Very good content. One very important, un-limited source of water is an air conditioner unit. Central a/c, window are portable are all appliances that generate water constantly. I've been through situations where water is cut off after a disaster or accident, but there is still electric power. Even with a generator, you can operate a window a/c and have a source of several gallons of water per day -specially in humid places. Of course, dehumidifiers are an excellent source of clean water, as well as making the area more pleasant and breathable in humid places
LOVE a LOT of you on this list and watch regularly! I can't wait to check out the other channels, thank you guys so much for putting out these videos. Much love!
Great video. When you were talking about water treatment I was reminded of the fact the water treatment, sewage and sanitation workers save more lives than doctors.
Actually remembered the water heater trick and used it this past week. I live in mississippi and the day before hurricane ida hit i got our old 53 gallon tank water heater (swapped to a tankless water heater earlier this year), put it up on 2 cinder blocks, and filled it up. Had 53 gallons of water stored for whatever purpose. Thankfully we didnt need it but id rather have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.
That's smart. I was watching the news about Ida and saw some people standing in a line to get water the day after. I was wondering why so many people don't prepare, even when they know in advance it's coming. It's better to try and avoid needing to rely on government or charity to survive in a disaster.
I have literally just arrived at my new home in the countryside. My friend questioned why I still ran my water through a Berkey water filter since the town got its water from a pristine water source. I just asked him if my water pipes were copper, lead, or plastic, and if the supplier chlorinated the water. He didn't know, and neither do I. Thank you for this video. Water is life.
@@triplehornsheep2419 Agreed mate. Here in the UK there are very few properties that are entirely "off grid". Unless you build a log cabin in the forest or something like that.
As far as municipal water lines being 'stealing', in an SHTF situation, if I'm tapping a hydrant so the old couple next door can have water without using any of my preps, that's just me making use of my taxpayer dollars.
I'd categorize that as the positive way to reap what we have already sown especially if it's to help somebody out that wasn't able to do for themselves
I subscribed a month ago, I thought I was a good prepper. Ran through 15-20 of your videos and realized…. learning to learn from others will probably be the biggest asset we all NEED to learn. You’ve taught me a lot bro, appreciate it. Keep the awesome “eye opening” content coming. Skill transfer. You teach me how to can food and I teach you how to rebuild a carburetor. Only makes us stronger when SHTF. Blessings 🙏.
It's not really an extra source, but I recomened getting a bath blader for however many tubs you have. If you know a big storm or something is coming, fill them up before you lose power. That will give you up to 50 gallons of water per bathtub.
About the bathtub bladders: most of them hold 100 gallons. Water weighs 8.3 lbs per gallon. That's 830 lbs, full! Modern bathtubs will crack and break with that weight, unless they have proper support under them. This wud be built under when the tub was installed. If your tub is newer than 20+ years, don't count it. Just keep that in mind. Give those instructions with the tub bladder. You can set it up outdoors with a homemade support system, if need be. My 1970's tub can handle that weight. My newer one cracked with 250 lbs in it!
Another good place that I usually look for is that if you come across a dried riverbed. Look for the inside bends of the river curves. It's easy to identify them because they have green foliage growing near. Just start digging with a trowel and you will most likely come across some fresh water.
Same in most of Missouri. We have two wells, a spring, a year-round creek, and a river fairly close. Then we installed a rain catchment system. When leaving the property for any reason we carry Grayl's and water straws. Water is life!
I'll just say this. Office spaces maybe completely ignored ... at first. But office buildings will be a gold mine for AA batteries, snack foods, and bottle water. 1. Every clock, every wireless mouse, every desk doodad will have at least one AA battery in it. 2. If you have office workers, you have food snacks. The two go hand and hand. The receptionist is going to have a candy jar. It is one of the tedious jobs in the office and keeping your mouth occupied with hard candy is one way to stay alert and help occupy your mind during the day. Minimal calories to boot. 3. 5 gallon water drums will likely be the norm in the cubicle farms, but older buildings without open floor plans are all going to be individual offices. And each office is going to likely have a stash. Nobody trust community frigs. Nobody.
