3 Ways To Solve Your Long-Term Water Storage Problem

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Water is one of the essential elements of life. Without water, there is no survival. Ensuring you and your family have access to clean, drinkable water in the case of emergency or disaster should be at the top of your survival planning list. There are many ways to ensure access to clean drinking water in an emergency, one being long-term water storage. The most ideal situations for emergency long-term water storage are when you are planning on bugging-in or sheltering in-place and need to stock up or when trying to decide what supplies are needed for the bug-out location you’ll be evacuating to.

In this article, we’ll discuss the basics for storing water long-term and examine the three options for long-term water storage.

Contents

Survival Water Storage Basics

How Much Water To Store

Storing Survival Water

How Long Can Survival Water Be Stored

Things To Be Aware Of

Three Options for Long-Term Water Storage

Buying Your Water Supply

Bare Bones DIY Solution

The Happy Compromise Solution

More Resources for Successful Long-Term Water Storage

Conclusion

Your Thoughts

Survival Water Storage Basics

In a crisis situation, having access to clean, drinkable water – and enough of it for your entire bug-out crew – will be key to surviving. Whether you plan on bugging-out or sheltering in-place, here are the key fundamentals you will need to know to ensure you’re storing water properly for the long-term and will have enough to last you through the crisis.

How Much Water To Store

According to the U.S. government, the ideal amount of water to have stored is one gallon per person, per day, for at least three days. The average person needs ¾ gallons of fluids for drinking each day and up to ¼ gallons for hygiene and sanitary purposes. If you’re located in a hot environment or have children, nursing mothers, or people that are ill in your bug-out crew, you will need to store more water. Following those guidelines, a family of four would need to store twelve gallons of water to ensure survival over three days. If you consider the amount you would need for any amount of time beyond that, you can see how quickly your water needs can add up.

Your long-term water storage should allow for at least 1 gallon per day for each member of the family.

Ultimately, the decision of how many days worth of water you decide to store for survival will be based on the type of emergency you are planning for. For instance, long-term water storage for an emergency expected to last a few days is quite simple, whereas planning for an extended period or stockpiling for a large group can get quite complicated. Before beginning to prepare your long-term water supply, take some time to consider how much you will need, for how many people, and for how long before getting started.

Storing Survival Water

The best place to keep your emergency water is in a cool, dry place. Basements are a great choice, although it is prudent to split your supplies up in different areas of your home in case one area becomes flooded, damaged, or otherwise unaccessible. A good practice is to ensure there is water stored in every closet of your home, or at least in one closet on each floor.

If you live in an area where flooding is a high risk, storing the majority of your water supply above ground is prudent.

Conversely, the basement is a safer place to store water in areas at high risk for tornadoes.

How Long Can Survival Water Be Stored

As long as the containers have been properly sanitized, water that has not been commercially bottled should be safe to drink for up to six months. Commercially bottled water will typically have a ‘use by date’ printed on the bottle that will provide guidance on how long it will be safe to drink.

Things To Be Aware Of

When choosing containers, avoid any plastic containers that are not safe for food or anything that contains BPA. Containers that have had fruit juice or milk in them should be avoided as fruit sugars and milk proteins can’t be fully cleaned out and create an ideal environment for bacteria growth when used for water storage. Plastic is a much preferable choice to glass as glass is heavy and can break. Water is also very heavy, make sure to use proper lifting technique, such as lifting at the knees, when transporting it.

If you’re ever in doubt about the safety of your water, boil and treat it with purification tablets (such as these) before drinking. Each year, waterborne pathogens kill approximately 3.4 million people, better to be sure and stay alive!

Water purification tablets kill bacteria and viruses, and are especially important when harvesting water in nature. Click the image to view Aquamira Water Purifier Tablets on Amazon.

Three Options for Long-Term Water Storage

There are three options for proper long-term storage of water: buy pre-bottled water; collect and sterilize containers and fill them up; buy purpose-made containers and fill them up.

