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There are two parts to this section. Warmth and water are so essential to survival that I have put them together as one day, but we’ll actually break it down into two days’ worth of information.
Part 1: Water Storage and Filtration
What do you do when water stops coming out of the taps, and it might not come back for a few days or even weeks?
I am a proponent of having a backup water plan that fits into a suburban lifestyle, allows you to invest in items that can have daily use, and don’t take up massive amounts of space. In a suburban environment, it can be difficult to store enough water for your whole family for multiple weeks so that is where water the ability to collect and filter water becomes really important.
Having 72 hours of ready-to-drink water:
I suggest having 72 hours worth of personal water bottles on hand. Even if you typically use your own reusable water bottle, you can rotate through these slowly over time. The worksheets include “water bottle math” so you can determine how many your family should keep on hand.
Fast and free ways to store water:
Got mason jars? When not in use for canning, put water in them! I also like to clean out 2 litre plastic pop bottles and have a couple of these under each sink. This is my backup water for toilet flushing or dish cleaning in the event my water ever gets cut off.
A note on sanitizing water with bleach:
Liquid disinfectant bleach is difficult to store since it only lasts 6 months from the bottling date. You can also buy crystallized forms of bleach, but you must be really careful with how you store it, especially if you have little children or pets. That is why I prefer having water filtration methods over trying to store bleach. A water filter with added mineralization will also give your family daily health benefits!
Remember you need more than just drinking water:
You also need to factor in water for washing hands/hair/body, rehydrating dried food, washing clothes, doing dishes, watering your veggie garden, etc.
Where to find products from the video:
The following includes Canadian affiliate links. For my US readers, please look to local retailers or Amazon USA. Learn more in my disclosure.
Gravity Based Water Filtration:
The biggest benefit of gravity based filters (as opposed to ones hooked up to your house or that need to be plugged in) is they can be picked up and taken with you camping or in an emergency evacuation. It is also easy to find replacement parts. (It’s good to buy backup parts in advance).
Berkey Water Filtration System
Berkey Wire Stand
Replacement stainless steel spigot
Real Berkey replacement filters (careful to avoid cheap knockoffs)
Santevia mineral stones (we put these in the bottom of our Berkey to mineralize our water)
Another brand of gravity based water filtration that a number of people I know have said they have had good experience with is Pro One. It is more popular with people who want to also properly filter out fluoride (fluoride isn’t my main concern so we’ve been happy with our Berkey).
Portable Water Filters:
These are great to add to emergency evacuation bags, in your car, for traveling to other countries, or in your purse for personal use. And if you can’t afford a full gravity based system yet, having a couple of these for your family is a great place to start.
My top recommendation for a portable filter is the Sawyer Mini Water Filter.
Lifestraw is another well-known brand, though I have heard people say it is hard to suck the water through the filter, so it may not be the easiest option for young children.
Rain Barrels:
Usually, you can buy these in the spring from your city or local hardware store. I have just a basic $50 one from my city, but if you want something that blends in with your home more, consider getting something like this. The downside to rain barrels is in cold regions, they don’t keep well outdoors over winter. If you keep a full rain barrel outside, the water could freeze and expand and break your barrel. What you can do is dump it out in the fall and carry it into your garage (if it is heated or stays reasonably warm) and only fill it halfway. That way you’ll hopefully have more water as a backup even in winter. Don’t forget to have a backup spigot on hand too!
Water Collection:
Filtering water is only helpful if you have a way to collect it. In addition to typical buckets, having heavy-duty plastic containers with a handle and spigot that flatten down when not in use is an easy, space-saving option. Here is an example. PS: know in advance where your nearest water sources are (preferably within walking distance).
Electrolytes and hydrating your cells:
I don’t mention this in the video, but having ways to get electrolytes into your body is also a really good idea! One of the best options on the market is Redmond’s ReLyte, which is a more natural option than Gatorade, comes as a powder which is easier to store, and incorporates Redmond’s Real Salt.
Today’s Homework
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- Do the “water bottle math” to figure out how much ready-to-use drinking water your family needs for 72 hours.
- Make a water storage, collection and filtration plan. Discuss with your partner what your budget is for filtration tools.
Community & Prize Draw!
Please share your Day 2 Takeaways in the Suburban Prepper Moms Facebook group! Going forward, this challenge will be set up so anyone can access it at any time. So go see who else is working on the 5 day challenge this month too! Use the hashtag #Day2SPMChallenge and get entered into the monthly draw!