When the tap isn't safe, use water in this order

A water filter isn't always your first step.

Say your town sends out a boil notice. Or a storm knocks the power out for days.

You turn on the kitchen tap and stop.

Is this still safe to drink?

Most filter ads skip this part. When the tap isn't safe, use water in this order:

1. Water you stored ahead of time.

2. Tap water, treated exactly the way the notice tells you.

3. Water from a creek or rain barrel, filtered before you treat it.

The filter belongs to step three. That's it. Most household water emergencies start with the first two.

Our friends over at Survival Life turned this into a simple three-stage water plan. Stage one costs $0 to $40.

And when you're ready for stage two, they compared five filters, from a kitchen gravity system to a light backup. That way you'll match the filter to your water source instead of just buying the biggest one.

What the plan walks you through

• Stage one: how much water to store, and where.

• Boil notices: what to do with tap water.

• The 5 filters: which one matches your water source.

See the 3-stage water plan →

Some of you keep a full shelf of jugs. Others figure a pot on the stove will do.

Talk soon,