Buying Your Water Supply

Purchasing cases of bottled water is by far the easiest solution for building an emergency water supply, but also one of the most expensive. However, when employing this option, money can be saved by buying large, water-cooler sized jugs (although these can be quite heavy to carry around).

Image credit Steven Depolo on flickr.

In terms of purchase options, they’re abundant. You can buy cases of bottled water at almost any local grocery store, Costco, or even HERE on Amazon. While simply purchasing bottled water is the easiest option, it’s also the most expensive and takes up the most space. If you need to buy a large supply, you’ll need to buy shelving to properly store your emergency water. If you stack bottled water too high, the lower cases can get crushed.

Bare Bones DIY Solution

Jugs like these can be sanitized and used as long-term water storage containers. Image credit Lisa Risager on flickr.

For this long-term water storage solution, you will need to collect plastic bottles, such as those used for soda. You will need to sanitize the bottles and fill them on your own, so this is the most time consuming of all the options, but also the most cost-effective. If you have some extra time and need to save money, this is the best option. Review the following instructions for properly sanitizing and filling your own long-term water storage containers:

1. Clean out your containers using soapy water, ensuring they are well-rinsed and all soap is removed.

2. Add one teaspoon of unscented household chlorine bleach to one quart of water.

3. Pour the solution into your containers and shake the bottles until the solution has touched all surfaces (make sure the cap is on while you’re doing this so that it gets sanitized as well).

4. Rinse out the sanitizing solution.

5. Fill your containers with tap water (only if the tap water has been commercially treated, such as a city’s water supply).

6. If you’re using non-treated or well water, add two drops of unscented household chlorine bleach to the water and let it stand 30 minutes before drinking.

7. Screw the caps tightly on your containers, being careful not to contaminate the insides with your fingers when closing.

8. Your emergency water storage containers should be able to store water for at least six months after being treated this way.

The Happy Compromise Solution

For someone needing a large volume of water and not wanting to deal with the hassles of sanitizing or storing dozens (maybe hundreds) of soda bottles, this is the ideal option. The happy compromise is the best option for storage with the least hassle. It involves buying purpose-made, food safe, water storage containers (check out the Water Brick, our personal favorite) and filling them with water yourself. While this option costs a bit more than the DIY solution, it costs much less than buying water bottles from the store.

The Water Brick is our preferred option for the following reasons:

● Holds 3.5 gallons, which is a large volume but not so much as to make them too heavy to carry

● There is a handle which makes them easy to carry

● Water Bricks are stackable and take up as little space as possible, making shelving unnecessary

● There is a large opening, making them much easier to clean than soda bottles

● The large opening also makes these containers viable for storing dry food, documents, or even ammo (try doing that with a soda bottle!)

● They are food grade and BPA-free

The time-saving features of this option come from the ease and speed of the sanitization process. Basically, you will purchase the appropriate amount of containers (Water Brick or otherwise), sanitize as above, fill them up, and forget about them! To illustrate the convenience of the sanitization process, consider that it would take seven standard two liter soda bottles to make up the same quantity as one Water Brick. Which process do you think is faster?

The interlocking design allows for greater stability when stacking multiple Water Bricks.

To learn more about Water Bricks and to get your own, CLICK HERE NOW.

To make the process even easier on yourself or to avoid handling bleach, simply purchase water purification tablets or drops (such as these). However, the container will still need to be properly sanitized.

More Resources for Successful Long-Term Water Storage

If you’d like to learn more about preparing your long-term water supply for an emergency or disaster, check out these helpful resources:

● Surviving a Drought: Learn How To Harvest Water From Natural Sources

● Bugging-In vs. Bugging-Out: How To Decide in an Emergency

● Going Off the Grid: How To Make Your Home Self-Sufficient

Conclusion

Having access to clean, drinkable water (and lots of it) is something many of us living in first world countries take for granted. But in a crisis or emergency situation, finding safe drinking water will become a priority for everyone. When water stops running and stores sell out of water bottles, having a prepared supply of water on-hand at your bug-out or bug-in location will be an invaluable asset.

