Portable Clean Water Options for Survival

Having a strategy in place for all of your survival necessities will be helpful to you if you have to bug out. This strategy can ensure that your basic needs – such as having clean water – are met. 

The time to prepare for such a situation is now – before you need it – before your survival is on the line. Many people don’t know that they can survive longer without food than they can without water.

Your hydration is paramount to your survival, so you need to know how to purify water when you’re on the go. You may not have access to a faucet with clean water and end up having to drink from a river or stream. 

Cleanse the water before drinking it will help you avoid parasites and toxins that can harm your health. There are many different options for portable water purification. 

Key Take-Away on Clean Water Options for Survival

• Ensure that you have clean water when you need it most by being proactive with supplies
• Take control of your future and be prepared so inevitable risks don’t turn into catastrophes
• Keep your family safe by knowing how to purify water
• Always have the ability to hydrate when you need it most

Water Filter Straws

One of the simplest methods to make sure you have a portable way to get clean water is to use water filter straws. These straws are always lightweight so that each family member can carry one in their ultimate survival kit bug-out bag. 

These items are tubes that are designed to look like large straws. How thick these tubes are is going to depend on the brand that you buy. Some of them have attachable pieces to be fixed to a pocket or backpack for quick and easy access. 

The way these filter straws work is fairly simple. The outside of the tube is durable enough to withstand an accidental drop without it affecting the filtration system. Regardless of the brand that you buy, the inside of the straw will contain a microfilter. 

This microfilter is made to withstand years of use. When a person wants to use it, you will do so just like a regular plastic drinking straw. You insert it into whatever water you have on hand, and then you can take a drink. 

There are currently no straws on the market that can effectively filter salt water so that you can’t use water from an ocean – but you can from something like a creek, river, or lake. 

Some people think that if a body of water is in nature and runs over rocks as a stream does, this is nature’s way of purifying the water. They believe that it’s okay to drink “as is” like that. 

But the water that you drink unfiltered can not only make you ill, but in some cases, it can kill you. Unfiltered natural water contains harmful bacteria. But it’s also loaded with parasites and things like insect particles. 

Plus, there can be things like algae and decomposing wildlife if the water is deep enough. If there’s been flooding, then the debris and whatever else the floodwaters carried along could have been deposited in the water you’re thinking of drinking from. 

It’s just not worth it to risk your health – especially when you’re in a survival situation and may not have access to medical care. Fortunately, water filter straws aren’t expensive. You can easily afford one for every member of the family. 

One brand that you can buy for your bug-out bag is LifeStraw. This device can effectively filter your drinking water so that it removes 99.999999% of the bacteria and parasites that could make you sick. 

Or, if you prefer, you can get Longest. You can buy these as individual straws or get them in a multi-pack. This brand works like LifeStraw and can also remove the things that could impact your health, including E. coli and salmonella. 

On top of that, it also works to lessen the odor the water might have so that it tastes better when you drink it. Water purification straws are easy to use for even the youngest members of your family.

Key Points on Water Filter Straws

• Stay hydrated on the go
• Filter contaminants from contaminated water
• Remove bacteria and parasites from drinking waters
• Great for the environment- no need to pack bottled water and throw it away later (you can use all year).
• Clean water anywhere: rivers, lakes, oceans- everywhere. Saving time from not having to go buy bottled water every day is just the beginning of how this will change your life.

Water Filter Hand Pumps and Gravity Purifiers

When you’re on the go, you must have a portable method to clean water. Some people think they’ll look for wood, start a fire and boil water. But that’s not going to cut it because you won’t always be able to find the fuel necessary to create and keep a fire going – or you might be trying to avoid being seen by others, and a fire would defeat that. 

Plus, the amount of water you need daily would require you to build a fire and boil the water constantly. That’s not only inconvenient – it’s also time-consuming, and if you have to bug out immediately, you could lose the chance to get the water treated so that it’s drinkable. 

You’re better off making sure you have a way to filter the water at a moment’s notice. 

Besides using water filter straws, you also have the option of using hand pumps or gravity purifiers to get clean drinking water. 

A water filter hand pump is a device that works easily. You connect the pieces, put the hose line into whatever body of water or collected rainwater you’re using, and then pump the device. 

The filter in the pump will clean and purify the water so that it’s safe and tastes good. The handpump can filter out metal, bacteria, and fecal content from wildlife that could endanger your health. 

