Most survivalists say that water is even more important than food during emergency situations. People are able to live without food longer than without water. That is why having enough drinking water is the task number in achieving emergency preparedness.

We do not usually think about drinking water in our everyday life. We just have enough of it and take it for granted. But if an emergency occurs, safe drinking water may become a rare and valuable thing. Knowing how to obtain safe drinking water could save your family from unpleasant side effects and even save your lives.

The easiest way of becoming prepared is storing enough of commercially prepared water. Such water could usually be stored for more than five years. It is vital to have at least a three day supply of water on hand. Do not forget that your pets need water just like people do. It is important to have at least one gallon of water for each person per one day.

During a long term emergency your water supplies might be over before you are able to return to normal life. There are several other sources of obtaining safe drinking water. Rain water, rivers, lakes, streams and the like could provide you with plenty of water for all your needs. Your water heater and toilet tank also have plenty of water in them and you just need to get it from there. If you do have any canned beverages – they could also provide vital liquid for your family members.

The household pipes are also a great source of water. You need to shut off your water supply to avoid contaminated water from getting to your house. After that you could just open the highest faucet on the highest floor in your house. This will let air into the pipes and you will be able to get water from the lowest faucet in the house. Ice cubes could also be used as sources of drinking water.

One more thing to keep in mind is that water is not always safe no matter where it comes from. Well, this is true for all water sources except for water from commercially bottled and sealed water containers. That is why you need to learn how to disinfect drinking water during possible emergencies. All water that comes from questionable sources needs to be disinfected. Disinfection is needed to kill all dangerous organisms that could be present in the water.

You could disinfect water by boiling it. It is required to boil water for at one to three minutes. Chemical treatment could also be effective in disinfecting your water supplies. Chlorine bleach could be used for disinfection. You will need different amounts of it depending on the concentration.

This planet gets tired of us – it is high time to be prepared. Find out more about food storage – this information can save your life and the lives of other people you care about. Visit this food storage web site for interesting facts in the food storage niche.