Whether you choose to buy your water ready-bottled or bottle your own, always remember that the most important factor is to ensure you have enough. Think carefully through how many people will potentially need to access the water (including pets, if applicable) and how long your supply will need to last. A little planning and forethought ahead of time can save much aggravation, and maybe even lives, down the line and ensure you have an effective long-term water storage solution.

Don’t forget to include pets in your long-term water storage plan, about 1 ounce of water per pound of your pet’s weight.

Your Thoughts

Do you have a water storage solution that you like, or know of an innovative way to purify your water supply? Let us know in the Comments Section below, thanks!

A Step-By-Step Guide to Survival After Bugging Out

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It’s one thing to have everything you need prepared and ready to go in case of disaster; it’s quite another to know exactly what to do and to stay calm under pressure.

In a disaster, what you do in those first crucial moments has a lasting impact on your long-term survival. However, preparing for survival and actually surviving are two very different things. To improve your chances of survival after bugging out, we’ve prepared a list of priorities to help you plan your long-term survival strategy and ensure you’re ready for life off the grid.

Priority #1: Securing the Area

Once you and your party have arrived to your designated bug out location, the first thing you want to focus on is ensuring the area is still a safe place to spend the night. Check out your perimeter and, if you haven’t already, sketch out a rough map of key area features. Find a decent vantage point that allows you to get your bearings and view the surrounding area, making note of any bodies of water, visible trails, roads, and train tracks.

Another important sign to look for is evidence of other travelers; you chose your bug out location because of its desirable features, perhaps other bug out parties have as well. Key indicators to look for include man-made items along the trail to your bug out location, rising smoke, and bright colors indicating tents or tarps. Additionally, listen carefully for footsteps and voices, especially if you fled a nearby disaster.

At this point, simply having knowledge of any persons nearby and being able to keep tabs on them without divulging your location will suffice until you have addressed the second priority, assessing health. However, if you have the means, consider setting up a trip wire around your camp before settling in for the night. Using glowsticks and mousetraps, you can build a simple, yet very effective, security system such as this one.

Priority #2: Assessing Health

Assessing the health of your bug out crew is of utmost importance; skipping a full evaluation can lead to severe problems down the road so make sure your assessment is thorough. In a survival situation, overlooking or ‘braving through’ a condition can threaten your long-term survival – as such, all injuries should be accounted for and treated accordingly. If the size of your bug out crew permits, this assessment can be performed at the same time as your perimeter search.

When assessing the health of your crew, you’ll want to look at both physical and emotional health:

Physical health

Even minor cuts can become a major problem if they become infected, so making sure everyone in your party has arrived unscathed is an important step. Of equal importance is immediately tending to any cuts or wounds crew members may have suffered to increase the chances of quick healing. If you’ve determined there are no pressing medical issues, scan everyone for minor injuries and ticks. Additionally, once you take off your packs, be sure to properly stretch in order to alleviate any soreness, and drink water to replenish lost fluids.

If there are any injuries, prioritize treatment based on severity, starting with the least severe. While it may be tempting to treat the most severe injury first, tending to those with minor injuries first will then allow them to assist with others. Also, patching up small cuts can prevent passing bloodborne infections. However, sequencing for treatment is always a judgment call; if a member of your crew is having difficulty breathing or experiencing severe bleeding, they should be tended to immediately.

To assist in situations where bug out crew members are injured, we recommend adding CPR and first aid training as a measure of preparedness. Additionally, always keep a first aid manual with your bug out gear as this will help when trying to administer treatment under stress.

Emotional Health

The emotional toll of bugging out can be just as debilitating as physical injuries, and many mental effects won’t manifest themselves until you’ve reached safety. As the adrenaline cools and the reality of what you’ve just endured and the fact that you may never go back to your old life start to sink in, fear and anxiety can take over.

Many people will start to wonder about the safety of loved ones and friends that are not with them and stress about their whereabouts; additionally, for those in a disaster situation, there may be extreme images that play through crew members’ minds. This can be a lot to take in at once, keeping everyone calm and minimizing discussions of the events will help your group focus on the tasks at hand. Arriving was an important step, but there is still work to be done in order to survive.

