You ever wonder what’s in your glass of water? Go ahead—look at it. Seems clear, right? Cold, refreshing, like it’s safe because it came out of a faucet. But let me tell you something you probably don’t want to hear: Nebraska’s drinking water is NOT safe. Not if you’re serious about survival. Not if you’re serious about staying alive when the system collapses—or even now, before it does.
I’ve spent 20 years out in the wild, living off the land, filtering my own water from streams and rain barrels. And you know what? That water’s probably cleaner than what’s coming out of your tap in Lincoln, Omaha, or Grand Island.
The sad truth is, Nebraska has a massive nitrate problem. You don’t need to believe me—go look it up. Agricultural runoff from decades of over-fertilizing the land is leaching into your groundwater. That’s the same groundwater that fills your tap. Ever heard of blue baby syndrome? That’s caused by nitrates. Think it’s only babies who are affected? Think again.
And don’t even get me started on pesticides, industrial waste, and God-knows-what seeping into shallow wells. You want a cocktail of atrazine and arsenic? No? Then keep reading, because I’m going to teach you how to protect yourself and your family when the system inevitably fails—or if you just want to avoid drinking poison today.
15 Water Filtration Survival Skills Every Nebraskan Needs Yesterday
- Boil It Like Your Life Depends On It
Boiling is the simplest, oldest trick in the book. Heat water to a rolling boil for at least one full minute. At higher altitudes, go for three. It won’t remove chemicals, but it’ll kill bacteria and parasites like Giardia and Cryptosporidium. - Master the Gravity Filter
Use two buckets—one with a hole and a ceramic filter screwed in, draining into another. It takes time, but you can purify gallons overnight while you sleep. - DIY Biofilter
Sand, charcoal, and gravel layered in a 2-liter bottle can act as a crude filter. It won’t remove nitrates, but it can pull out sediment and bacteria in a pinch. - Learn Solar Disinfection (SODIS)
Fill clear PET bottles with water, place them on a reflective surface in full sun for 6 hours. UV rays kill most microorganisms. It’s not perfect, but it’s better than nothing. - Use Activated Charcoal Like a Pro
Activated charcoal removes many chemical contaminants, including some pesticides. Make your own by heating hardwood in a low-oxygen environment and crushing it. - Build a Rainwater Harvest System
Get barrels, gutters, and a mesh screen. Rainwater is generally cleaner than groundwater—as long as it doesn’t hit a dirty roof. - Know Your Filters
Those Brita filters? Might make your water taste better, but they don’t do squat for nitrates or serious contaminants. You need a ceramic, carbon-block, or reverse osmosis system. - Test Your Water Regularly
Use nitrate and bacteria test kits. If you’re on a private well, you are your own EPA. The government doesn’t care. Prove me wrong. - DIY Reverse Osmosis System
Yes, you can build one, but it requires knowledge and parts. Learn now, while Amazon still delivers. - Distill for Ultimate Purity
Distilling removes almost everything—boil water, capture steam, and condense it. Time-consuming, but safe. - Use Iodine Drops (When You’re Desperate)
Five drops per liter, wait 30 minutes. Tastes like hell and doesn’t kill Cryptosporidium, but it’s better than raw cow runoff. - Bleach in Small Doses
Unscented bleach: 2 drops per liter, stir, wait 30 minutes. Don’t make this your go-to, but it’ll do in emergencies. - Build a Clay Pot Filter
Unglazed clay pots can filter pathogens slowly. Line with silver nanoparticles if you want bonus disinfection. - Portable Survival Straws
LifeStraw, Sawyer Mini—keep one in your glove box, one in your bug-out bag. Trust me. - Find a Spring—And Map It
Natural springs can offer clean water, but test them before you trust them. And for the love of all things good, don’t tell anyone where it is.
3 DIY Survival Drinking Water Hacks You Should Already Know
- Solar Still Hack (Desert or Drought Approved)
Dig a hole, place a container in the center, cover with plastic sheeting, weigh down the center with a rock. As moisture evaporates, it condenses on the plastic and drips into the container. You can even add plants or urine around the edge to boost production. Desperate times… - Turn Dew Into Drinking Water
Tie clean cloths around your legs and walk through wet grass at dawn. Wring them out into a container. It’s slow, but it adds up—and it’s free. - DIY Charcoal Pipe Filter
Take a metal or bamboo pipe, fill it with activated charcoal and fine sand, cap it, and let gravity do the rest. It’s primitive, but it can take out the worst of the visible junk and some pesticides.
Nebraska’s Water Isn’t Getting Better
Don’t let the smiling politicians or local news fluff pieces fool you. The nitrate levels in Nebraska’s water aren’t decreasing. They’re rising. Wells in the central and eastern parts of the state are especially vulnerable. Private wells are unregulated, under-tested, and over-exposed.
The state’s agricultural economy runs on fertilizer—and that fertilizer seeps into your drinking water, year after year. They’re not going to stop. You have to take control.
And don’t think this problem is isolated. When the grid fails, when the trucks stop, when bottled water disappears from the shelves—you’ll be glad you didn’t rely on Uncle Sam’s infrastructure to keep your family hydrated.
Don’t Wait for a Crisis—Start Filtering Today
Clean water is life. It’s non-negotiable. You can stockpile food, ammo, and batteries all day long, but without safe water, you’re dead in three days. So what’s your plan?
Don’t trust the faucet. Don’t trust the headlines. Trust your own skills.
The government’s not coming to save you. Not when the contaminants are invisible and the profits are tied to the very industries polluting your aquifer.
If you’re still sitting in your suburban home sipping nitrate-laced tap water thinking “It won’t happen to me,” just remember: every survivalist was once a skeptic.
Until the water turned brown.
TheDailyChristian 