Best Emergency Water Filter To Get Clean Water When You Need It

Water is the most valuable thing to access in any situation, so you should be ready for a possible survival situation if a natural disaster occurs. If you find yourself without it, you can’t just drink out of any source because sometimes those places can be loaded with parasites, harming your body.

That’s why you should have a way to filter it from any bacteria and toxins. Survival filtration systems and purifying devices are your best options to eliminate impurities. Whether you’re looking for filters or whole systems, you’ll find it worthwhile finishing this article in which we’ve handpicked the top 10 emergency water filters on the market today.

1. Survivor Filter Pro Water Purification System

The Survival Pro system is hands down the best independently tested filter on the market today. It takes care of 99.9% of protozoa, staph, and bacteria found in wild water. Created with a triple filtration system that reduces most heavy metals and chemicals, this fantastic product is much more efficient than its competitors.

Perfect for filtering large amounts of water for the whole family, this filter can be used directly from a freshwater source or pumped into any portable hydration pack. Built with quality materials, made out of Polysulfone medical-grade ultrafilter, which comes with all internal filters and tubing, a detachable drinking cup, and a compact travel bag. Survivor Filter cares for its customers and believes in its product, and that’s why they provide a lifetime warranty for this impeccable filtration system.

2. iSpring WGB32B 3-Stage Filtration System

The WGB32B whole house filtration system is the ideal premium for cleaning up water supplies, which filters it straight from the source. Protect your health with this great system that removes chlorine, sediments, and other contaminants from your water. Enough to supply a family of four, this system’s capacity is 100,000 gallons.

In its first stage, this top-notch quality filter can achieve filtration down to 5 microns, removing dirt and larger-sized particles to prevent clogging. The second and third stages block carbon for maximum filtration efficiency. Those filters knock out the bad tastes and odors while removing over 90% of chlorine. WGB32B is the upscale filtration option for every home and office.

3. Sawyer Mini Water Filter

The Sawyer MINI is one of the lightest and most versatile personal filtration systems with an affordable price tag. This high-performance filter removes 99.9% of all bacteria and protozoa, making it an ideal option for traveling or camping outdoors with your family or friends. Each Sawyer filter features 0.1-micron absolute filtration, which makes it nearly impossible for impurities to pass through.

Sawyer’s products are comprised of small hollow fiber membranes that allow water to enter into their core through tiny micro-pores so that you can have clean water anywhere. The ultra-light MINI also comes with a straw that lets you drink the filtered liquid directly from the source. Grab this easily packable filter and enjoy your next adventure in the great outdoors!

4. Express Water RO5DX Filtration System

Experience clean water with great taste with this Express reverse osmosis water filtration system, which removes up to 99.9% of bacteria, lead, nitrates, chlorine, and more. Quick and easy to install, this product will save you tons of money that you could’ve wasted on professional installation. Drink safely with this five-stage filter.

The first stage helps filter dirt, dust, sand, and rust, and the second and third focus on pollutants like chlorine, volatile organic chemicals, and odor-causing compounds.

The next stage focuses on the most challenging contaminants like lead, arsenic, chromium, fluoride, TDS, radium, etc. At the same time, the fifth is a Carbon filter, which removes any possible taste or odor. Each filter includes an emergency leak stop detector that will shut off water flow when unwelcome moisture occurs.

5. APEX MR-1050 Countertop Water Filter

APEX has provided clean drinking water since 1997, and this countertop filter system is no exception. Reduce harmful contaminants by up to 99% while removing bad odors and weird tastes.

The filter will add magnesium, potassium, and calcium, increasing the alkalinity. Stop wasting money on small disposable bottles and enjoy fresh, clean drinking water from your sink.

APEX countertop filters are designed to sit right on the kitchen countertop next to your sink and are easy to install. Be environmentally responsible and reduce the usage of plastic bottles as much as possible by having your own filtrated water source at home because Apex filters are the solution!

How to choose an emergency water filter?