Bugging out with children can present its own set of emotional challenges. If there are children in your bug out party, make sure you designate a caretaker adult ahead of time who is able to comfort them and display a positive attitude. Older children can be kept busy with tasks such as gathering firewood or kindling and retrieving other items to help with camp.

The better prepared your children are ahead of time, the better they will be able to handle the rigors of survival after bugging out. The way you carry yourself and your demeanor makes a huge difference as even very young children can pick up on your stress level; by maintaining a level head and staying calm, you will benefit everyone in your crew.

Priority #3: Attempting Communication

Once you have secured the area and all injuries have been stabilized, your next priority should be to find out what’s going on by pulling out your emergency radio. Emergency broadcasts will provide you with current information and potentially the extent of the damage in a disaster scenario. This information will help you to better assess whether or not to stay at your bug out location as you will be aware of potential impending threats (such as bombings) or the scope of a natural disaster.

If cell phone use is an option, you may be able to check in with loved ones to help alleviate some anxiety. However, should you be unable to reach anyone, don’t panic. Communication lines are often overwhelmed in the aftermath of a crisis; you can always check again later.

Priority #4: Setting Up Camp

There is no guarantee of what time of day or year it will be when you bug out; the more you plan ahead and establish roles, the smoother the process will be.

To properly set up camp for survival after bugging out, you will need to choose spots for your fire and shelter, assemble your fire and shelter, make arrangements for hygiene, and safeguard your food rations against wildlife.

Fire and Shelter

There are many options for bug out shelters; carefully assess the weather and conditions in your particular locale to choose which type is best. To learn about simple shelters you can build, CLICK HERE. Whichever means you choose, try and utilize natural structures for shelter and concealment, and locate the fire pit centrally in order to keep everyone warm.

After establishing the locations for your shelter and fire, it’s time to start building your fire; this way, you can use the light from the fire to continue building or setting up your shelter. As a prudent measure, you should include at least two means for starting a fire in your bug-out bag; however, should you run into problems, here are six ways to make fire without matches.

One consideration for setting up your fire is whether or not it is visible from far away; if giving up your location puts you at risk, try to keep the fire small and obscured by brush (at a safe distance) or possibly wait until after dusk when rising smoke will be less visible.

Hygiene

Designate an area to serve as a bathroom that is downhill and 200 feet away from your main camp area and any water source. Digging individual catholes will work for smaller groups over a short period of time, but for a larger group, a latrine may be your best option.

To build a latrine, dig a six-foot trench that is about eight inches deep and use every inch from one end to the other, covering waste with soil as you go. When all the space is used up, you will need to choose another location as concentrating too much waste in one area decreases the decomposition rate and attracts wildlife.

Food Preservation

Another big attraction for wildlife: Food. Make sure to secure your food rations out of reach of animals. For a simple bear bag method, tie a 10-inch stick to the end of a rope and toss it over a high branch and then tie a bag with your food supply (and any other items that might smell tempting to animals) at the other end. Hoist the bag at least 15-feet off the ground and then secure the end to the trunk of the tree with the stick.

Priority #5: Finding a Water Supply

If you’re wondering why finding a water supply is lower on the priority list, we assumed that you bugged-out with a 72-hour water supply as well as a means of purifying found water. If this is not the case, you may want to improve your bug out preparedness or move finding a water supply up to a higher priority.

When choosing your bug out location, you undoubtedly chose somewhere near a body of water; however, no matter where your water comes from, always be sure to purify any water obtained in nature to prevent contracting a parasite. If there is no water source near your bug out location, or it is unsafe to approach existing water sources, there are several ways in which you can harvest water from nature.

survival after bugging out survival after bugging out — Intestinal parasites, such as giardia, can have devastating effects. Always purify drinking water!

Different ways to harvest water include tapping into trees and plants (think sap), collecting condensed water in a transpiration bag, and digging for water in geographical low points by looking for key indicators such as lines of shrubs. For more details on these and several other ways to harvest water from natural sources, please CLICK HERE.