One thing to remember: plan for sanitation at the same time you plan for water sources. Sanitation takes up a ton of your free water supplies. We recently had a water issue with the city water shut down. Testing, I found it takes a good couple gallons to properly flush your toilet. It wasn’t a SHTF moment so I didn’t mind using my backup water supply, but if you actually have to save your water for survival you need other options for the toilet such as the 5 gallon bucket/water doodle/trash bag trick.
You can cut the top off of a two liter bottle and fill it up to pour into the toilet bowl from a height of a couple feet and it will flush. It isn’t ideal but it works.
Bury your fecal matter no less than 100 feet away from your water source, if that source is from the ground. (well water being pulled by generator, garden hand pump etc.
Another water source: Hand well pumps. These will have a large handle at the top. If it has not been used in a while, you may need to prime it. Tale a small amount of water with you when you go the pump. Pour some of that water into the top of the pump, where the handle is attached to a shaft which goes down into the pump. Work the handle and pour more water at the same time. When primed, the pump will draw water from the well up to he spigot and out into a bucket or other container that you had placed to catch the pumped water.
If the water pump has not been used for a long while, the leathers maybe dried out. The leathers are soft and create a vacuum to pull the water up from the well. Sometimes pouring hot water into the top of the pump will help soften the leathers up. Sometimes they need to be replaced due to age and condition.
I went a year and a half without running water. I collected rain water for flushing. That was when I realized you don't need clean water in your toilet.
I use a chamber pot (empty milk gallon) to gather my urine and dump it when full. Sometimes in the comode, sometimes outside. It usually takes 5-6 times to fill it.
It's a good idea to flush out your water heater to keep it clean, you don't want to depend on your water heater only to learn that when you need the water the drain is clogged up with sediment or the remains of a corroded anode rod.
There are oddly only a handful of water heater maintenance vids on RU-vid, but after decades of living in houses with water heaters, I've never heard of replacing the sacrificial anode. They don't even stock them in bigboxhardware store close by.
Anyone who looks down their nose at the prospect of pipe water, toilet water etc is blessed because desperation has not yet set in. Before desperation sets in, might as well be realistic and start just getting all the water from all the sources ready, without turning your nose up!
After decades of backpacking experience I have confidence that I can make any water potable using primitive technology, if necessary. Natural filtration, boiling, distilling...
I’m only beginning the prepper journey (-perhaps too late.) But I’ve really learned a lot from your videos. Thank you for serving us with such good information.
I got this list many years ago: Water in pipes, Water heater, Ice cube trays, Liquid in canned goods, Back of toilet tank, Ice Jugs in freezer (also bags of ice), Home-canned water, Purchased bottled water (freeze if possible)
Glad to see you were included in the 30 days of prepping collaboration! We're fairly rural but your videos still offer helpful hints for us. Thank you!
One that i learnt from scouts; Dig a pit, a sheet/tarp/plastic over the pit, with a rock in the middle and a pot directly underneath said rock. As the soil heats and cools, water will be collected on the fabric and drip down into the container. Esp useful in hotter climes/no plant life etc
solar still, or at least a variation of it - one of the drawbacks of the scouting program going away, i specialized in wilderness survival on my path to Eagle Scout, and learned a lot of such tricks...made survival training in the military a piece of cake!
@@chookvalve my old scout group has changed :'( when i volunteered as adult 15yrs ago, briefly, it was like a 2nd school, with a curriculum and everything. the only 'scouting' was the last half being half games n half basics id learnt at cubs -.- i was almost heart-broken n the politics was insane, so i didnt stick it out
It is a crazy idea. If there is no water pressure, you won't get much, if any water. Opening a faucet outside of a building, without an open tap inside creates a scenario that basically stops the water from draining. Considering that if you are that desperate for water, then others are also and some might be willing to killy you to get at it. So anything you plan on doing,to get water, better be very quick and easy.
@@patparnell1933 Plumbers, Heatng Engineers and others use single and double versions for servicing radiators and so on. A four way is to ensure you have any 1 of the four standardized vavle, nut or key it might be needed to handle for example to release pressure from a water boiler system radiator.
