Water. The liquid of life. A combination of basic elements, hydrogen and oxygen. When many focus on the priority of food. The true necessity is water.
Water sustains life. The body requires water for formation of tissue, mental awareness, proper function of vital organs and more. One key symptom the body is deficient of H20 is dehydration. Yes, a human may begin to feel the onset of food starvation after a few days, but thirst will become evident much quicker. Depending on the time and quantity one has consumed water or water based beverage, a human can develop the early onset of thirst and dehydration within 12-24 hours.
Water is essential for hygiene. Many think of water as for consumption. However, water is needed by humans for controlling the hygiene in perhaps a very disparaging environment. In an active disaster environment followed by a lengthy survival period, water is needed to keep individuals clean to maintain a hygienic environment. This is even more crucial in the situation of several humans living in close quarters over time. Basically, it may come to the need to control disease and contagion as a result of declining hygiene.
Water is a basic of food preparation and more. Food preparation will require water for two reasons. One, food may require water to be edible or boil water for consumption. Secondly, water is necessary to keep cooking equipment clean. Keeping pots, pans, glasses, utensils, etc., clean is important to maintain a healthy living environment.
Now that we've made the case for importance. How much should one conserve to be ready when disaster strikes? Many preparedness gurus recommend at a minimum, one gallon of water per person in your preparedness plan. However, this is based upon a relatively short term disaster scenario. Should a major event carry you without access to clean water beyond three weeks, many other experts now agree that two gallons of water per person is the real minimum. The two gallon threshold builds in many of the needed components mentioned above, including hygiene. Based on our research, we recommend two gallons per person.
Water storage and management. Many preparedness experts recommend having a dedicated water plan. A plan separate, in some regards, from your food storage plan. (That is how important water is to your survival.) Many preparedness studies agree that using a variety of water containers is the best approach. It's a matter of practicality. Large water barrels with a spigot may be good for food preparation, general hygiene, and cleaning food equipment. Bottled water is easy to grab, consume and transport. Assure you dedicate adequate storage space and consider the weight of transporting large water containers. Some build water purification equipment into their plan. You may consider designating a member of your preparedness team to monitor daily consumption and usage to assure water levels are on track with your preparedness plan.
All in all, water is the primary need of humans. Your ability to assure sufficient water resources will bolster your plan and the quality of life of your preparedness team.