Priority #6: Rationing Supplies

When bugging out, the supply of food you have on hand no doubt consists of MREs, high-density protein bars, dehydrated foods, and other items that are light and easy to carry. While these can be great sources of nutrition, try not to deplete your supplies too quickly – survival is not a three-meals-a-day holiday.

To get an idea of the amount of calories each of the members of your bug-out crew will need per day, check out this table that details the minimum daily caloric requirements for men, women and children.

While children may have lower daily caloric needs, they will suffer from lack of calories sooner; feed children more frequent ‘meals,’ but keep those meals small. When rationing food supplies, keep in mind that you have not yet secured an alternate food supply, which brings us to the seventh priority: Finding food.

Priority #7: Finding Food

The time to start looking for food is as soon as possible, not when your supplies are low. You never know how long it will take you to find a food supply and should it take some time for success, your food supply may run out. There have been entire books written on how to scavenge for food in the wild, and we here at The Bug Out Bag Guide have covered the topic several times, including in our article Bushcraft Skills: Foraging for Food.

Foraging for Plants

One of the easiest ways to forage for food is to look to the plants and foliage all around you. Plants do not provide the same caloric value of meat or fish, but they do have a variety of nutritional benefits. Make sure to study your local edible plants and learn how to identify them in the wild before bugging out.

Hunting Game

Small game can be caught quite successfully in forested areas by setting traps. In particular, squirrels and rabbits tend to be abundant and can be easily caught using simple snares. Always ensure you mark the location of your snares on a map and check each one frequently; a struggling animal will attract attention from predators who may steal your meal before you even know it’s there.

Traps, such as funnels or corrals, can also be set to catch fish by placing the traps along the bank of a stream. Depending on your skill level and the type of weapons you have available, hunting for larger game may also be an option.

Remember, the greater variety of methods you have in place for finding food, the more likely your chances of catching it!

Priority #8: Defending Your Camp

Once you’ve put in the hard work of getting your family to safety and ensuring you have the supplies needed to survive, it’s time to focus your attention on keeping your family, gear and supplies safe from predators and thieves.

The first step in defending your camp is to set up a watch, ensuring someone is on the lookout at all times. Additionally, you can use thorny brush to build a fence around your camp to keep both human intruders and predatory animals out.

We also mentioned setting up a perimeter fence around your camp in order to keep intruders out; now is the time to decide what to do about it. If the intruder is an animal and you are equipped to take it down, that could be an easy dinner for your crew; however, with larger game, unless you have a suitable weapon at hand, you are better off to try and scare it away than risk injuring yourself.

Your group will also need a strategy to handle human intruders. Each situation should be evaluated reasonably; arming yourself with weapons and defensive tactics to protect against attackers is a smart move, but not every person you encounter will be out to get you.

Final Thoughts On Survival After Bugging Out

The most important thing to remember after bugging out is to stay positive and calm. Keeping a level head will help you to better handle all the tasks necessary to establish your bug out camp.

Foster communication and cooperation within the group so that you work together as a team and always be open to new and creative ways of completing tasks. Having your main tasks prioritized beforehand is an excellent way to ensure you’ve covered all the critical bases and that you are not expending unnecessary energy.

Your Thoughts

Do you agree with our prioritization of tasks for survival after bugging out? Is there anything missing that you feel should be addressed immediately after bugging out? Do you have any tips to share from your experiences setting up camps? Share your thoughts and questions with us in the Comments section below, thanks!

Surviving a Drought: Learn How To Harvest Water From Natural Sources

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Imagine, your mind a complete fog, your body unable to lift itself due to extreme dizziness, and nausea and cramping so bad you can barely move. This is what happens to your body after only three days without water – it’s called dehydration. While symptoms and severity can vary, the chances of survival after three days without water are slim.

In civilized society, droughts are thought of more as an inconvenience than a threat; however, in a disaster scenario, the threat of a drought – especially in times of extreme heat – becomes much more real when clean drinking water is a scarce resource.

No matter how thorough your prepping, there is a limit to the amount of water you are able to store. In a long-term survival situation, sooner or later, you’ll need to find a natural water source suitable for drinking. The good news is, even in the driest of times, there are always ways of harvesting water both above and below the ground.

