Emergency water filter recommendations.

[mckenney99]

Situation: I live in the city with all utilities but I also live in a city that seems to have a bullseye on it for severe storms/tornado's.
I have an emergency kit that I have assembled in a rolling storage tote with some basic items so I won't have to go looking for them. I want to add an emergency water filtration device in case the water system becomes compromised. I only need to provide water for myself and 2 cats. I keep several cases of bottled water on hand at all times but would like to have a stand alone ability to produce more potable water if needed.
Looking for suggestions based on actual experience. I have looked at the Lifestraw family unit for it's size, cost and reviews.

 

[Bugkiller99]

If you are looking for something strictly for household use, Berkey. I use one everyday to improve the taste of my water. It will also purify contaminated water.
I keep a Sawyer filter in my get home bag, trail bag, etc. This is for "emergency" use.
Either may work for you.

 

[jeffsmith]

Filtering Water doesn't Usually Remove the Biohazards
that are present in a compromised Water System
Boiling, Distillation or Chemical Treatment
is what is Usually needed to assure Safe Drinking Water

 

[bigwheelzip]

My camping pump type filter was excellent but is out of production. I like remote travel and camping, so for the option to purify any available water, I'm of the "Buy once, cry once" camp.
Something like the MSR Guardian is the one I'd be looking at, though probably overkill for your purpose.

Guardian™ Purifier | Filters & Purifiers | MSR
Sent from my Moto G (5) Plus using Tapatalk

 

[Rudi]

Good info here. I'd say keep more water on hand. Many gallons.

 

[ameridaddy]

I like my Big Berkey, feeds by gravity, comes with a stand so you can put it on a countertop for easy use. IIRC, it will do about 7 gallons per day. Buy and extra element just in case.

 

[DWalt]

The most efficient way to make biocontaminated water potable is to add a little liquid laundry bleach (8 drops per gallon) to kill pathogens. Alternatively, boiling will also work if you have a heat source. If the water is turbid, run it through a coffee maker filter. Those methods won't help if the water is chemically contaminated.

 

[Muley Gil]

The most efficient way to make biocontaminated water potable is to add a little liquid laundry bleach (8 drops per gallon) to kill pathogens. Alternatively, boiling will also work if you have a heat source. If the water is turbid, run it through a coffee maker filter. Those methods won't help if the water is chemically contaminated.

Some brands of bleach are for whitening only! Make sure you buy the correct type.

 

[rwsmith]

I'ms sure.....

Some brands of bleach are for whitening only! Make sure you buy the correct type.

...that you want chlorine bleach. After treating give time for the chlorine to vent off.

 

[chief38]

I installed a whole house filtration system about 10 years ago. It filters out Chlorine and over 140 other pollutants common to water these days. I got tired of drinking, showering in and washing in "pool water".

There are very few places left with truly clean water - we've screwed ourselves pretty good in that department.

Even though I filter all my house water, there are some pollutants it probably won't filter - but at least I am doing the best I can and keep the water as clean as possible.

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

The family/household Bug out Bag (BOB) has the MSR pumping filter in it. My personal BOB has a very small Katadyn pump filter. To clean the bio scum that accumulates/grows on them there is a recommend maintenance kit with a special Scotch Brite pad in it. Maximum life is rated at 1000 gallons. (there are straw filters also, but I recommend, get a real filter! They are usually clogged in less that 3 days!)

When we moved from the farm to the condo, my wife heard a radio program about failing city utilities. The recommendation she followed was to buy one gallon of distilled water (about 79 to 99 cents) every time she went to the store. She maintains 16 gallons in 4 of the plastic crates (stored in her sewing room).

About a year and a half after we moved in, the 4" pipe that supplies water to out portion of the complex, burst (right under an in ground electrical transformer!) and had our power off for 4 hours and our water off for 3 days. Of the 9 buildings (60-65 families) we were the only ones with a water reserve. I had a couple of 5 gallon buckets I loaned neighbors so they could get water from the pond to flush with, and the management gave everyone a case of 16 ounce water bottles.