8:58 Someone needs to learn the difference between "stealing" and "salvaging". Like now. Additionally, if you're THAT concerned, consider buying a share of stock in the companies that own the commercial buildings around you, and keep the certificates. As a part owner, you're entitled to the assets. In an SHTF situation, none of this will matter, but you'll likely sleep better.
just wanted to say thanks. i stumbled onto your channel a couple of months ago. i too am in a urban environment. Thanks to you, I am learning how to "get ready" in the suburbs.. The rain barrel collection system is just about finished, My bob is ready to go, and I installed a spigot on the water heater. the toilet tanks have been scrubbed and no chemicals are used now. This was an excellent teaching, alerting me to additional sources. i also have a source to pull water from the air, and the battery system to make that work is coming along. thanks
I got two silcocks after hearing about them here and at Sensible Prepping then went down to the nearest two main streets of modestly sized towns near me in the DFW metroplex and tested them. I found so many sources of water in a state with only one, single natural lake. It really opened my eyes. I keep one in a Get-Home bag and one in my toolkit now. Went 7 days without clean water and 3 without any at all but what was in the pipes this past Feb. I knew to prepare months before, but many people here didn’t, and had to go by churches for 80 500ml bottles per household. Also, keep a bottle of iodine tablets and an iodine taste remover in my Get Home. Got a few of each in the main stash. Love the current focus on water. Please keep it up!
@@jonahtwhale1779 I’ve only used Potable Aqua PA+ Remover tablets on top of the iodine ones. They worked well enough that when Fort Worth’s water reservoirs lost processing capability that we could drink using the pills as directed. Always been squeamish about using bleach, and the taste isnt great, but iodine and the taste remover make a good combo. Even so, always have a few months of bottled water on hand.
That water is gross. If you either let the tank fill or let it drain with the hose there is bacteria and mold in there. Especially if you don’t clean it out very regularly.
We moved to a more rural location in March and discovered that we had a water purification system in our new home. It wasn't something that we realized that we had, but is a wonderful surprise. We thought that it was a water softener.
This is life-saving information. I will write a list and thoroughly investigate each resource Within my home and community. I have a Berkey but I see that I must be prepared For possible on the move water harvesting. Thank you so much, The information is greatly appreciated ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Another reason to avoid a diet high in refined carbohydrates, which requires copious amounts of water consumption. Btw, as a separate matter, during previous grand solar minima, people fasted at least 21/24.
1 1/2 to 3 inches per day at 104 avg at 50+ dew point, with exposure area of 11.91 inches with depth of 14.5 inches. Lower volume of water=more evaporation?
@@bellaellis2813 Roughly 7600 gallons when full. Pi(3.14)×radius²(in inches)×depth(in inches). Divide the result by 231(the number of cubic inches in a gallon). So, 3.14×108²×48=1,757,998.08. Which, divided by 231 = 7610.381 gallons. I learned these formulae years ago working in an aquarium shop, and it's surprising how often it's come in handy.
I've moved around a lot and I've been a home brewer for decades. It's pretty easy to find a local spring to procure GOOD water - that has no chloramine or fluorine. (used to be that municipal water used chlorine, which dissipated in time. Now municipalities use chloramine which does NOT dissipate, at all!)
Good points! Thank you. I have a few caveats. 1. Be very careful about cactus as a water source--many cacti are toxic! Know what you're tapping into before trying. 2. Rain seems pure as it falls from the sky, but if it drips off your roof, you need to purify it before drinking it. Birds poop on that roof. 3. Don't just drape a tarp on the ground in the rain--much of the water will run off. Elevate the sides. (I know, obvious when sitting in our armchairs. Not obvious when Gehenna's breaking loose.) 4. Just saying, as a person of color, while White preppers, seen as "scavenging", might get away with stealing water from commercial buildings in an emergency, the rest of us would be shot for "looting". Weigh the risks carefully. 5. After draining the potable water from the back of the toilet, you can then refill it with unpotable water for flushing.
In my area, sewer bills are calculated by using our water meter. I'm building a rainwater catchment system for flushing toilets. Using less city water, I'll save on my sewer bill. Also, bills are calculated based upon summertime usage. So it helps to have shade trees in the yard, keeping my grass green.
