Ultrafiltration Water Filter, 0.01 Micron (4,000 L)

When the stored water runs out, this is how a household keeps drinking.

At 0.01 micron, it filters finer than a standard hollow-fiber straw. It's rated for 4,000 liters, enough to cover a family of four's drinking water for months, and it fills a bottle in about a minute.

What it stops: bacteria and protozoa, including Giardia and Cryptosporidium.

Straight talk about what it doesn't do

• Treat for viruses after a flood. Filter first, then boil or bleach. That's the CDC's guidance too.
• Remove chemicals, fuel, or salt. No filter in this class does. If the water smells like gasoline, find different water.
• It's manufacturer-rated, not independently certified. I'd rather tell you that than let a box imply otherwise.

This is the filter in the 72-Hour Family Kit, for the day the jugs run dry.

For the full method, read How to Make Water Safe to Drink When the Tap Isn't on our Field Notes.

Stand Ready. Stay Unbreakable.