
Let me lay it down for you, raw and unfiltered—because unlike the water coming out of some taps in New Hampshire, this is clean truth. If you’re still operating under the soft, delusional fantasy that your state or local water utility has your best interest at heart, wake up. This isn’t Mayberry. This is 2025. And while the powers-that-be smile and issue glossy PDFs about “acceptable levels” of PFAS and “minimal risk” of lead contamination, real survivalists know the only person responsible for keeping your water safe—is you.
Let’s talk New Hampshire. Granite State. Rugged, resilient, “Live Free or Die” territory, right? Well, tell that to the folks in Merrimack, Litchfield, and other parts of southern NH, where PFAS—those forever chemicals that don’t break down, mess with your hormones, and spike your cancer risks—have leeched into the water table. Ever heard of Saint-Gobain? That’s the industrial giant whose operations poisoned the groundwater and then shrugged when families started getting sick.
And it’s not just PFAS. You’ve got old infrastructure in small towns all over the state, corroding pipes leaching lead, and ineffective testing that might catch contamination weeks or months too late. Arsenic in well water in northern New Hampshire? Yeah, that’s real. Over 40% of private wells in NH exceed the EPA’s safety limit for arsenic. And don’t count on anyone telling you that unless you’re reading the fine print buried in some obscure environmental health report.
So no, New Hampshire’s drinking water isn’t safe—not by a long shot. If you’re relying on tap water without backup systems, filtration strategies, or emergency know-how, you’re not just unprepared. You’re endangering yourself and your family.
Time to get educated. Here’s your crash course in real water survival. I’m giving you 15 Water Filtration Survival Skills every free-thinking person in New Hampshire (or anywhere) needs to master, and 3 DIY hacks that’ll keep you alive when the system collapses—or just screws you over again.
15 Water Filtration Survival Skills Every Granite Stater Must Know

1. Identify local water sources.
If you can’t name five drinkable natural water sources within a 10-mile radius of your home, you’re already losing.
2. Learn to use a portable water filter.
LifeStraw, Sawyer Mini, Katadyn—get one, test it, and carry it with you. Knowing how it actually works in field conditions matters.
3. Build a DIY slow sand filter.
Layer gravel, sand, and charcoal in a barrel. It’s slow but removes bacteria and particles when done right.
4. Boil like your life depends on it—because it does.
Rolling boil for a full minute (three at altitude). Don’t cut corners. Giardia and cryptosporidium don’t forgive ignorance.
5. Purify with bleach.
Use unscented household bleach—eight drops per gallon, stir and wait 30 minutes. Too little, it’s useless. Too much, you poison yourself.
6. Know your charcoal.
Activated charcoal absorbs organic contaminants, pesticides, and some chemicals. Learn how to make your own from hardwood, bake it, crush it.
7. Use UV light to kill pathogens.
Solar disinfection (SODIS) with clear PET bottles and six hours of direct sunlight? Not perfect, but better than raw lake water.
8. Master iodine purification.
Two percent tincture, five drops per quart. Wait at least 30 minutes. Works in emergencies—especially on viral contaminants.
9. Build a solar still.
Dig a hole, add wet vegetation, a container, and cover with plastic sheeting. Evaporation will save your life in dry zones.
10. Distill rainwater.
Catch it, boil it, collect the steam. Keeps most metals and chemicals out—especially arsenic from old well pipes.
11. Know how to read a water test strip.
Don’t guess. Carry strips to test for lead, bacteria, nitrates, and more. Don’t trust clear water—it can still be deadly.
12. Use a ceramic filter.
These slow-flow filters trap bacteria and sediment. Pair with charcoal for chemical filtration. Clean regularly to prevent clogging.
13. DIY biosand filter for long-term setups.
Effective, reusable, and sustainable—if you layer it right and clean it correctly. Can last for years if maintained.
14. Pre-filter with cloth.
Before you boil or chemically treat, filter out sediment with a bandana or old T-shirt. Reduces clogging and improves clarity.
15. Understand the limitations.
No filter is perfect. Know what your filter removes—and what it doesn’t. PFAS? Most commercial filters don’t touch it. Don’t be lazy—do the research.
3 DIY Survival Drinking Water Hacks That Work When All Else Fails

Hack #1: Emergency Charcoal-Filter Bottle
Take a plastic bottle, cut off the bottom, fill with layers—cloth, charcoal (crushed), sand, then gravel. Pour water in top, collect clean water at the bottom. It won’t remove all chemicals, but it’ll get rid of most particulates and microbes.
Hack #2: Pine Tree Water Collector
Wrap a plastic bag around a leafy pine branch in the sun. The tree releases moisture via transpiration. After a few hours, you’ll have drinkable water condensed in the bag. Slow, but pure. Perfect for the NH woods.
Hack #3: Boil Water in a Leaf or Bark Container
No metal pot? No problem. Use thick bark or large green leaves to hold water over a fire’s coals—not flames—and bring it to a boil. It takes finesse, but it’ll purify water without high-tech gear.
So is New Hampshire’s drinking water safe?
You already know the answer. No, it’s not. Not by any standard a sane, cautious, prepared person should accept. And if the day comes when the grid fails, the trucks stop running, or your utility fails to notify you (again) of some mysterious contaminant in your pipes, you’ll be the one standing between sickness and survival. Not your mayor. Not DES. Not the EPA.
Be angry. Be informed. But above all—be ready.
Because clean water isn’t a right in the world we live in today. It’s a skill. And you better treat it like your life depends on it—because it does.






