Same here they break it down into two different charges the first one is literally called water usage LOL the other one is called sewage and when I called and inquired about the difference because I gently explained that there was a difference I was told nope it's all the water that gets used by your house I said so water is not the clean water coming in and sewage is not what's going out like I don't know down the toilet or something and she said nope it's all from the same thing I said then why are you breaking it up into two categories she was dumbfounded
Great ideas, where I live the county has made it illegal to trap/gather rainwater. Honestly I dont see how they can even say they are the only ones with the right to use rainwater as long as you are getting it from your own property. Can anyone make this make sense to me?
It's a big issue here in Australia with most new homes having City & Recycled Water. People are encouraged to get rain tanks too. They run off different connections & the Purple Line (Recycled is meant for Gardens / Toilets).
@@jeaniejbutler4911 I suggest a covert tapping of your downspouts. Tap them so that they empty to a barrel that is inside your garage. As long as they look normal from the outside, I doubt if anyone will hassle you.
Most fire hydrants are designed to be all the way on or all the way off. I'm not saying you have to open it all the way to get a bucket of water, but please make sure it is all the way off when you're done. Otherwise it will allow the flow of water beneath it underground. Not only a waste of the water still in the line, BUT when water is restored it can turn your neighborhood (or maybe just the road in front of your house) into a sinkhole.
How would it cause a sinkhole unless the underground pipe that the hydrant is bolted to is broken...which at that point it wouldn't matter if you turned it all the way off it would still leak, which would have happened before you even got to it. Water merely dripping doesn't cause enough cavitation to be able to do what you're stating. Btw, ex road worker here that's had to remove and set hydrants.
@@NickP42069 - Then you know most fire hydrants in the US are of the dry barrel type, with a valve in the bottom to allow water to drain out to prevent freezing in Winter. There is a point when both opening and closing the hydrant at which the drain valve is open as water is flowing into the hydrant. (It has to do with expelling air from the hydrant when putting it into operation, and probably some other technical reasons.) So there is a point at which if it isn't closed all the way after use, water can be flowing into the barrel, and out the drain (under pressure) underneath. Of course different manufacturers are different, and if you're in a part of the country that doesn't freeze they may use a type of hydrant that doesn't have the drain underneath. My statement was intended as a general warning without trying to confuse people with too much detail about what type hydrant they're likely to find.
Thank you and all the others who came together to create this comprehensive list of water supply options. You’ve made it obvious to me I need to get myself educated if I’m going to even attempt to make it through when the SHTF. Bless you all. Bless all the rest of you too, you never know, we may see one another down the road if the SHTF.
I'm in Australia, where evaporative air-conditioner are used in the outback. whilst it's not endorsed by health authorities, you can drink the water that runs off from the evaporative aircon
I would not bleed the pressure off from the water heater at the pressure and relief valve. I would use the drain valve to help blow out the scale build up.
Great video! I'm glad we have people such as yourself who think about situations such as loss of city water during some kind of disaster and how we can deal with it. I would rather be without gas or electricity than water. My suggestion is not for everyone. I call it my water bank. I have a water bed. I know flash back to the 1970's. Maybe, but I have a very large supply of fresh water made safer by the use of a very good water filtration system. In addition, I can easily protect it and it's very convenient. Something to think about.
many urban areas have some type of agency that deals with water reclamation. they often have maps which show where underground aquifer systems are. usually open to public. not a bad idea to avail oneself. digging for water is a timeless skill.
I’m glad you added a brief note about those of us who live in the desert. I wish you would expand more. As the desert is a large part of the United States and so is the rural areas that surround these part of the US
My friend Billy had a ten foot willy, he showed it to the girl nextdoor, she hit it with a rake, because she thought it was a snake 🐍 and now it's only four foot four.
@@jeaniejbutler4911 we have regular barrels as well. The pickle will be used for more than drinking. However I do not have a sense of smell so I personally would not be bothered by the pickle smell or taste.
My pickle barrel contained spiced stewed apples, so that’s what our water will taste like! I’ve set it up inside my garden shed, filled with mains water. No prying eyes or drones will know it’s there in an emergency situation. LouiseAustralia
Keep in mind some ares have a high water table so you may be able to dig down a few feet to obtain water and or have water slowly leech into the hole from the surrounding ground. From there you can filter it. Obviously not near a septic field etc.