In this article, we’re going to take you through the various methods you can use to harvest water in the wild, teach you to identify and find signs of water, and show you ways to purify harvested water so it’s suitable for drinking.

3 Key Methods for Harvesting Water

Solar Still

A great way to extract water straight from the ground is by using a solar still. To build one, you will need the following:

Collection bucket (this can be any type of wide-brimmed container to collect the water; basically, anything water-tight. In a pinch, even a plastic bag will work, as long as it can be secured so it will not tip and spill the water)
Large sheet of plastic
Rocks
Long straw (optional)

Once you’ve collected your items, choose a sunny spot and dig a wide hole; at the base of the hole, dig a fitted spot large enough for your collection bucket to rest in. If there is any leafy, green vegetation around, place it in the hole around the opening of the bucket; this will enhance your water collection rate by drawing moisture from the plants as well as the air.

Next, lay the sheet of plastic over the top of the hole and use your rocks to secure it firmly in place. Place a small stone in the center of the plastic to create a low-joint point, just above the top of the bucket to allow condensation to collect and drip into the bucket. Even in the desert, a solar still can collect up to a quart of water per day. To access the water without disturbing your still, use a long straw or piece of tubing.

Rainwater

Although water falling from the sky may seem like a lottery win to someone suffering from dehydration, be aware that rainwater is not technically safe for drinking due to pollutants in the air (such as arsenic) that make their way into the rainwater. There are ways to purify this polluted water to make it safe for drinking; several strategies are discussed later in this article.

If you are in the wilderness, collecting rainwater is as simple as setting up as many containers as you can. Be sure to place your containers in unobscured locations in order to obtain rainwater directly from the sky, and not water that has dripped off plants.

Harvesting rainwater from your home is accomplished by setting up rain barrels below your roof gutters to catch the runoff. However, be aware that in addition to pollutants, water from roofs will also typically have bugs and bird feces and not be particularly suitable for consumption.

There are some barrels available with built-in filtration systems that will remove solid waste; allowing the rain to rinse the roof for about 10 minutes before connecting your barrel will also help decrease the amount of debris and contamination.

Plant Sources

If there are green plants, there is water to be harvested. There are several ways to extract water from plants, just be sure to choose the non-poisonous ones!

Transpiration Bag

Plants take up water in the process of photosynthesis and during transpiration, water is one of the by-products released into the air. To capture this water, place a clear plastic bag over the end of a leafy branch and secure it with a cord. Within a few hours, several ounces of water will be available.

Before consuming water from natural sources, we recommend purifying it for safety. For a great visual demonstration on setting up a transpiration bag, take a look at this YouTube video:

Directly Off the Leaves

Plants have many adaptations for surviving a drought. In desperate times, plants that have leaves with a natural cup shape can be a source of water. The leaves specifically grow in that shape to funnel rainwater towards the trunk and act like a natural scoop. Look for plants with leaves growing directly from the base of the stem or trees that have clusters of leaves growing out of the trunk. The Traveler’s Tree can hold several pints of water this way.

Tapping Into the Trunk

In a tree trunk, xylem transport water from the roots to the leaves in a vertical fashion; this water can be collected similar to how sap is collected from maple trees. To do this, you will need a strong, tubular stick about the diameter of your thumb (alternatively, a hollowed out length of bamboo works as well) or a drip stick; a means of cutting a notch and hammering in the drip stick; and a collection reservoir.

Sharpen the tube at one end and gently tap it into the trunk at a 70 degree angle – you do not need to drive it in more than a few inches – and set up a collection reservoir below to catch the dripping water. Your collection reservoir can be a plastic bag, large leaf, or, ideally, a bucket. Collection will take a while, but the water collected is safe to drink. For a great instructional video on the drip stick method, check out this YouTube video:

From the Roots

While the roots of plants do contain water, it is quite a laborious task to extract it. To harvest water from plant roots, start by cutting a large root and stripping the bark. Then, use rocks to mash the root into a pulp, this will produce droplets of water and the root pulp can be pressed into a collection container for consumption. If you happen to be bugging-out in Australia, blood woods, water trees, and desert oaks are known for a high yield of root water.

