One of your toughest battles you will face in a survival situation is thirst, and it will be with you from the start. Even though you can last days without water, those days are not something you want to endure. With a little bit of prep, you can easily be prepared for multiple scenarios.
1. Store drinking water before an emergency.
The water most easily obtained in an emergency is the water that you already have. Having bottled water, water jugs, or larger water storage containers at home means that you always have immediate access to drinking water and need not search for it or treat it.
Positives
- Immediately available when an emergency begins
- Requires no filtration or purification if properly stored
- Easy and inexpensive to get started
- Excellent for power outages and boil-water advisories
- Can be stored in multiple locations
Negatives
- Takes up significant storage space
- Heavy and difficult to transport
- Supply is limited to what you’ve stored
- Containers can leak or become contaminated
- Requires planning before the emergency
It is advisable to periodically rotate stored water to protect the containers from contamination, and it may also be a good idea to have both portable containers and larger fixed ones. Stored water should be relied on first, with filtration and purification serving as alternative measures if your water supply is exhausted.
2. Gather water from your home.
If facing desperate times, there could still be some useable water within your house if an emergency disrupts your water supply.
Potential sources can include:
- Water stored in your water heater
- Melted ice cubes
- Water remaining in household plumbing
- Previously filled containers
- Canned fruits and vegetables packed in water
- Other beverages and water-rich foods
Unless you have a treatment method that is specifically designed for the contaminants, do not use water from toilet bowls, heating systems, swimming pools, or other such sources.
Positives
- May provide emergency water without leaving home
- Water heaters can hold a significant reserve
- Ice and previously filled containers are immediately accessible
- Requires little or no specialized equipment
- Useful when municipal water suddenly stops
Negatives
- Available quantity is limited
- Some household water sources may be unsafe
- Water can become contaminated after a water-system failure
- Requires knowing where safe water is located
- Not a renewable long-term source
3. Collect Rainwater
Rainwater can provide a valuable renewable water source during longer emergencies. Rain can be collected using tarps, roof catchment systems, buckets, barrels, tents, plastic sheeting, and other clean surfaces. However, rainwater isn’t automatically safe to drink. Roofs, gutters, containers, bird droppings, dirt, and airborne contaminants can introduce unwanted material.
Positives
- Renewable whenever it rains
- Can provide large quantities with a good catchment system
- Relatively easy to collect
- Can reduce dependence on stored water
- Excellent option for longer-term preparedness
Negatives
- Completely dependent on weather
- Roofs and gutters can introduce contaminants
- Requires containers and storage space
- Usually should be treated before drinking
- Local regulations may affect permanent rainwater collection systems
Treat collected rainwater before drinking whenever its safety is uncertain.
4. Look for natural sources of water
In a wilderness survival situation, potential water sources include:
- Springs
- Streams
- Rivers
- Lakes
- Ponds
- Creeks
- Snow and ice
It doesn’t follow that clear water is clean; a mountain stream that is crystal clear can still have microorganisms which can make you ill. Wherever you can, select flowing water and springs that are sheltered rather than using still water. Make sure to treat any natural water before drinking it.
Positives
- Can provide large or renewable quantities of water
- Streams, springs, rivers, and lakes may be readily available
- Essential option for wilderness survival
- Allows you to replenish water while traveling
- Doesn’t require carrying your entire water supply
Negatives
- Clear water can still contain dangerous microorganisms
- Agricultural or industrial runoff can introduce chemicals
- Water sources may be seasonal or dried up
- Reaching the source can require significant energy
- Almost always requires some form of treatment
5. Boil Water
Boiling is one of the most reliable methods for treating water when the main issue is biological contamination. Boiling water until it reaches a rolling boil will destroy harmful bacteria, viruses, and parasites. This method does not call for any special purification chemicals and therefore makes it a great survival technique provided that you have a container and a means of producing heat.
Boiling does have an important limitation since it does not remove most chemicals, heavy metals, salt, or sediment. When the water is muddy or cloudy, let the sediment settle and pre-filter the water before boiling it.
Positives
- Highly effective against bacteria, viruses, and parasites
- Doesn’t require specialized filtration equipment
- Easy method to understand and remember
- Excellent backup when other equipment fails
- Can treat relatively large quantities
Negatives
- Requires fuel and a heat source
- Requires a heat-safe container
- Takes time to boil and cool
- Doesn’t remove sediment, salt, heavy metals, or most chemicals
- Fuel consumption can become a problem during long emergencies
6. Use a portable water filter
Portable water filters are a great choice for camping, bug-out bags, vehicle emergency kits, and survival situations. According to the type of filter, it is possible to eliminate bacteria, protozoa, sediment, and other contaminants.
Common designs include:
- Straw-style filters
- Squeeze filters
- Pump filters
- Gravity-fed filters
- Bottle filters
Make sure you know exactly what your specific filter is rated to remove, since not all water filters offer protection against viruses, chemicals, or heavy metals. Very few actually do; it is sometimes recommended to boil water before using some of these filters. Before you need your filter, make sure you know your filter.
