Water Storage & Purification
Mains water fails more often than you'd think — burst pipes, contamination events, and floods all knock it out. Storing water and knowing how to purify it is the single most impactful prep you can do. You can survive 3 weeks without food but only 3 days without water.
Covers containers, treatment, rotation, and backup sources.
Store 2L per person per day. For a household of 2 for 2 weeks, that's 56L. Four 15L food-grade jerry cans covers it.
Tap water stored in clean, food-grade containers lasts 6 months before it needs rotating. Add 2 drops of unscented bleach per litre for longer storage.
A Sawyer Squeeze filter (see Bushcraft module) works for purifying any freshwater source — same kit, dual purpose.
Fill your bathtub if you get warning of a water disruption — it holds ~150L of usable water for washing and flushing.
Buy food-grade water containers: 4x 15L jerry cans or a 25L water barrel
Fill with tap water. Add 2 drops unscented bleach per litre for extended storage
Label with the fill date. Rotate every 6 months (use it for watering plants, refill with fresh)
Store in a cool, dark place away from chemicals and direct sunlight
PURIFICATION METHODS: Boiling (1 minute rolling boil kills everything)
Filtration: Sawyer Squeeze or LifeStraw removes bacteria and protozoa
Chemical: Chlorine dioxide tablets (Aquamira, Oasis) — follow packet instructions
Keep at least two purification methods available — redundancy is the principle of prepping
Know your nearest natural water sources: rivers, streams, ponds. Mark them on a local map
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