At the farm, we had a well and a generator for power outages. In the winter things would freeze up solid (2 times) we had a galvanized wash tub and 3 huge sauce pans that we could (and did) melt snow in. I like the 16 gallons of distilled water better!

Ivan

 

[andy52]

I have two Katadyn filters and they are some of the best on the market.

 

[Coot47]

GRAYL Geopress. Works very well.

"Removes all pathogens. Viruses, bacteria and protozoa - from any freshwater source on Earth. Filters pesticides, chemicals, heavy metals, and microplastics"

 

[Kinman]

You can take the water from a cows hoof print, filter it through your dirty socks and add "Polar Pure" and it will render it safe to drink. I've had beaver fever and this stuff works.

 

[wetdog1911]

I like my Big Berkey, feeds by gravity, comes with a stand so you can put it on a countertop for easy use. IIRC, it will do about 7 gallons per day. Buy and extra element just in case.

I also have a Big Berkey as part of hurricane preps when living in SoFl. Still sits on the counter.

They also offer black filters now that will take care of most VOCs, if the water is tainted with chemicals. These aren't cheap and in most cases aren't needed.

Myself, I only run 2 of the 4 filters, since it's tap water I'm filtering and mainly use it in the MrCoffee machine. It does make a difference, even with tap water and ~3 gallons/day is way more than enough for me.

Money well spent.

Rob

 

[beaverislander]

We are Big Berkey users as well. Thought it would be nice to be able to use some of the water that surrounds us for drinking purposes if the SHTF, but it also makes the water taste better. My wife used to go through a couple litters of bottled water a day so it didn't take long to pay for itself. While this one isn't really portable they do make smaller ones.

 

[BearBio]

Filtering Water doesn't Usually Remove the Biohazards
that are present in a compromised Water System
Boiling, Distillation or Chemical Treatment
is what is Usually needed to assure Safe Drinking Water

When I was in Central America, I had iodine tablets. Screwed up and rinsed my mouth in the shower. Drank two canteens full of iodized water and I was fine. Others on the trip got sick. We met with an ethnobotanist who cured them with peppermint tea.

I keep a couple of gallons of Clorox in the garage. Many water treatment plants have stopped using chlorine and use UV light.

I also have an electrical distiller for my C-Pap machine.

 

[mckenney99]

Thank you to all who have passed on recommendations. I am fortunate the city has a high quality water supply with the exception it is very hard and they add chlorine, which I find overpowering. I currently use a Brita filtered pitcher to refill my water bottles throughout the day but just want something to get me through a reasonable disaster situation for a period of time. I will seriously research your recommendations.

 

[luvsmiths]

Situation: I live in the city with all utilities but I also live in a city that seems to have a bullseye on it for severe storms/tornado's.
I have an emergency kit that I have assembled in a rolling storage tote with some basic items so I won't have to go looking for them. I want to add an emergency water filtration device in case the water system becomes compromised. I only need to provide water for myself and 2 cats. I keep several cases of bottled water on hand at all times but would like to have a stand alone ability to produce more potable water if needed.
Looking for suggestions based on actual experience. I have looked at the Lifestraw family unit for it's size, cost and reviews.

Call St Paul Mercantile ( google it- i'm not sure we can post links here) He is a good, honest guy, and will guide you to the best, at fair prices. I have one from him.

 

[JJEH]

If everything still works at home I'd simply boil the water before use. If you need to drink compromised water filtering it is really the only thing you can do to reduce health risk, just like with everything else there's no 100%.

With that being said I have Aquamira bottles and filters. It's like those refillable bottles (plastic or metal) with replaceable filters. The bottles come with a "everyday" filter but can be upgraded to a "field" filter.

The filters are made in USA while the bottles are made in China.

It's all on their website. Hope this helps