A Vital Necessity
Painful thirst has been experienced by very few Americans. We take for granted that we will always have enough water to drink. Most of us think of “food and water” in that order, when we think of survival essentials that should be stored. But if unprepared citizens were confined in a shelter, they soon would realize that they should have given first priority to storing adequate water. Therefore, having an ample supply of clean water is a top priority in an emergency. A normally active person needs to drink at least two quarts (half gallon) of water each day. People in hot environments, children, nursing mothers, and ill people will require even more. You will also need water for food preparation and hygiene. Plan for at least 1/2 gallon of water per person per day for basic hydration. If you want to cook grains and legumes, increase that to one full gallon per person per day. With an additional two or three gallons per person per day, you can be clean. On a limited supply of water, watch for signs of dehydration including: dark urine with a very strong odor; dark, sunken eyes; low urine output; fatigue; loss of skin elasticity; emotional instability; thirst; a “trench line” down center of the tongue; and delayed capillary refill in the fingernail beds. If you are in a survival situation without other sources of water, digging a well for water is not usually worth the energy and sweat.
WATER
