How To Obtain Potable Water In An Emergency: 3 Must-Know Strategies

How To Obtain Potable Water In An Emergency: 3 Best Must-Know Strategies

*All information in this post is my opinion and gathered through my own research. Please do your own research before following any information in this post. This is for information purposes only. Also consult your doctor before taking any supplements*

**This post contains affiliate links. I receive a commission from any purchases that are made. This in no way changes the price for you. I am paid directly from the manufacturer.**

Hello again.

In this post we are going to dive deeper into the world of survival water purification systems. As I had mentioned in a previous post water is also known as liquid gold because without it we wouldn’t be able to survive very long.

There are many ways to ensure that you will have access to water when situations arise. Keep in mind that everyone’s situation will be different and there are tons of options out there depending on your budget. Let’s dive into it.

Let’s Dive Into How To Obtain Potable Water In An Emergency…

1. Personal Water Filters

There are several brands out there that make personal water filters. These can come in the form of a straw, water bottle, or some other form of personal container with a filter. These products come in very handy and are able to be carried easily on your person.

They can easily be carried in purse or backpack. You can use these products when coming across any body of water that needs to be purified. For example where we live we have a lake nearby.

If our other forms of water storage fail us we would be able to go to the lake and drink water through a water filtration straw or put it into a personal container with a filtration system on it.

As I talked about in a previous post it is best to have at least two ways to accomplish any of your prepping needs.

2. Water Bottles/Storage Containers

Personal water filters can be used on the go. Now we will move on to storing water at your house. The first way is to store cases of water bottles.

You can rotate and replenish your cases of water as you use them. Cases of water are cheap and it can be a very convenient way to have a back up plan for your water.

Now let’s get into water storage containers. There are literally tons of these products out there. There are tanks that hold only a few gallons all the way up to tanks that hold thousands of gallons.

The one that will work out best for your situation will depend on your budget and water quantity needs. When figuring out how much water you need to store remember that for a general rule of thumb that you will need one gallon of water per day per person in your household.

Don’t forget your pets in this calculation and I also like to error on the side of having more water than what this calculation comes out to. That way you will have extra in case you need the water for a longer time than expected or if you need to supply water for neighbors or extended family.

3. Alternative Water Supply Ideas

There are some collections of water that are around your house that are not usually thought of but can be used in the event of an emergency. The first one in your hot water tank. Many of these tanks hold large amounts of water and can be drained and used in the case of an emergency.

The second unexpected place to look is the back of your toilet. I am not talking about the water in the bowl but the water in the holding tank on the back of the toilet. If this water is going to be used for drinking it should be filtered or sanitized.

It is also possible in an emergency to fill up your bathtub and use it as a large water storage container.

There are products out there that can be placed in your bath tub and be filled up like a big balloon. I just wanted to mention these little thought about places that can be used for emergency water when push comes to shove.

Bonus: How To Sanitize Water

Now that we have talked about filtering water and finding different water sources let’s now talk about ways to sanitize the water that you find.

This is a very important step if you don’t have a way to filter your water. The last thing you want to have during an emergency is vomiting and diarrhea from drinking bad water.

There are several ways to do this. One way is to buy tablets that you can place in your water. All you have to do is follow the instructions with your product and you will end up with drinkable water.

The second way is to bring your water to a rolling boil for at least one minute. The third way is by using bleach. The bleach you use has to be pure bleach with no other additives to it. Below is a common chart used when calculating how much bleach to use.

Volume of Water	Amount of 6% Bleach to Add	Amount of 8.25% Bleach to Add
1 quart/liter	2 drops	2 drops
1 gallon	8 drops	6 drops
2 gallons	16 drops (1/4 tsp)	12 drops (1/8 teaspoon)
4 gallons	1/3 teaspoon	1/4 teaspoon
8 gallons	2/3 teaspoon	1/2 teaspoon

Conclusion

In conclusion, you can see that the wild world of water filtration and sanitation has many methods and products that will help you in case of emergency.

I hope this post was helpful and got you thinking about how to make your own plan to have ample amount of water in the event of an emergency. Thank you for reading.

For more information on personal water filters check out my Life Straw Review.

About The Author

My name is Robert, and those who know me know that I like to research and always be prepared the best I can for whatever life brings my way. This website was born out of putting those two things together. I am married with 3 children: a dog, 2 hamsters, 3 fish, and a gecko.

There is plenty of adventures and fun situations that happen at my house. We live in a rural area and like to enjoy lots of time with our immediate and extended family. My primary job is in the medical field which can be an adventure of its own at times.

I desire this website to be a place where you can come and find products and information that will help you be prepared for whatever life throws at you.

Thanks For Reading,
Robert

**This post contains affiliate links. I receive a commission from any purchases that are made. This in no way changes the price for you. I am paid directly from the manufacturer.**