 Water with a soup can takes the same time as boiling 1X3 Water with the Sauce Pan)

And until you get one drinking from rivers is save most the time.

Edit II:
And about how easy it is to find clean Water...at my country you can't drink from most rivers and lakes without getting at least a minor sickness, a bit oil and fuel from ships, waste from tourists and campers,..even most fountains and wells are not declared as potable water...it's not toxic or really polluted(as we use this word nowadays :) but clean...
I know one old well that could be clean if dig up again and another three villages(50km) away.

So...if there would be a breakdown and the pipes stopp to function...the only real source of clean water would be bottled Water for some time and at my country waterpollution is only a comparative minor problem.

I haven't found many of these cans too (maybe RNG hates me), but it's good to know that you can use it to boil the water. Purchasing them is not a option, since I have no money. I was not saying it was unrealistic, I was talking about the balance. Food is not hard to get. If you have Botany, you don't even need to kill anything or search ruins (where you can get injured). If that's not your style, you can even eat human meat, so dying of starvation is rare. Now water, is a pain in the ass ^^ :
Every water drop you put in your tongue you have to pray that is not contaminated. And you die of dehydration much faster than starvation, so if you don't find a pan (or can) fast, pray to Rng Jesus to spare your life.
Don't forget that you can die any second, the creatures you find in this world can put you in a coffin quickly.
I think the difficulty is crazy atm, that's why I suggested the addition of a easy mode.

How did you end up without money^^, even if i walked directly to dmc with a build without combatabilitys i had some sparestuff that i could sell and after i bought the soup can i could just trade sterilized water (or Tannin Tea with botany)
until i had the money i needed.

A big junk of roasted meat or some basic selfmadespears will be enough to get the money for a soup can and with

trapping you can sell cured Meat, fur or selfmade clothes

lockpicking you can sell selfmade lockpicks

ranged you can sell some basic selfmade bow


Edit:
Even selling your shoes or something like this is better then missing 100% chance to get a fireproof container early that will give you a easy way to get enought water&clean rages&Tannin Tea and that will allow you to earn money with riskless trading.

Best thing to do is just ignore scavenging for most stuff and just haul ass until you reach either the ATN or DMC and on the way you hope you had found whatever random crap on the ground or won from battles on the way.

Do you know the stacking trick, to check for clean water? It's kind of an exploit, but as long as you can get even one container (bottle, etc) of safe water, you'll never worry about drinking bad water again. I have an article about it on my blog.

Any bottled water you find while scavenging an urban location (abandoned apartment building, abandoned home, etc) is always safe to drink. If you mouse over it and it says "water (sterilized)" you're good to go (see stacking tip mentioned above).

Botany helps with the water issue (berries hydrate as well as provide nutrition, mushrooms do not hydrate as much as berries). Eating cooked (but NOT cured) meat also hydrates. Don't eat salty foods (chips, crackers, cured meat) and don't drink Whiskey (ever), all of those dehydrate you.

LOL @ "avoid exploits" and then suggesting people should just keep restarting the game until you get good loot.

That might be a good combo for you, but it's hardly 'best', I think. Hacking? Electrician? Neither of those give you a lot of benefit until late in the game (if then). If you're going to take Ranged over Melee, then Hiding would be a good pick to keep you out of close combat range.