Urban Prepping Water Filters: We're Not in Kansas Anymore
While there are countless systems providing full spectrum filtration at home, they leave much to be desired for the road. Whether a trip out of town or a prolonged outage at the municipal treatment plant, we're often pulled to a solution that covers the spread. As a pillar of preparedness, I would imagine you have something tucked away - but is it as simple as throwing an urban survival water filter in your kit?
Most filters and purifiers have been designed for the recreational market - campers, backpackers, world-wide travelers. We're talking rural sprawls dotted with lakes and streams, bacteria and viruses. The kind of thing that will ruin a weekend but can be quickly remedied upon return to town. But when we trace the curve of urban survival, we often overlook the most common contaminates in the city. Heavy metals such as lead, mercury and even cobalt will cause plenty of issues through bioaccumulation, but chemical contamination during an urban disaster can quickly become problematic. A drop of gas in the water today may be palatable, but a week's worth of pesticide during a SHTF scenario won't go unnoticed. Severe diarrhea, organ failure, and a host of neurological problems are all in the realm of possibility based on your water source.
As most portable systems do not provide protection from chemicals and heavy metals, it's important to understand the limitations of your equipment. As a backpacker, I have long enjoyed the benefits of the Sawyer Squeeze. It's light, modular, easy to maintain, and will filter close to 350,000 liters of water. While this is the perfect companion for open country, it really starts to hit the ceiling in an urban environment. Viruses such as Norovirus are far too small for the filter, and toxic contaminates are essentially guaranteed. Rated for 250 liters of clean water, Grayl has created a French-press styled bottle to tackle the issue of filtering out bacteria, viruses, and a manner of chemicals and heavy metals. A potent feat that has yet to find a rival on the market. This may not be a viable long-term option, but in a survival situation, the added time can help to buffer a more sustainable solution.
Ultimately, careful selection of your water source will be critical during a long-term disaster. Focusing on above ground rain catchment and fast-moving water should help to limit high concentrations of chemicals and heavy metals, while an honest understanding of your filter or purifier can help protect your gut. So, the next time you're walking around your neighborhood, look around to see what you can find. Make notes, plot them on a map, and remember - there's no such thing as clean water in an urban disaster.