I guess... in emergency situation, if I physically will not be able to dig deep enough hole to reach underground waters, at least I will be able to collect some water , if I place a polyethylene sheet on top of the hole... 🤔
Thank you for a great video on water collection. This comes on the heels of the disasters from hurricane Ida. Also, to remember the disasters continue with the fires out west. This grand solar minimum and the solar flares are wreaking havoc on the land. Be blessed you and your family and stay safe.
We live in a Hurricane Prone location. We have “bags” that fit in the bath tub we fill that. I also found “straws” that purify water, in addition to digging a well. You can also use swimming pool ours is a salt based pool, use it for toilets and showers. We also have a solar shower bag.
I am an "expert" in this field. That means I don't know everything and I should never stop learning until a few days after I am dead and buried. Good review.
This pandemic has made my partner think I am not crazy with my canning and growing small crops. He bought two 50gallon water storage tanks (5 year storage), and upped our monthly water order (we dont drink the tap) to 50 gallons. We do not use this much water in a month, but we now have over 200 gallons of water, safe to drink, stored.
@@Eyes0penNoFear yup. 5 year storage. at the end of the 5 years, if shtf hasnt happened, i plan to use it to water the garden and refill and retreat. and so on, and so on.
I got lazy once and left my kayak next to the house and we had a quick moderate rain shower. Went out to take my licks and move it after the rain to realize the roof runoff had completely overflowed the kayak, probably 50 gallons or so easily.
The house I live in has a functional well, all it needs is one part to be replaced! It's cheap and relatively easy, and I've been asking for help from my brother for around 6 months. I'm asking about it around daily because it's such a huge thing for me! All of our water already comes from there, but that needs electricity. All I need is our well to be hand pumpable! We also have our country's biggest river around 5km from us, and a relatively big lake to the opposite side, around 4km from our place!
People need to stop spraying their yards just to make the grass all one color. It is stupid to poison run off chemicals in water, kill beneficial insects and frogs. Our once great echo system has been ruined.
Amen! My suburban lawn, backed up to a wooded lot, may sport 5 different grasses and scattered weeds, but I have earthworms in the garden for fishing, rabbits and other small game poking around every night (trail cam proven), and birds aplenty coming to my lawn to find meals. The lawn is free of toxins and that helps us be food independent when needed.
I agree I don’t like bugs in my house so I get rid of them but when I’m outside I’m in their house I try my best to respect it when we became so snobby spoiled little turds we start acting this is ours only 4 us bugs is food for others and they help plants flowers ext I had a tomato garden I bought a bag of lady bugs and pour it in the garden the best harvest ever noooo bugs or holes in the crop We all have a person .... who in charge of the EPA???
My uncle had the best looking green lawn-- His advice- when clipping lawn Never clip grass low and let grass fall back on lawn as fertilizer--beautiful lawn always- never put chemicals on it
Hate to say the truth that the world is more uncertain now.. videos like this are helpful! Thank God 🙏 for good sources and tips like this from Good People!
@@contradictorycrow4327 it might freshen your breath to suck on the tank cakes, I would dissuade you from sucking on a urinal cake, but it is your choice! 👍
heres a couple tricks i learned not mentioned. Number one. in the morning when dew is everywhere take a sock or a shirt and run it along the very wet grass. You can absorb water and wring it out. Number two: keep a small squeegee on you and in the same fashin when dew or rain is on car windows run that along the windows and collect the water.
Super creative. It really does make me feel very appreciative for my situation. We have propane water heater. Water well, Generator back up, 300 gal propane tank, wood stove heat. We raise livestock full time on our property. My wife has an acre of orchard and vegetables garden mix. I always thought we would do ok out here. I’m also a avid hunter. It would just suck to lose all the fun stuff. I did always wonder about people in the city. Good stuff guys keep it up.
@@juanitakindle4774 ? I don’t get it…. I would never say where I live on the internet, anyway this part of my state everyone has this setup it’s normal and we are not even considered peepers or anything. Just a normal life out here.
Collect water from a dehumidifier if you can power it through solar or another alternative power source. Canadian Prepper mentioned it in one of his videos.
I do that now, instead of letting the water drain - collect it in a 5 gallon bucket to be poured into the commode. I use a (actually 2) number 10 can to catch the draining water behind the dehumidifier so I can swap out one can for the other without stopping the machine. It takes 35 amps from solar energy to power my dehumidifier. A necessary evil when your home is an underground nuclear bunker.
