Every living thing needs water to survive. Unfortunately, some disasters might lead to contaminated water supplies, making fresh, clean water a limited resource. In such situations, a prepper or survivalist knows the importance of water purification. While many preppers might have a freshwater stockpile, it is hard to take that on the move. For emergencies that require travel, it is best to have water purification options in your go-bag.
THE IMPORTANCE OF WATER PURIFICATION
If you are in a dire situation without access to a freshwater supply, you can boil water to kill off bacteria and eliminate some contaminants. Sometimes, survival situations require the consumption of whatever water source you have access to. You have to weigh the pros and cons, acknowledging the health risks with the survival options.
Not all water sources provide clean drinking water. The bacteria and contaminants in these areas can make you violently ill, and in some cases, leave you battling infections without access to antibiotics or treatment.
Because of the risk of drinking from many natural sources, it is best to have a water purification option with you at all times. There are many options available that provide you with enough filtration for hundreds or thousands of gallons.
TOP PORTABLE WATER PURIFICATION OPTIONS
While you can set up a water purification system at your homestead, that system will not do you much good if you need to evacuate. For evacuations, you will need a purification method that fits into your go-bag. There are at least three portable purification methods for the savvy prepper.
1. STRAWS
One of the most popular products on the market is LifeStraw, and it is considered a personal water filter. The original straw version is a decent filtration system, it removes 99.9999% of bacteria and 99.9% of protozoa, and it lasts for 1,000 liters, filtering down to 0.2 microns. Unfortunately, it will not remove all viruses, minerals, and chemicals.
There are other options that make drinking easier, and some even filter down to 0.1 microns. The main takeaway is that a filtration straw — or bottle for that matter — is an easy filtration option that can fit easily into any go-bag.
2. TABLETS
Tablets are another option for water purification on the go. The tablets are fairly straightforward: you gather one to two liters of water, filter it through a cloth, and drop the tablet in. After approximately 30 minutes, you can safely drink the water without worrying about dangerous microbes.
According to some research, purification tablets, such as Aquatabs, provide a similar result to many municipal water treatment centers. These tablets can eliminate 99% or more of the biological content in water if you follow the directions.
3. CHEMICALS
While you can use chemicals like chlorine or chlorine dioxide to clean drinking water, you will need to use caution. Unless you have significant experience treating water with such chemicals, it is best to stick to either tablets or filtration bottles and straws.
Water purification is essential to survival in the wild or when other water sources are contaminated. Without adequate filtration, water can contain thousands of potentially hazardous microbes in every drop. What are your favorite filtration methods? Leave a comment below.