Part 2: Water
Storage. Purification. Collection.
How much water do I need to store / have access to?
US Gov safety recommendations say minimum 1 gallon per person per day. Most sites recommend 3-5 gallons per person per day, when you factor in drinking + cooking + hygiene, etc.
Let’s dive in.
Best option for semi portable (i.e. not installed) home water filtration: Berkey Filters
They filter pretty much everything, including viruses. They also sell add-on fluoride filters.
They sell several sizes of their main product. Base your choice on # of people that would be using it and how much water you need it to filter during a given time period. Larger models can hold more filters (optional) and filter more quickly.
Note: there was apparently some controversy about Berkey’s fluoride filter. They posted a response on their website.
Lifestraw community purifier is another option. Looks pretty awesome actually.
Best option (imho) for home water storage: WaterPrepared
They have 55 gallon and 160 gallon stackable large capacity storage tanks.
They also sell WaterBrick 3.5 gallon stackable bricks. (I have these - easier to handle.)
They sell silver/copper ion drops to put in the water to prevent bacterial growth (preferable to chlorine)
They recommend rotating the water stored in the tanks as often as possible. I try to refresh at least every 6 months.
Another possibility: rainwater harvesting
Involves some set up, such as connecting a tank to a roof gutter system
If it's illegal in your area, you can get around that by creating a rain diversion system and still use the water for garden irrigation
Well water testing
If you have a well, you can test your water regularly using home test kits: you collect the water and send it out for analysis. I like TapScore.
Cyclopure specializes in PFAS testing. Their kit is much less expensive than TapScore’s PFAS kit.
Hand pumps!
Your well probably uses an electric pump. If electricity goes out, your pump won't work -- meaning no water. This is one reason to consider a home electricity backup option like a gas or solar generator (more on this in a future post!)
You could consider installing a hand pump somewhere on the property -- or in your house next to the water heater.
Two often mentioned higher end manufacturers of stainless steel hand pumps are Simple Pump and Bison. (note: you can find pumps in the $100-$500 range, but they're often made from materials that react to the minerals in well water, introducing a risk of corrosion. These particular pumps are more likely to last longer without corrosion.)
I'm thinking of doing this -- I'll update this as I learn more!
If you don't have a well
You can get one installed, space and zoning regulations permitting.
Not cheap , alas: https://homeguide.com/costs/well-drilling-cost
BUT, if you live in a rural area in the US and meet certain income requirements, you could get funding from Water Well Trust (also funds septic systems, btw)
Other areas may have similar funding available -- worth investigating!
Other storage options
You could stock up on a couple 3- or 5-gallon water bottles like the ones found at most grocery stores.
If you don't like plastic for water storage (understandable), you can find 3- and 5-gallon glass jugs (also called a "carboy" or "growler," which makes me lol) at many brewing supply stores.
Bug out water options - if you need to make a getaway, or just for travel :)
Consider gravity filter options.
This Lifestraw is a good option. Filters most things including viruses to 99.99%. 1 filter cartridge lasts up to 4,755 gal / 18,000 litres. Less expensive than MSR Guardian but has slower flow rate (12 litres/hour).
MSR Guardian Gravity purifier is another option if you want a faster flow rate (0.5 liters/minute). Filter lasts for 3,000 litres.
Water purification tablets
Aquatabs have been around for ages. They're cheap and very portable.
Water tablets are chemical-based - Aqua tabs use Sodium Dichlorisocyanurate (not sure i could pronounce that...)
Probably good to have some on hand for worst-worst-case scenarios, could also be used as a barter item in post-SHTF situations
Recommendation: For all of the above purifier options, I'd recommend stocking up on additional replacement filters (at least 1 set, ideally 2+ -- they have decent shelf lives) plus maintenance kits.
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An observation: prepping is smart, can be fun, but can also be expensive if you’re starting from scratch and aiming for a pretty comprehensive level of preparedness. There are a couple creative approaches you could take:
For entrepreneurial types: become a reseller, get your own gear wholesale
Find used gear online (see Part 1)
Check your local/regional gov sustainability programs for rebates — there are more programs like this than you might expect
Organize several people in a community to do a group purchase and get a bulk discount (I’ve seen this a couple places)
Start small (e.g. stock up on a couple 5-gallon water jugs) and work your way incrementally towards a more comprehensive solution
Do a fundraiser or crowdfunding campaign for more expensive projects (you get the well installed, then you provide emergency water to everyone who helped fund the installation)
If you live in a rural area, work with your town to have a town-wide emergency water solution in place (e.g. a town well with a hand pump, old skool style)
Another trick that works: Create an account on the website, add the items you want to your cart, and then leave them there without completing the sale. Many vendors will send emails saying: "Hey, we noticed you left this in your cart. Here's a coupon..." I tried this with Berkey Filters and got a 15% off coupon code by email. :)
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Previously on The Thoughtful Prepper...
Part 1 – Sell your stuff!