From a survival aspect, you absolutely must focus on a long-term source of water. All of your best-laid plans will be for naught if you don't have water rights on your property, a collection system for rainfall, and second and third sources to rely on, as well as reliable purification systems. Safe municipal water (although with the inclusion of all the toxic additives 'safe' is debatable) could soon be a thing of the past.

It's beyond dispute that the United States is facing a water crisis. On the West Coast, where much of our produce is raised, California has statewide restrictions on water use. On the East Coast, the water is plentiful but is polluted by chemical spills, as seen in West Virginia and radioactive leaks, as seen in South Carolina. In Detroit, thousands of people who couldn't afford to pay their bills no longer have running water in their homes.

Several years ago, Michael Snyder wrote about the endless drought of 2012, calling it the largest natural disaster in American history.  He predicted a water shortage that will change the lives of every person on the planet.

It's certainly beginning to look like he was right.

How much water are you using?

One thing that people don't always stop to consider is exactly how much water they use each day. Everyone in the preparedness realm knows the adage about 1 gallon per person per day, but that is only the tip of the iceberg. It doesn't include the vast amount of water we customarily use for hygiene purposes. This video shows how easily the average American goes through at least 100 gallons of water per day.