Ones like the FS-TFC 4-Stage are effective at making sure the water you drink is safe. It can remove 99.99% of the things in the water that are harmful to your health. Plus, it has a solid flow rate, so if you need to stop and gather water into a water bottle, you can do so and then be back on your way fast. 

Gravity purifiers are another item that you can use when you’re on the go, and you need a way to clean your water. These are lightweight so that they won’t be too heavy for your bug-out bag. 

You’ll want to choose one that’s known to be effective, such as the Platypus GravityWorks High-Capacity Water Filter System or the Waterdrop Gravity Water Filter. 

Both of these work by pulling water through the filter through the use of gravity. 

All you have to do is to get the water from whatever source you’re using and put it into the reservoir for the unclean water. Then you place the clean water holder below the reservoir, holding the dirty water. 

The water travels from one section to the next through the force of gravity. As it travels, the device does the work of filtering out the contaminants. The good thing about these filtering systems is that they can clean water quicker than some of the other filtering options on the market. 

You’ll find that you can have access to clean water in less than 3 minutes. The reason that the devices can get the water so clean has to do with the strength of the filters and the types of fibers and the design. 

But each filter can vary, depending on which brand you buy. The filter cartridges are replaceable and can be used to clean well over 1,000 gallons of water, so you’ll want to invest in backup filters for the future. 

Water Filter Hand Pumps and Gravity Purifiers Key Points

• A convenient option for any emergency
• Gives you peace of mind knowing your family is safe from disease
• Water is a basic necessity and it’s hard to find clean water
• With a hand pump or gravity purifier, you can always have fresh drinking water
• Staying hydrated has proven health benefits like longer life expectancy

Water Purifier Tabs

Being on the go, you need water purifying tablets. These are tablets that you can drop into the water to render it safe for you to drink. Depending on the type you buy, the directions may vary, but the usual amount is 2 of the tablets per quart of water you want to purify. 

Once you add the tablets, you have to wait the recommended amount of time on the tablet container to consume the water. For your on the go situation, you’re going to want to be sure to have enough of a supply of whatever brand of these tablets that you buy. 

The ingredients in the tablets can be things like chlorine or Tetraglycine hydroperiodide, which contains iodine. Regardless of which one you get, the ingredients work to make the bacteria in the water unable to hurt you. 

This method protects you from developing serious illnesses that can end up being fatal. It can also neutralize parasites and eliminate the viruses that could make you sick. The types of bacteria and content in untreated water aren’t worth taking a chance that you’ll be okay if you consume it. 

You don’t want to be sidelined with a parasite-borne illness when there’s chaos going on – especially not when water purification tablets are so inexpensive to buy and lightweight to carry around in a bug-out bag. 

One type of tablet you can buy, Potable Aqua Germicidal Water Purification Tablets, can be purchased in multi-packs so that you have enough to last for a while. This one can purify water even if there’s been a natural disaster, like flooding that’s contaminated the water supply. 

This brand is effective at treating water that may be contaminated by Giardia lamblia. 

This parasite can cause severe internal infection that can lead to extreme tiredness, diarrhea, and the need for medical intervention in some cases. 

You can also buy Aquatabs. These work like the Potable brand, but the ingredients differ. These tablets use chlorine to clean water regardless of the source. You can even use them to treat muddy water on the ground after a rain or a flood so that you can have a clean water drinking source. 

Talking Points on Water Purifier Tabs

• Purify your water on the go with these tablets
• You can drop them into any quantity of water to render it safe for consumption
• They come in a variety of different brands, so you’re sure to find ones that suit your taste and needs
• They are pocket-sized and lightweight

Water Bladders

Most people pack their bags with the standard 72-hours’ worth of supplies when it comes to survival situations. While that might be a good idea to at least have something, if you’re also dealing with trying to get children and pets to safety, you’re not going to have enough room to carry, keep or store enough water for every need. 

That’s where water bladders can come in and take care of that burden. A water bladder is a container that can hold water. They’re simple to use, can be filled quickly and can provide for your and your family’s water needs when you’re on the go. 

Without enough water, your health will be impacted, so you want something you can depend on. These bladders are made of durable material that can stand up to a lot of pressure applied, and it still won’t rupture. 

They’re often leakproof and have an automatic shut-off valve. Many of them come with handles made for either gripping the bag or attaching it to carry as you’re on the go, but you will want to check to make sure the one you get has good quality handles. 

They work by having a tube that connects into the water bladder that feeds the mouthpiece. This is what makes a water bladder so important. This gives you the ability to make sure you stay hydrated even as you’re on the move. 

