Gear / Water
Ready.gov says store at least one gallon of water per person per day for several days, for drinking and sanitation. Storage first. A filter is the backup. Ready.gov: Water
Turns a bathtub into stored drinking water when a storm is on the forecast. No space used until then.
Skip if you have no bathtub or want water stored all year.
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See it at waterBOB Affiliate link. We may earn a commission.A rigid jug with a spigot. Fill it, date it, put it in a closet.
Skip if you want containers that stack flat.
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See it at Reliance Affiliate link. We may earn a commission.Stackable bricks that hold 3.5 gallons each and fit under beds and in closets.
Skip if you only need a few days for one person.
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See it at WaterBrick Affiliate link. We may earn a commission.A cheap backup if tap water is ever unsafe. Fits in a drawer or a go bag.
Skip as your only plan. It filters one person's drinking water, it doesn't store any.
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See it at LifeStraw Affiliate link. We may earn a commission.Small, fast and well known with hikers. Filters into a pouch or bottle.
Skip if nobody in the house will take 5 minutes to learn it.
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See it at Sawyer Affiliate link. We may earn a commission.An everyday kitchen pitcher, so the filter you use daily is also the one you'd use in a boil notice.
Skip if you already have a pitcher filter you like.
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See it at Clearly Filtered Affiliate link. We may earn a commission.A gravity filter sized for a household, not one person.
Skip if you live alone. The personal straw is enough as a backup.
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See it at LifeStraw Affiliate link. We may earn a commission.Picks checked against each maker's own product page on 2026-11-14. Spot something wrong or missing? Suggest gear.
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