Knowing how to store water in a bugout bag has to be an important piece of knowledge to every prepper. Water is a valuable commodity even under the simplest conditions; how much more when a black swan flies and you have to travel kilometers for an escape. Being able to keep sufficient water for a few days (3 at least) may be the only way to not die of thirst when SHTF.
But how do you do so?
It is apparent that you can’t store large gallons of water in your bag. The ideal means would be to carry in little packs, but such containers will not last on a long trip.
Let’s quickly get to the containers that you can carry and which will be just enough for the entire duration of your bug out trip.
Ways to Store Water in Bug Out Bag
Bottled Water
Water bottles are viable options to store in your BOB but aren’t without their downfall. The containers are not designed to last for long. Bottled water has to be rotated out once every year under ideal conditions.
However, most of us keep our bug out bags in less-than-ideal storage conditions, like the back of your closet or the trunk of your car. Obviously, there’s hardly any use for a BOB when everything is fine, and while this means there’s no disaster yet, it spells bad for bottled water.
The plastic bottle used in packaging water can only last for so long before leaching into the water. Therefore, you must keep track of how long you store bottled water while ensuring it isn’t exposed to extreme temperatures.
If you’re unsure of the size to get, you should buy one-liter bottles as they hold quite a decent amount and have better containers that won’t leach away in a short while. Pack at least 2 of these, so you can use an empty one for other purposes when it’s empty.
Water Bladders
Water bladders are durable plastic bags that can be collapsed when empty to limit the space they take. Mind you; they hold a lot of liters when filled.
You can select out of two different bladder styles:
The first style attaches the bladder to a long flexible tube. The bladder has to be placed into a backpack-like bag, and the tube will then be attached to the shoulder strap. By doing so, you can drink water as you travel without any need to remove the bladder.
The second style does not come with the tube, so you’ll have to stop before drinking water as you travel. Surely not the more convenient option, but it is still an effective container to collect and transport water.
Resealable Bags
Resealable bags are very useful items and thus should be a must-have in your BOB. You can switch between sandwich-sized models and one-gallon-sized models. Or you should just buy both since they are affordable at food stores.
You can use resealable bags to collect water from various sources for long and not have to worry about running out of them. They are a great backup for your main water container in case it gets missing.
And there are plenty of other uses for these bags too.
Filters
Filters are not water-carrying containers, obviously, but they are equally important. Drinking contaminated water leaves you at the mercy of diseases like giardia, diarrhea, vomiting E. coli, and cryptosporidium. You have to filter water soon as you find a source in the wild. This will help to remove sediments, large debris, and other microorganisms.
These three types of impurities mentioned above have to be removed separately from water.
Microorganisms are removed using a proper chemical water filter, and in their absence, you can boil the water. All you need to do is add the chemical to the collected water and wait for some minutes. However, this has to be done on the water without large debris, so if they are visible materials in the water, you’ll have to first remove them using a proper filter, which can be substituted using a cloth filter.
You can make a cloth filter using a handkerchief, shirt, or bandana. To use, cover the mouth of a collection container with any of them and then pour water through it. I’m not sure there’s a more effective way of removing sediments or large debris from water.
Note that these methods won’t matter if the water source is salty. The first step to take when you find seawater is to conduct desalination.
Easy, Practical Ways to Filter Water
Boiling
Boiling is arguably the simplest way to purify water, and I recommend it always, except if you can’t make a fire. You don’t have to boil water for long. Just leave the water at a boiling temperature for 60 seconds, and that’s pure enough. You have to filter the water first, though.
Bleaching
Household bleach can be an alternative for boiling. It is also more effective if you filter the water beforehand.
The general rule is to add eight drops of bleach to a gallon of water. You can increase the drops if the water is discolored or cloudy.
After adding bleach to water, shake it up and leave to rest for half an hour.
Purification Tablets
These are fairly popular, probably because they are available in pre-measured forms. You have to also filter water before adding these tablets.
Add purification tablets to water according to the quantity of the water. You’ll have to wait for 30 minutes, too, before drinking water purified with tablets.
Iodine or Chlorine
Iodine and chlorine are the main ingredients in purification tablets, so they work fine, too, if you don’t have any other means. After filtering the water, add five drops of a 2% iodine tincture per liter. You can double the number if the water is discolored.
Also, leave for 30 minutes.
Concluding How to Store Water in A Bugout Bag
A common question alongside “how to store water in a bugout bag” is “how much water should I carry in a BOB.” To be honest, there’s no definite answer because water needs vary for everyone. The amount of water that’ll satisfy me may not satisfy you or vice versa. However, it may help to know that the average person needs 2-4 liters of water to survive daily. Figure out your body’s daily requirements and pack enough for 1-3 days. Remember to come with purifiers and filters.