Water: In terms of importance, this could easily be #1. FEMA recommends storing 1 gallon of water per person per day. You can go as long as three weeks without food, but only 3 days without water. I recommend that you have a minimum of three weeks worth of bottled water stored, but as much as a couple of months.
I will discuss some of the options for gathering, purifying and storing water.
1. Rain Barrel
If you are bugging in over the long-term, you will need a water-collection system of some kind. A rain barrel is the simplest option
2. Filtration System
Purchase a filtration system or make your own. I recommend having a portable water filter per person as well as a large scale one. After filtering, add a disinfectant such as iodine, chlorine, or chlorine dioxide to the filtered water to kill any viruses and remaining bacteria.
3. Storage
The most basic rule of water storage is to store it in a cool, dark, dry place. There are many storage options available depending on your storage space.
4. Boiling Water
If you don’t have safe bottled water, you should boil your water to make it safe to drink. Boiling is the surest method to kill disease-causing organisms, including viruses, bacteria, and parasites.
You can improve the flat taste of boiled water by pouring it from one container to another and then allowing it to stand for a few hours, OR by adding a pinch of salt for each quart or liter of boiled water.
5. Disinfectants
You can make small quantities of filtered and settled water safer to drink by using a chemical disinfectant such as unscented household chlorine bleach. Disinfectants can kill most harmful or disease-causing viruses and bacteria, but are not as effective in controlling more resistant organisms, such as the parasites Cryptosporidium and Giardia. More info at EPA
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