Storage, treatment and filtration for every household
Water is the first thing to fail and the first thing you run out of. A household of four needs roughly 16 litres a day for drinking and basic hygiene, which is far more than a cupboard of bottled water usually holds.
A complete water plan has three parts: storage you can pour from, treatment that works without power, and a rotation habit so nothing sits in a container for years. Start with enough for 72 hours, then extend storage as your plan grows.
Stored water must be sanitised and rotated, and pooled, flood or surface water is never safe to drink without treatment. Filters remove bacteria and protozoa, not dissolved chemicals — follow your local boil-water guidance when contamination is suspected.
Recommended products
EssentialBest for A personal filter for go-bags and hiking packs
A multi-stage personal water filter from Membrane Solutions that removes bacteria and parasites from fresh water. The mid-range filter pick for a go-bag or hiking pack.
RecommendedBest for A household building a serious emergency water reserve
A 29-gallon (110L) emergency water storage container built for preparedness — enough stored water to cover a household for several days. The large-capacity pick for serious home storage.
RecommendedBest for Equipping a whole household with personal filters
A 5-pack of reusable, high-capacity survival water filter straws with a long lifespan and no expiration date. The family pack — one filter per person for a household or group.
RecommendedBest for A household wanting dispenseable stored water for an outage
A food-grade portable water storage tank with a built-in spigot and hose for camping, RVs and emergency preparedness. The mid-size pick for a household that needs dispenseable water on hand.
Optional / UpgradeBest for Supplementing stored water with captured rainwater
A 50-gallon rain barrel with a brass spigot that collects roof runoff for gardening and non-potable use. The optional pick for households that want to supplement stored water with free rainwater.
Side by side
| Product | Best for | Type | Use | Where |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A personal filter for go-bags and hiking packs | Personal water filter | Camping, hiking, emergency | Amazon | |
| A household building a serious emergency water reserve | Emergency water storage container | Home emergency storage | Amazon | |
| Equipping a whole household with personal filters | Personal filter straws | Family / group emergency | Amazon | |
| A household wanting dispenseable stored water for an outage | Portable water tank | Camping, RV, emergency | Amazon |
Best for A personal filter for go-bags and hiking packs
Best for A household building a serious emergency water reserve
Best for Equipping a whole household with personal filters
Best for A household wanting dispenseable stored water for an outage
As an Amazon Associate, Survival 101 earns from qualifying purchases. This doesn't change what we recommend.
Related guides
Guide · Water
Four litres per person per day is the number every emergency agency publishes. Here is what it actually covers, how it scales for a family, and why storage matters more than the maths.
2 min read · Published 12 Sept 2026
Free download
Water, food, power, first aid and evacuation lists in printable form, plus a note when the guidance changes.
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