If people are still unsure on the quality of natural water even though it looks good , you should make a video on natural filters such as charcoal and sand/moss filters. Free and easily accessible filters and can be filtered using something as simple as a large fan leaf or even a smoked hollow tree branch. Happy prepping!
Even if the water isn't drinkable, it might be good for watering plants, or flushing the toilet. When our water has been shut off, we fill the bathtub. Tina
After our last hurricane, I had a very hard time even remembering where our preps were, and what we had, simply because I was completely overwhelmed. I just didn't know what to do! So now I'm in the process of logging everything we have and where it is, and also how to use everything. I'm putting it in a clearly labeled notebook and placing it in a conspicuous place in my bookshelf.
That’s my situation now. I am in Hammond La and Ida has us totally off grid. It’s Armageddon out here. Can’t find my lanterns. Can’t locate my siphon. Should have bought more gas cans and batteries. Ugh! It’s bad.
@@loriegordon5227 I am sending up continuous prayers for you, your family and your community. I've lived through every hurricane since Camille, and it's always, always awful.
In countries where city water is intermittent and of low pressure, every home has a large water tank with a float valve and a pump for the house. I've often thought about installing a pair of these in my own home. Such places also have large backup generators for the equally unreliable power grid. Again, redundancy is key. Once I have a whole house generator, still going to keep the portable generator.
We have water everywhere, but most of it is loaded with pesticides and other lawn care products. While I have several different filters (Katadin, sawyer etc), I am still looking at what I should use to insure all chemicals are removed.
Due harvesting in the mornings. Take a dry sheet and drag it over a field of glass. Ring out the water and treat it. For those of us in rural communities you can do this on a hike by tying your shirt on to your leg while walking through an area with due.
I have a Doulton water filter that I use daily. I bought a Grayl for my bug out bag. There is a creek running through the city a block from my apartment. I keep a few gallons of bottled water in my studio apartment.
Great video. Loved it. Follow on question: are there any options for purified drinking water for ocean water? Sorry for asking as I think this is a hard nut to crack. Yet, there is so much of it. If there is a solution available to the general public, it would be golden.
boil it, collect the steam n let it condense n u have buy-product of salt for preserving foods. you'd need appropriate equipment, fuel for fire/elec/gas/alcohol, some sort of funnel for steam collection and pipe down into a lower container. it would have to be airtight for greatest efficiency and everything would have to be sterilised that the steam runs through, unless u fancy double boiling.
@@kimwarburton8490 Thanks for replying. I am vaguely aware of desalination equipment on naval ships and I think Israel uses them. A residential sized process and equipment that worked well would be a real bonus. I own a water distiller that boils the water but I am sure salt water would gum up the works in short order. I am interested in seeing what Citi Preppier comes up with.
@@mantzbrinkman4780 ditto :D i dont actually have the equip to do it, but i live nr a 2ndry school with lab equip n shy of 30miles from the sea. There is however 2 small rivers going through my small town, one is very close to my home. Being in SW england, i think flooding is more of a concern than drought. theres also 2 lakes in the town and ive access to a carport which has guttering n my immediate neighbour is a self-employed builder. I have the know-how, he has the tools n equip n skill to use them n we get on well enough should SHTF while im here. Out the back door is like a courtyard where only 6 flats have access and i have plans id implement there too re food n rain collection, plus i reckon my berkley would ensure we get enough safe drinking water to bring us together as a team. We are gunna be getting new neighbour/s soon, so fingers crossed they are gooduns. We have an absentee above my flat, new tenant/s will be above 'builder's' flat, an old man upstairs 'next door' and a 55yr old 'hippy' type below him. We'd be an ok team IF they listen to me lols. Failing that, id abandon them n go live with mum n step-dad who are v fit n healthy for their age n have access to horses n rented land thats relatively off the beaten track. But their town isnt as self-sufficient as mine is, plus it is bigger n closer to larger settlements n id be more reliant on their local knowledge, but it has its advantages
Depending on the dehumidifier, it may contain toxic heavy metals and other chemicals that will kill you. The ones with the little balls in the bag that take water from the air for example is deadly.
