Water Basics

WATER.

It is the most critical item for survival. It's also the most space-consuming item to store. For this reason, pre-packaged survival kits NEVER contain enough water (one of several very good reasons not to buy them).

How much water do you need? Well, the military uses a figure for shipping water into combat zones: 20 gallons per soldier per day. This is a total amount for drinking, cooking, sanitation, etc.

Obviously, we can't store 30 days' worth of water, at 20 gallons per person per day, in our homes.

We'll need to break this subject down into three major segments, which I will address in individual blog posts:

Water Storage- You will have to store some water for immediate use;

Water Purification- Obtaining, transporting, and sanitizing locally-available water;

Water Reduction- Reducing the amount of water you use for purposes other than consumption.