If you’re lucky enough to find a good water source in an emergency situation, then you’d want to make sure it’s safe to drink. Contaminated water can contain poisonous chemicals and various types of pathogens, which can be very harmful to your health. So, it’s paramount you treat water before drinking, no matter the situation. You can make use of water filters, as they are lightweight and inexpensive. Below, we’ve listed various survival water filters for treating and/or filtering water to make sure you have clean water and it’s safe to drink. These should be included in your emergency bug out bags.
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How Long Can You Survive Without Water?
You can survive without water for about 3 days. However, there are several factors that go into this calculation. How much water a person needs depends on age, how much you exert yourself, your overall health, environmental conditions like temperature. However, even if you find a water source, dehydration could be the least of your worries. One significant factor is the quality of the water. Any bacteria in the water could cause vomiting or diarrhea or in some cases death! So getting clean water is essential.
Bottle Water Filter Solutions
Bottle filters are one of the easiest and fastest methods of treating drinking water. They are practically water bottles with lids. The water filter is connected to the inside of the lid in the bottle. Once you fill the bottle with water, it automatically passes through the filter as you drink.
A good example is the Filtering Water Bottle With Filter BPA Free. Although they can be heavier than other types of filters, they are perfect for a quick drink on-the-go.
Pump Filter Water Solutions
This is a well-known method of filtering water. Pump filters are generally made up of a small unit, which connects through a flexible hose to the main filtration pump. Some come with an in-built pre-filter, which helps to get rid of deposits before water is run through the main filter.
Making use of pump filters is easy. Just place the non-submersible end of the filter inside the bottle you intend to fill and the submersible part in the water. And then pump away.
It’s as simple as that. Once you’ve filled your water bottle or reservoir, disconnect everything and let them dry off before packing. A pump filter is your best bet when you need to get water from a shallow source.
Gravity Filter Water Solutions
Gravity Water Filters consist of water reservoirs on both ends, with a hose in-between. The filter can be in the middle of the hose or at the base of one of the reservoirs.
You’ll need to find a body of water to use gravity filters – any stream or lake will do. Just sweep the reservoir underwater to fill it up. Then look for an elevated position to secure the reservoir – it could be a tree branch.
Water will now have to pass through a filter from the top to the bottom reservoir. This shouldn’t take more than 30 mins or thereabout, and you don’t have to do much.
Boiling Water Filter Solutions
Boiling – an age-old method, but still one of the effective ways to treat water. Just take water from any source and boil for a minute or so, and you’re done.
You don’t want to drink the water immediately after boiling though. So, you’ve to wait for the water to cool down before securing it in your water bottle.
Chemical Water Filter Solutions
One of the easiest methods yet. All you’ve to do is fill up your reservoir with water and insert one or two water treatment tablets inside. You still have to wait anywhere from 30 minutes to 4 hours before the water is safe to drink.
This largely depends on the water source and the size of your water reservoir. Only use this as a backup to another water filtration method, as they may not be useful for when you need water quickly.
Survival Water Filters Conclusion
There are several emergency water treatment kit available. The important thing is that you choose a type of survival water filter that is familiar to you and rightly fits the emergency situation.
