Part 2 of Survival Prepping 101 Series – The Importance of Having a Water Purification and Storage Strategy
When you speak with individuals who lack knowledge about the correct approach to preparing for survival, they will likely mention that they have stocked up on food. In some cases, they may stress the importance of hygienic items such as toilet paper, given the early rush of this supply during the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, food should not be your first defense against survival during an emergency. While it is possible to survive for a longer period without food, access to clean drinking water should be a top priority.
Related – Bushcraft – Part 3 Safe Water for Survival
You can live for a maximum of three days after running out of water. In certain circumstances, some individuals may be able to endure for five days, although this may depend on factors such as age, physical health, and the environment in which they live.
One of the issues with storing water is that it takes up a significant amount of space, and it is rather hefty. Each single gallon of water weighs more than eight pounds. When you consider that each person requires around a gallon of drinking water daily, it becomes challenging to accumulate a sufficient water supply that can last for an extended period.
As a result, not only do you need to maintain a water supply for emergency needs, but also you need to be able to decontaminate potentially contaminated water sources during a prolonged survival scenario.
There Are Many Uses for Water
We primarily consider the importance of water for drinking in our daily routine. However, we often don’t drink water itself. Instead, we consume beverages like soda, coffee, or tea. In a survival scenario, however, water is a top priority, and the needs may differ depending on the circumstances, such as a wilderness bug-out.
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In the event of a power outage during hot weather and there is no air conditioning, staying at home does not exempt you from the need to increase your fluid intake. Failure to do so can result in a range of health issues.
You’ll need access to clean water that you can use for cooking. You can purify it by boiling it, although you’ll need a larger amount of water to do so if you’re cooking something like pasta or beans.
Proper hygiene necessitates having an adequate water supply. You wouldn’t want to consume meals with unwashed hands, so wash them before consuming.
Read This – 13 Ways to Collect Water When the Taps Run Dry
You’ll need to wash your clothes and cookware after using them to prevent the growth of mold and mildew if you’re camping. Additionally, you may need more water for emergency first-aid purposes, such as cleaning a wound.
While planning your water usage, consider the following factors: how you can conserve water and make the most of it. For instance, if you have cooked a meal and have excess water, consider consuming it once it cools down, as this can help prevent dehydration.
Alternatively, if you’re cultivating a survival garden, you can utilize surplus water to nourish your plants. There are various methods to conserve water usage, but you must guarantee that nothing becomes contaminated during the process. The water you consume should be initially pure, then utilized in a manner that renders it impure.
Storing Water Safely for Emergencies
You must know how to store water, even though it’s heavy and bulky. It’s crucial to have some stored away for emergency circumstances, such as when the power grid goes down for a brief time due to a severe storm.
In the event of a tornado or a hurricane, you can use a bathtub or water bladder that you fill up before the storm hits. This way, if you lose power and water, you’ll have a ready supply of clean water.
It’s best to have a gallon of water each day for each person. Generally, males require around four cups of water more than females. However, you must also consider the hydration needs of children and any unique medical requirements or personal circumstances of everyone.
Read This – Creating and Storing an Emergency Water Supply (CDC)
It’s crucial that you handle and store water safely. While having a few bottles of store-bought water in storage is acceptable, it’s also a good idea to set aside larger containers for emergency use.
Nevertheless, it won’t last forever. Eventually, they will break, compromising the purity of your water. Food-grade containers that are completely sealed are best.
Glass jars and ceramics should be avoided because they might shatter. While certain materials such as metal containers are acceptable, they can eventually lead to an unappealing flavor.
Water storage containers are available in both stacking and folding styles. These containers are designed to maximize storage space.
It’s also a good idea to invest in bigger water tanks like rain barrels, which you can position outdoors to gather rainwater. Additionally, some people use these tanks to set up a watering system for the garden.
Ensure that your water supply is stored in a location away from direct sunlight, as this will prevent it from deteriorating the container and causing additional evaporation. You should also take steps to prevent the growth of harmful bacteria and preserve the quality of your stored water.
Related – A Survival Water Storage Guide to Using Rainwater for Simple Living
Besides collecting rainwater, you might also want to consider the possibility of creating a well-water system. By doing so, you can utilize water from an aquifer located beneath the ground, which has been slightly purified.
Make Sure You Have a Variety of Purification Methods
Many individuals believe that if a water body appears transparent, it is safe to consume. Nevertheless, numerous pollutants cannot be detected by the human eye, posing a health risk during emergency situations when hospital access may be limited.
It is crucial to have access to safe water, which means that you must be able to purify all types of water from sources other than tap water. You wouldn’t want to consume substances that might induce nausea, diarrhea, or an infectious illness that could be more difficult to cure and lead to dangerous circumstances.
Begin by selecting the cleanest possible water sources. If the water source is clear and moving, it is less likely to cause harm.
Read This – DIY Rainwater Harvesting System
One of the most effective ways to keep harmful organisms out of your water sources is to use boiling water. Unfortunately, you might not always be able to start a fire or use a stove.
Purification tablets and drops are a space-saving option to have at home, as well as a bug-out bag. Water purification straws are another convenient alternative, as they can be easily inserted into any water source.
You can create your own homemade water filter system using various materials such as charcoal, sand, and others that assist in filtering out impurities. If you are on a tight budget, you can buy a more expensive, stationary water filtration system.
Related – Crisis Checklist: Saving Your Pet’s Life When Disaster Strikes
Remember that your family is not the only group of individuals who require access to clean water. If you own a pet or have livestock, you must also plan for their needs.
Read Next – Survival Prepping 101 Series Part 3: Start Storing the Appropriate Types of Food
I’m the daughter of 2 original survivalists who moved from the north to sunny Florida. My mother, along with her parents, bought 30 mostly uncleared acres in 1938. The first home was made of pecky-cypress and built by a house-raising. My mother raised 10,000 chickens.
My divorced mother met and married my father in 1948. From pine trees on our property, he hand-built a log cabin. He also built a tarpaper-lined 65’x45′ pool with duck pond overflow. We had an artesian well for our water and powering our hand-built waterwheel for the pool. He built a substantial cantilevered roof workshop with a car pit in the massive cement floor.
Since my early teens, I have read a ton of books about survival, prepping, the bomb, an apocalypse, homestead living, and SHTF situations. As an adult, I continue to read sci-fi, survival prepping, and science. I practice a prepper lifestyle albeit a bit modified, read a lot, buy a lot, pack/store a lot of anything survival related.
Read my About Me post for more details on our self-sufficient living. I lived there until I went to college in 1968.
My SurvivalPrepperSupply.com blog strives to educate individuals on coping with natural and human-caused disasters using article posts about preparing for emergencies.