Positives
- Lightweight and portable
- Excellent for bug-out bags and hiking
- Can quickly treat water while traveling
- Many models remove bacteria, protozoa, and sediment
- Some filters can process hundreds or thousands of gallons
Negatives
- Not every filter removes viruses
- Many don’t remove chemicals or heavy metals
- Filters can clog
- Filter elements eventually need replacement
- Freezing can permanently damage some filters
- You need to understand exactly what your particular filter removes
We always recommend the Grayl GeoPress as one of the simplest and most convenient water filtration and purification options.
7. Use a Gravity Water Filter
Gravity filtration is very useful in cases where you have to provide drinking water for a number of people. Rather than having to pump or squeeze each bottle individually, the untreated water is put into a reservoir at a higher level and then flows by gravity through the filter into a clean container.
Positives
- Excellent for producing larger quantities of drinking water
- Requires little physical effort
- Great for families and groups
- Useful at camps, cabins, and emergency shelters
- Can continuously filter water while you handle other tasks
Negatives
- Larger and less portable than individual filters
- Filtration can be slow
- Requires somewhere to hang or elevate the reservoir
- Filter elements can clog or require maintenance
- Performance varies considerably between systems
Such systems are well suited for families, base camps, emergency shelters, cabins, and longer-term preparedness.
8. Use Water Purification Tablets
Water purification tablets are compact, inexpensive, and easy to store in emergency kits. Depending on the product, tablets commonly use chlorine, chlorine dioxide, iodine, or another disinfectant to neutralize microorganisms.
Their biggest advantage is portability. A tiny package can potentially treat many liters of water. The downside is that treatment takes time, may affect the taste of the water, and doesn’t necessarily remove sediment or chemical contamination. Follow the manufacturer’s treatment instructions and contact time exactly.
Positives
- Extremely lightweight
- Take up almost no space
- Excellent backup for emergency kits
- Inexpensive compared with many filtration systems
- Long shelf life when properly stored
- No electricity or heat required
Negatives
- Treatment requires waiting
- Can affect the taste of water
- Doesn’t physically remove dirt or sediment
- Effectiveness varies by chemical and microorganism
- Doesn’t remove most chemical contaminants or heavy metals
- You eventually run out of tablets
9. Chemically Disinfect Water
Certain household disinfectants can potentially be used to disinfect water during an emergency when better options aren’t available. However, concentration matters significantly. Household products vary, and additives such as fragrances or cleaners can make a product unsuitable for water treatment.
Positives
- Can kill many disease-causing microorganisms
- Useful when boiling isn’t possible
- Can treat relatively large quantities
- Doesn’t require electricity
- Certain appropriate disinfectants may already be available during an emergency
Negatives
- Correct concentration is critical
- Not every household disinfectant is suitable
- Can produce an unpleasant taste or odor
- Requires adequate contact time
- Doesn’t remove sediment, heavy metals, or many chemicals
- Incorrect use can make the water unsafe
Follow current emergency water-treatment guidance from public-health authorities rather than guessing at ratios. Chemical disinfection can kill microorganisms, but like boiling, it doesn’t necessarily remove chemicals, metals, sediment, or other physical contaminants.
10. Use UV Water Purification
Ultraviolet water purifiers use UV light to deactivate microorganisms in water. Portable UV purification devices can be fast and convenient, particularly for travelers and backpackers.
Positives
- Works quickly
- Effective against many microorganisms
- Doesn’t add chemicals or alter the taste
- Compact portable systems are available
- Convenient for travel and backpacking
Negatives
- Requires batteries or electricity
- Works best with clear water
- Doesn’t physically remove contaminants
- Doesn’t remove sediment, chemicals, or heavy metals
- Electronics can fail
- Difficult to verify effectiveness without functioning equipment
However, they generally work best with relatively clear water because suspended particles can interfere with UV exposure. They also depend on batteries or another power source. UV purification is therefore useful as part of a system rather than something you should blindly depend on in every survival scenario.
11. Melt Snow or Ice
Snow and ice can provide water in cold environments, but don’t rely on eating snow directly for hydration. Instead, collect relatively clean snow or ice and melt it in a container.
Positives
- Can provide abundant water in cold environments
- Doesn’t require finding a flowing water source
- Snow can be relatively easy to collect
- Useful during winter emergencies
- Can provide a renewable supply when conditions cooperate
Negatives
- Requires considerable fuel or heat to melt
- Snow contains less water than its volume suggests
- Eating snow directly can accelerate body heat loss
- Snow and ice can still contain contaminants
- Resulting water may still require treatment
Treat the resulting water when contamination is possible. Melting snow also requires considerable energy, which should be considered when fuel is limited.
12. Collect Dew
Dew collection is a low-yield survival technique, but when water is scarce, every available source can matter. A clean absorbent cloth can be passed over dew-covered vegetation and then wrung into a container.
