Water Bottles or Jugs

Access to clean drinking water is the single most important factor for survival. In an emergency, regular water sources can be contaminated or cut off entirely. The standard recommendation is one gallon of water per person per day, which provides enough for drinking and basic sanitation. For a 72-hour kit, this means three gallons per person. This supply is critical in any scenario, from a natural disaster like an earthquake or hurricane that disrupts water lines, to a simple power outage that stops well pumps from working.

When selecting water for your kit, commercially bottled water is the safest and most reliable option. Keep it in its original sealed container and observe the expiration date. If you are preparing your own containers of water, use food-grade water storage containers. To prepare them, wash and rinse the container, then sanitize it with a solution of one teaspoon of non-scented liquid household chlorine bleach to a quart of water. Fill the container with regular tap water, seal it tightly, and label it with the date it was stored. You should replace this water every six months.

Beyond just drinking, this water is vital for mixing with dehydrated foods, personal hygiene, and washing wounds. In a crisis, dehydration can set in quickly, leading to impaired judgment, fatigue, and serious health complications. Having a dedicated, safe water supply like Water Bottles or Jugs eliminates one of the biggest and most immediate threats in a survival situation, allowing you to focus on other critical needs like shelter and safety. Consider also packing Water Purification Tablets or a Portable Water Filter as a backup.