Surviving in the wild can be tough and dangerous, and the last thing you want is to end up with no way to get clean h20 and get sick from a contaminated water source. That’s why you need a filter that can get rid of the most dangerous contaminants. The essential features to look for in one are its capacity, size, weight, effectiveness, and usability.

The first thing to check when purchasing an emergency filter is its capacity because depending on how much liquid you’ll drink. Choose one that’ll be able to produce enough for your daily needs!

Other critical factors are size and weight since you want to ensure that your filter isn’t too heavy and bulky to carry. You need a compact survival filter that can be easily carried in a backpack without slowing you down when you’re outdoors.

Always check the effectiveness of a filter in eliminating contaminants. Make sure that the one you’ve chosen removes bacteria, protozoa, and other impurities. Last but not least, pick an option that’s easy to use because when you’re in the wilderness, you want to be able to get clean water quickly.

Can a water filter remove viruses?

A standard filter cannot remove viruses as they are too small. Most physical filters will remove contaminants on the micron scale. However, viruses can be even smaller. There is a possible way to have virus protection with ultrafiltration that uses a nanometer-rated filter. Nevertheless, those filters clog easily and create enormous backpressure.

How do you filter water in an emergency?

Emergency drinking water that should be part of your anti-disaster prep comes with 20 years of shelf life, which means it’s safe to drink when stored properly. You don’t necessarily have to filter it, but make sure it isn’t exposed to direct heat and sunlight in a plastic bottle and store it in a dark, cool, and dry place.

If you don’t want to store large amounts of liquid or don’t have the space to, you can always opt for a filter for emergency preparedness. 

Which water filter pitcher removes the most contaminants?

If you’re looking for a filter that removes most impurities, the Express RO UV Sterilizer is what you need. All of Express’s filters are specifically engineered to work together, to produce the safest and best tasting h2O you’ll ever drink. Its powerful UV protection removes up to 99.99% of major contaminants.

Keep in mind that this is an ultraviolet system, and it can’t work without electricity so it won’t be useful outdoors on most occasions.

How do you purify water for survival?

The easiest way to purify it in the wilderness is to boil it, provided you have the equipment to do so (a.k.a. survival kit), plus a campfire. Another option is to have a filtration system with you.

That might not always be the case, but if you have purification tablets, you’ll have a way to drink clean water, even if it’s not necessarily the best-tasting – method. Almost all methods require you to carry h2O or have a water source nearby.

Still, in case of an emergency or a severe natural disaster, you can evaporate water from the ground. Dig a hole and insert a container on the bottom with a cover that will allow it to evaporate from the soil upwards, condensing on the cover and dripping into the container.

How can I filter my water without a filter?

There are many options to filter water with a purifier, but most are not as effective. The most common way to do so is by boiling the water for a couple of minutes because high temperature kills any living bacteria. Still, it won’t eliminate contaminants such as heavy metals, salts, and chemicals. Pasteurizing water is another option in which you heat water to 149 degrees for several minutes, removing bacteria, heavy metals, and chemicals.

Your easiest option is solar water disinfection, in which you leave the liquid in plastic bottles on a dark surface in the sun to increase temperature, and the water gets somewhat clean. Last but not least, this option shouldn’t be used often or for an extended period since the way you clean water is with chemicals.

Most people don’t like or understand this method, but pure bleach removes many impurities in water, and so does Calcium Hypochlorite in an emergency. Water filtration is no joke; use these options if you don’t have a proper way to filter your water.

Final Words

One of the essential things to survive in the great outdoors is water – specifically, one that’s clean, free of contaminants, and safe to drink. When checking out emergency filters for your next adventure, keep everything we’ve mentioned above in mind to find a high-quality, effective filter that meets all your expectations and needs. 

If you have any other filters to suggest, we would like to hear about them, and if any more questions regarding the subject need to be answered, feel free to drop them in the comments below.

References:
1. New processes of purifying water
2. EPA
3. WikiHow