Water Purification
It is important that you know how to purify your water. You may want to print the recipes and place near your water supplies. The best way to purify your water is to boil it. Boiling your water for 3-5 minutes at a rolling boil is recommended. Some of the water will evaporate this way. Let the water completely cool before drinking.
The next recommended method is Distillation if there is salt in your water. You can tie a cup to the lid handle so when you place the lid over the boiling water the cup is the right-side-up and catching the condensation from the lid as the water boils. Make sure the cup is not touching the water. Boil the water for 20 minutes. The water in the cup is the distilled water.
You can also purify your water using regular household liquid bleach that contains 5.25 percent sodium hypochlorite. Do not use bleaches with added scents or cleaners or color safe bleaches. Add 16 drops of bleach per gallon of water, stir and let stand for 30 minutes. The water should have a slight bleach odor, if it does not repeat the dosage and let stand for 15 minutes more.
While the two methods will kill most microbes in water, distillation will remove microbes that resist these methods, and heavy metals, salts and most other chemicals.
A water filter pump is another option which can also be brought to a lake or a stream to get your water. Make sure that there are no reports of sewer contamination or other chemical before using the water.