Water from a dehumidifier or air conditioner should be filtered at a minimum, and preferably purified by distillation. I use a meter from ZeroWater to achieve 0 PPM showing the conductive material has been removed or lowered significantly. I still prefer distillation.
Suppose you have free electricity (solar+storage). This changes the design space of what's possible. I'm looking at atmospheric water generators (AWG), for drinking only. E.g. Watergen mobile box. However, these are still pretty power hungry (and expensive). Probably better AWG's, like MOF Harvesters maybe in our future. Generate water, in situ. (Avoid crowds.)
You should also take a sheet of clear plastic stretch it out preferably suspended off the ground leave a little slack where you can take fish hook or a rock put a hole in the middle so it is funnel shape, put a jar under it plastic attracts morning dew in any environment even on the ocean.
1. Don't try to hack into and eat a Saguaro cactus for water. The interior of the cactus contains a strong wooden spine, and trying to hack through it with something other than a powered saw will result in hard physical labor and massive personal water loss by perspiration. Additionally, once you do succeed in cutting through the wooden spine, the fleshy bit inside may contain some water, but it is contaminated with potent alkaloids and other compounds that will give you the runs and may also have a diuretic effect. Basically, eating any meaningful amount of the watery part of the cactus in the center will presumably make you sick and subsequently even more dehydrated. 2. Be wary of water contaminated with algae. Some types of algaes are effectively harmless, but others (like some kinds of cyanobacteria and some kinds of "red tide" algae) produce neurotoxins that leach into the surrounding water. In large enough quantities, these toxins will make a person sick and in extreme cases can kill both humans and animals alike. Simple carbon filters (like the type used in the "Big Berkey" water filter) and other types of mechanical filters like used in "personal water filters" (such as the Sawyer mini), have pores that are small enough to catch bioorganic substrates ("floaties") that may be laden with harmful microbes, but the pores are too large to filter out the neurotoxins produced by hazardous algaes. Only reverse osmosis filters, full distillation, or a properly constructed "activated carbon" filter can successfully remove the neurotoxins produced by hazardous algaes. It should be noted that "activated carbon" is not equivalent to to a charcoal filter, nor is it equivalent to a mechanical carbon filter like used in the Big Berkey. These are separate products. In normal/civilized times, regular lake and river water is commonly free of harmful algaes. However, during apocalyptic times, it is likely that desperate and unprepared humans will contaminate rivers and lakes by various methods (ex: direct bathing in rivers/lakes, using rivers/lakes as their personal bathroom, and/or sending sewage into municipal sewage treatment facilities, which during a grid down situation may be offline and may result in overflow of untreated sewage into rivers). This contamination will likely result in massive increases in nutrients (ex: nitrates, phosphates, and possible other substances) needed for algae growth, leading to explosions in agae growth in the various lakes and rivers. Many of these algae explosions may be of the hazardous neurotoxin producing agae types, leading to dangerously contaminated water, which people will not be able to treat by way of boiling, adding chemicals like bleach, or even passing it through basic carbon filters like the Big Berkey. Basically, if you want safe and clean water in the apocalypse, you either need a local and clean water source under your control (ex: a well and solar power system sufficient to run the well pump), or you need to get a reverse osmosis unit for properly purifying water that may get collected from likely algae and sewage polluted rivers and streams. However, reverse osmosis units normally require pressurized water input to function, and to generate this in a grid down situation, you need to also acquire a diaphragm pump (like used in RVs, and normally run from 12V DC), a battery (ex: a 12V deep cycle lead acid battery would typically be used), a small solar panel (ex: 100W or higher), and a small solar charge controller (to go between the solar panel and battery, to avoid overcharging the battery). For good measure, you can also add a UV water sanitizer (and also power that from your solar system), although this likely isn't essential, as the carbon pre-filter(s) and the reverse osmosis membrane filters should both successfully be able to remove any biological pathogens from the water.
Place a sheet steel panel on a wood (or whatever) frame about 6 inches above the ground on a slight angle. Place a container or diy gutter at the low end to gather dew every morning. I've seen this method create wildlife water stations in West Texas desert. Also keep some pure silver bar or bullion in your stored water. Will keep it from going sour as fast. That's what settlers did way back.
Not a great suggestion, but a hot water bottle is filled with water. It might do for a quick drink when SHTF, failing that, it could be used for washing.