Positives
- Requires very little specialized equipment
- Can provide water where obvious sources aren’t available
- Doesn’t require digging or finding a stream
- Can supplement another water source
- Useful survival skill to understand
Negatives
- Produces very small amounts of water
- Collection is time-consuming
- Depends heavily on weather and environment
- Vegetation may contain pesticides or other contaminants
- Collected water should still be treated
- Rarely practical as a primary water source
This method usually won’t produce large quantities of water, and the collected water should still be treated before drinking. Think of dew collection as an emergency supplement rather than a primary water strategy.
13. Build a Solar Still
A solar still uses evaporation and condensation to collect water. A basic survival still typically involves a container, plastic sheeting, sunlight, and a collection point. Water evaporates, condenses against the plastic, and drips into the container.
Positives
- Doesn’t require electricity
- Uses solar energy instead of fuel
- Can produce water through evaporation and condensation
- Useful concept for certain environments
- Can operate with relatively little attention once established
Negatives
- Usually produces surprisingly little water
- Requires time and energy to construct
- Dependent on sunlight and environmental conditions
- May not produce enough water to meet daily hydration needs
- Requires plastic sheeting or similar material
- Often portrayed as far more effective than it actually is
Solar stills are often portrayed as a miracle survival technique, but their output can be disappointingly low. They’re worth understanding, but don’t make a solar still your primary water plan unless your environment makes it practical.
14. Distill Water
Distillation works by turning water into vapor and then collecting that vapor after it condenses back into liquid. Unlike simple boiling, the goal isn’t just killing microorganisms. You’re physically separating the water from many contaminants. Distillation can be useful in certain situations involving saltwater or other contamination, although some volatile chemicals may require additional treatment.
Positives
- Can remove salts and many dissolved contaminants
- Can turn saltwater into freshwater
- Kills microorganisms through the heating process
- Produces highly purified water when performed correctly
- Useful when dealing with water sources that ordinary filtration can’t handle
Negatives
- Requires significant heat and fuel
- Requires specialized equipment or an improvised condensation system
- Can be slow
- Some volatile chemicals can carry over with the steam
- Producing enough drinking water can require substantial energy
- More complicated than basic filtration or boiling
The disadvantages are equipment, time, and fuel consumption.
15. Use a Combination of Methods
One of the best approaches to survival water isn’t relying on a single piece of gear. Instead, build a multi-step water treatment system.
For example:
Collect → Pre-filter → Filter → Purify → Store
You might collect creek water, pass it through a cloth to remove large debris, run it through a portable filter, boil or chemically disinfect it when appropriate, and finally transfer it into a clean drinking-water container. This approach gives you redundancy if one method doesn’t address every potential contaminant.
Positives
- Provides the greatest level of redundancy
- One method can compensate for another method’s limitations
- Allows treatment to be adapted to different water sources
- Reduces dependence on a single piece of equipment
- Can address a wider range of contaminants
- Builds a much stronger overall survival water plan
Negatives
- Requires more equipment
- Can take longer than using one treatment method
- Requires understanding what each treatment step accomplishes
- Adds weight to portable survival kits
- Can become expensive when purchasing multiple systems
- Improperly combining methods can create a false sense of security
Water Filtration vs. Water Purification
These terms are often used interchangeably, but they aren’t necessarily the same thing.
Filtration physically removes certain contaminants from water. Depending on the filter, this may include sediment, protozoa, bacteria, microplastics, and other particles.
Purification or disinfection focuses primarily on making microorganisms harmless through methods such as boiling, chemicals, or UV treatment.
Neither term automatically means that every possible contaminant has been removed. That’s why understanding your water source is just as important as understanding your equipment.
The Best Survival Water Plan Is Redundancy
Don’t build your emergency water plan around one filter. A better preparedness setup gives you several options:
- Stored drinking water for immediate needs
- Portable filtration for collecting water away from home
- Gravity filtration for larger quantities
- Boiling as a dependable backup
- Purification tablets as a lightweight emergency option
- Containers for collecting, transporting, and storing water
Most importantly, use your equipment before an emergency happens. A survival kit containing equipment that you have never opened is not really a survival kit.
The ability to adapt when your original plan doesn’t work is far more valuable than simply getting another piece of equipment, since you know where to find water, how to spot possible contamination, which treatment method to employ, and how to safely store the water after it has been treated.
There is no single water treatment method that is perfect for every survival scenario. Stored water is convenient but eventually runs out. Filters are portable but don’t necessarily remove every contaminant. Boiling is extremely dependable against microorganisms but requires fuel and doesn’t remove chemical contamination. Purification tablets are tiny and convenient but have limited quantities.
That’s why redundancy is the better strategy! A well-rounded survival water plan should let you collect, pre-filter, filter, disinfect, and safely store water using more than one method. More importantly, you should know how each method works and what it doesn’t protect you from.
The best water filter in the world isn’t much help if it’s still sealed in the package when you actually need it.