Bamboo Plants

Bamboo plants serve as a great source for water as they store it in the cavities between their joints. When looking for bamboo plants, look for those that are most yellow as these typically have more water. Once you’ve found a piece of bamboo, tap and listen for a low thud, indicating it is not hollow, then locate a section with water, cut a notch just above the lower joint, and collect the water that runs out. While this water is safe to drink directly, we recommend purifying in order to protect against disease.

Vines

While vines can be a source of water, caution must be taken in choosing which to use as those with milky sap tend to be poisonous. If there is no milky substance in the vine you chose, proceed by cutting a deep notch in the top of the vine. Then, cut off the tip of the vine to allow water to flow and continue to work your way up the vine, cutting sections and collecting water until no more water flows. It’s important to notch the topmost part of the plant first, otherwise it will respond by drawing all the water in the vine back towards the base of the plant.

Surviving A Drought By Extracting Water From the Air

It is possible to extract water from the air, and World War: Water, a must-have survival resource, will teach you how. Click here to order your copy!

Searching for Water – 4 Key Signs You Must Look For

Growing Vegetation

Even if the landscape you are looking out at seems barren and devoid of water, take a closer look for small trees, bushes, or clusters of tall grass. If this vegetation is growing in a line, there is likely to be an underground stream sustaining it. To confirm, dig a small hole at the base of a group of plants.

Following Insects and Birds

Following insects and birds can lead you directly to water. Bees in particular need fresh water to survive and will typically build their hive no more than a few miles from a fresh water supply; should you find a hive, immediately start looking for other signs of water.

Mosquitos, as pesky as they might be, are good to follow as they breed in pools of standing water. The mason fly can lead you to underground springs as it uses mud to build and therefore seeks out moist soil for this purpose.

Another reliable water indicator is wild pigeons; after feeding on grain all day, they seek out water at dusk. Pigeons that are flying low and swift are typically headed towards a watering hole, while flying from tree to tree is a sign they are returning from the water hole. The added weight of water in their stomach slows them down and causes them to use more caution to avoid predators. Carefully observing the activities of wildlife is key for finding signs of water.

Following Animal Tracks

Grazing animals need to drink in the morning and the evening to digest their diet of grass. If you come across a hoof print, look downhill to locate where their water source might be. You may be lucky enough to find more tracks to follow, but also look for snapped twigs, scat, scraped bark, and other signs of larger animals.

Often the path to the water hole is heavily trodden and clear of obstacles; the careful eye can pick up signs of wear on the ground indicating the trail.

Terrain Indicators

The ground itself can serve as an excellent roadmap in locating water. Water obeys gravity, flowing downward, and therefore your best chance of finding water is to seek low ground. Walking parallel to a mountain gives you a good chance of finding an outlet of fresh water, or at least a dry stream bed.

While a dry stream bed itself is of no use to someone who’s parched, there may be water accessible beneath the surface. The ideal stream bed to investigate will have dark green vegetation along it, but any vegetation is still a good sign. Examine the stream bed for dark patches of earth or dampness, the outer side of a bend, or natural depressions in the dirt – these are ideal places to dig.

Underground water can be harvested by digging a seep – a hole two to three feet in diameter and at least one foot deep. After digging your seep, groundwater should slowly start to seep into the hole, and by lining the bottom with rocks, you will prevent much of the sediment from stirring up.

Fresh groundwater is considered safe to drink but we always recommend sterilization as it’s better to be safe than sorry; additionally, leaving your hole unattended may invite wildlife to share in your water supply so purification is a must.

Essential Water Purification Techniques

If you’ve been able to harvest enough water to drink using your drought survival skills, there’s still the problem of purifying to ensure it’s safe to drink. The following are our suggestions for the best water purification techniques when surviving a drought:

Filtration

To filter water, pour it through a bandanna to get rid of any sediment. You can layer charcoal, sand, and dried grass in a sock or another piece of fabric, then pour murky water through it and collect what seeps through in a container; you may need to repeat this a few times to achieve clear water. It’s important to remember that this water will have sediment removed, but not microscopic contaminants such as bacteria and viruses.