So you could be walking or running, and without breaking stride, because you have close access to it, you get a drink of water. These items come with covers for the drinking valves to stay contaminated free of things like dirt and debris. 

A water bladder has a smaller drinking opening, but they also have large, wide-mouth openings to fill the bladder. Though different brands will have different liter capacities, you want to look for ones that hold 2 liters. 

That’s because this level of water is the amount that can help to keep you hydrated throughout your day. The amount of water you need to drink while on the go will depend on external factors, too – such as the temperature. 

You can find a good hydration bladder in the Cherainti Hydration Bladder. This bladder is not only double sealed for durability, but it also has a taste free reservoir. It can stand up to temperature extremes as well. 

There’s also the WACOOL 3Liter BPA Free EVA Hydration Pack Bladder which has a similar design to the Cherainti version. One of the differences is that this one can hold more water. It can store 3 liters instead of 2. 

You can find bug-out bags that have water bladders built right into them, too. And you can add the water bladder to the inside of your backpack so that it’s easy to carry and access if you’re bugging out on foot.

Key Take Away on Water Bladders

• Good for providing water in survival situations
• Simple to use and fill up with water quickly
• Comfortable pouch with a long hose that will fit on your shoulders or waist
• Leak-proof with an automatic shut-off valve
• Doesn’t require a straw or any other extra discomforts
• • Keeps drink valve from getting dirty

Collapsible Water Containers

When water is in a filled container, it can get heavy – too heavy for you to be able to carry, especially when you’re in the middle of a survival situation. Not only that, but you don’t have room in your bag to store all the water that you need. 

Since you still have to stay hydrated, you need to look at other options. There are numerous types of collapsible water containers on the market. These are containers that can expand to hold water, but when they’re empty, they can easily fit into your bug-out bag or even in your pocket. 

So they don’t take up a lot of space. The shape and amount of water they’ll hold is going to come down to personal choice. The smaller ones will hold a liter, while the larger ones could easily hold a gallon or more. 

What you want to look for in a container that you can easily collapse to get going when you need to leave. But you also want to have these containers so that they hold enough water for every one of your family members who may be on the journey with you. 

You can get a collapsible water bottle like the Silicone Leak-Proof Reusable one that, when collapsed, is easy to take along anywhere because it’s lightweight and can be tucked into a small space. 

Or, you can get something like the Vapur Solid Flexible Water Bottle. This one comes with a handle, so you can easily attach it to the outside of your bug-out bag for quick access. 

Now, if you’re on the go and you’re shopping for an evening to set up camp, you may want something that’s still collapsible so you can easily carry it, yet one that will still hold more water for things like your cooking or washing needs. 

You don’t want to be walking back and forth to a lake or stream to get enough water to do everything you need to take care of. That’s why you may also want to consider getting something like the Portable Water Canteen. 

This canteen is lightweight, weighing less than a pound when it’s collapsed, and easily expands to hold nearly four gallons of water. Plus, it has a spigot for easy access. That means you don’t have to struggle to pick it up and pour from it when it’s filled with water. 

Once you’re done using it, you can let any remaining water out and head on your way. This is a container that can safely be used with water purification methods. There are also collapsible water jugs like the WaterStorageCube. This container can hold a little over five gallons of water once it’s expanded. 

While these are portable water survival options, they also come in handy on your homestead. For example, if you have a rain barrel catching water for you, you can use purification tabs to cleanse the water for you. 

Collapsible Water Containers Talking Points

• Easily store water in bug-out bags or pockets
• Store more water with less space needed
• Reduces the weight of your pack due to being collapsible
• Can hold enough water for everyone on the journey

As with almost all of your survival gear, you need to carefully teach each family member about water safety and how to use the gadgets and products you have purchased to keep everyone healthy. 

Little ones, when faced with extreme thirst, may see what appears to be clear water in a stream and readily drink from it. They need to know about what can’t be seen and what you’ve gotten to protect them from harm. 

Have them practice using the methods you select so they know how it works and how the taste will differ from what they’re used to. Even the strategies that help improve taste may not bring it to the level it was in the comfort of your own home using a faucet. 

 This all may sound like a lot of work, but it’s worth the effort. Whether you teach your kids about water safety and how to use products for themselves or they learn from other sources, we want everyone in our family to be safe and healthy. The more information we can provide them with upfront, the better off they’ll be when faced with difficult decisions later on down the road. Who knows? Perhaps one day this knowledge will save their lives!