Gypsy Filter

If you happen to come across a pool of water but have no means of purifying it, dig a hole deeper than the pool about one foot away from its edge; this will cause water to flow in. The initial water will be muddy and should be discarded, but eventually, after being drawn through the layers of sediment between the pool and your hole, the water will be filtered.

DIY Charcoal Straw Filter

To build a charcoal straw filter, first find a hollow reed or other tube. Then, stuff in some dry grass followed by a layer of crushed charcoal and top it off with more dried grass to hold the charcoal in place. Pack it firmly, but not so tight that air can’t be pulled through, and then, using it as a straw, draw water up through the filtering layers.

Steripen

A Steripen uses UV light to sterilize water. Before treating, water should be filtered and clear. Once your water has been filtered, turn on the steripen and stir in your water until the indicator light turns green. The UV light targets the DNA of microorganisms, rendering them unable to reproduce and thus unable to infect you. A steripen is 99.9% effective at destroying pathogens.

LifeStraw

When it comes to surviving a drought, a LifeStraw not only filters water, but also removes 95% of the bacteria as well. They are easy to use, very portable, and allow you to drink directly from the water source without having to pre-filter or sterilize. Each straw filters up to 1,000 liters of water.

Boiling

To boil your water, first remove any sediment and bring your water to a rolling boil for one minute (three minutes at altitudes above 5,000 ft.); this will kill any pathogenic bacteria and viruses. Allow the water to cool and transfer any water for storage to a clean container that can be tightly sealed.

UV Purification

UV purification can be accomplished using clear plastic PET bottles or glass containers. First, filter your water to get rid of sediment, then fill the bottles and seal tightly using a lid or improvised material. Second, lay the bottles out in the sun for six hours (or two days if the weather is overcast) to allow the UV rays from the sun to kill any bacteria. The water can continue to be stored or consumed straight from the bottle.

Unscented Chlorine Bleach

Unscented chlorine bleach can be used to disinfect water using the following ratios:

Water	Chlorine Bleach
1 Quart	2 Drops
1 Gallon	6 Drops
8 Gallons	1/2 Teaspoon

Water purification ratios for chlorine bleach.

Add the bleach to the water and allow to sit for 30 minutes. There will be a slight chlorine odor, and if there isn’t, repeat the dosage. Allowing the water to stand for a few hours in a clean container will reduce the taste and smell of chlorine.

Purification Tablets

Purification tablets are similar to using chlorine but easier to carry with you; one tablet treats two quarts of water. To use, simply drop a tablet into your water and allow to sit for 30 minutes.

Perfecting Your Drought Survival Skills

Now that you know the basics of harvesting, finding, and purifying water to survive a drought, it’s time to take your knowledge to the next level. In order to be fully versed in drought survival skills, there are two resources you need to be familiar with. The first is The Bug Out Bag Guide’s Survival Skills article, which builds on the information in this article to provide a holistic guide to surviving in the wild.

The second, a resource no prudent prepper should be without, is World War: Water, a fascinating read that discusses the oncoming drought our world is facing and presents novel harvesting methods to ensure you don’t run out of water. Click here to get your very own copy!

Conclusion

The devastating effects of dehydration are something no one wants to be faced with; it is essential for your survival that you learn water-harvesting techniques to sustain yourself during a drought. Remember – the human body can only survive for three days without water, and what a grueling three days they are!

To build your water-harvesting knowledge, consider researching local plant life in your area to find out which types are likely to be the best sources for water. Also, remember to ensure your bug-out-bag is stocked with plenty of supplies that will allow you to purify any found water. While you may (literally) be so thirsty you could die, safety first; always protect yourself from illness and never consume water without first treating it.

Your Thoughts

Have you ever harvested for water in a drought? What was your experience like? Share your comments and stories with us in the Comments section below, thanks!