What If You Could Make Water Disinfectant From Salt?

Our newest preparedness partner offers an interesting solution for water treatment, sanitation and long-term emergencies.

Water is one of the most important and most difficult resources to plan for during an extended emergency.

We can store water. We can filter water. We can keep purification tablets and chemicals on hand.

But eventually stored water gets used, filters require maintenance or replacement, and chemical treatments have to be replenished.

This week we're introducing a different approach to emergency water preparedness and our newest Guard Dawg Solutions affiliate partner:

H2gO Purifier by Aqua Research

The H2gO is a compact, USB-C rechargeable device that uses ordinary salt, water and electricity to produce a disinfectant solution on demand.

Instead of carrying a large supply of purification chemicals, the H2gO uses electrolysis to convert a small amount of salt brine into a chlorine- and hydrogen-peroxide-based disinfectant solution that can then be added to water to destroy disease-causing microorganisms.

Think of it as having the ability to make your own water-treatment solution whenever you need it.

Why This Caught Our Attention

At Guard Dawg Solutions, we're big believers in layered preparedness.

No single water solution handles every situation.

Stored drinking water should be your first line of defense. Filtration gives you another option when stored supplies run low. Chemical disinfection adds yet another important capability, particularly when microorganisms are the concern.

H2gO provides that disinfection capability without requiring you to maintain a large inventory of purification tablets or bottled treatment chemicals.

All you need is:

Salt + Water + A Charge

That's a very interesting combination for long-term emergency preparedness.

How Does H2gO Work?

The process is surprisingly straightforward.

Make the Brine
A small amount of common table salt is mixed with water to create a concentrated salt solution.
Let H2gO Do the Work
The USB-C rechargeable H2gO uses electrolysis to convert that brine into a disinfectant solution.
Treat the Water
The generated solution is added to the water being treated according to the H2gO dosing instructions.

After the required contact time, the treated water is ready for use.

Unlike disposable purification tablets, the device can simply be recharged and used again.

H2gO Comes in Two Versions

There are currently two models:

H2gO GLOBAL

The GLOBAL is particularly well suited for:

Go-bags
Travel
Camping and outdoor use
Pre-filtered water
Larger water containers
Emergency preparedness kits

GLOBAL provides selectable treatment volumes of 1, 2, 5, 10 and 20 liters.

A single battery charge can produce enough disinfectant to treat approximately 240 liters of water. Over the life of the device, H2gO rates GLOBAL for approximately 120,000 liters - or about 32,000 gallons - at a 2.5 mg/L dose.

That's an extraordinary amount of potential water treatment capability from a device small enough to include in a go-bag or emergency kit.

GLOBAL uses a lower chlorine concentration and is certified by the World Health Organization (WHO) as meeting its classification for Household Water Treatment Systems.

A standard dose is designed to address bacteria and viruses; additional dosing is required when treatment for certain protozoa is needed.

H2gO PRIME

PRIME is the higher-dose version and may be the better choice for:

Home emergency preparedness
Extended off-grid use
Bushcraft
Untreated source water
Situations where protozoa are a concern
Users who want broader treatment with fewer doses

PRIME has selectable settings for 1, 2, 3, 5 and 10 liters.

A charge provides approximately 120 liters of treatment. Over its lifetime, H2gO rates PRIME for approximately 60,000 liters - or about 16,000 gallons - at a 5 mg/L dose.

PRIME meets the U.S. EPA P231 Guide Standard & Protocol for Microbiological Water Purifiers for viruses, bacteria and parasites when used according to its instructions.

Independent testing reported by H2gO shows a single PRIME dose meets EPA treatment standards for bacteria, viruses and Giardia in both clear and cloudy water, as well as Cryptosporidium in clear-looking water. Cloudy or colored water can require additional treatment for Cryptosporidium.

More Than Drinking-Water Treatment

One feature of H2gO that is particularly interesting from an emergency-preparedness perspective is that water treatment isn't its only potential use.

By adjusting the concentration of the solution produced by the device, H2gO can generate disinfectant for several purposes. According to Aqua Research, these applications include:

Water Disinfection
Generate appropriately dosed disinfectant for treating drinking water when used according to the instructions for your GLOBAL or PRIME model.
Wound Care
According to Aqua Research, H2gO can produce a solution at concentrations intended for certain wound-care applications. Always follow the manufacturer's instructions for the specific application.
Hand Sanitizing
A more concentrated solution can be generated for hand sanitation when soap and clean running water aren't readily available.
Surface Sanitation
H2gO can also produce disinfectant for sanitizing appropriate surfaces, equipment and other items during an emergency or off-grid situation.

This multi-use capability changes the way we look at the H2gO.

Rather than thinking of it strictly as a water purifier, think of it as a compact device capable of producing disinfectant on demand from salt, water and electricity.

That can be particularly valuable during an extended emergency when bottled disinfectants, purification tablets and other consumable supplies may eventually run out.

And unlike carrying multiple bottles of different chemicals, the raw ingredient required by H2gO - salt - is inexpensive, compact, stable and easy to store.

Important: Different applications require different concentrations and procedures. Always follow Aqua Research/H2gO's instructions for the specific use. A drinking-water dose should not automatically be assumed appropriate for wound care, hand sanitation or surface disinfection.

Why This Matters for Long-Term Preparedness

One of our favorite preparedness principles is to choose equipment that can perform more than one job. H2gO doesn't replace stored drinking water, filtration, soap, first-aid supplies or conventional sanitation products. Instead, it adds something we value highly: redundancy. If primary supplies are exhausted, you still have another way to produce an important resource from materials that are relatively easy to store.

GLOBAL or PRIME - Which Would We Choose?

There isn't necessarily a "better" model. They are optimized somewhat differently.

Choose GLOBAL if:

You prioritize maximum treatment capacity per charge, regularly use larger containers, intend to combine H2gO with pre-filtration, or want something compact for a go-bag or travel kit.

Choose PRIME if:

Your priority is more comprehensive microorganism treatment with fewer doses, particularly for emergency preparedness and potentially questionable untreated water sources.

Filter vs. Purifier - There's an Important Difference

One of the biggest misconceptions in emergency water preparedness is assuming that filtration and disinfection are the same thing.

They're not.

A physical filter can be excellent for removing sediment and, depending upon the filter, various contaminants and microorganisms.

H2gO approaches the problem differently. Its primary job is microbiological disinfection.

That means these technologies can actually complement one another.

For questionable surface water, for example, we like the concept of:

Pre-Filter → Disinfect → Drink

Removing sediment and turbidity first can improve water quality, while H2gO provides an additional microbiological treatment layer.

That's the kind of redundancy we like in emergency preparedness.

Where Does H2gO Fit Into a Water Preparedness Plan?

We would never recommend relying upon one device as your entire emergency water strategy.

Instead, think in layers:

Layer 1 - Stored Water

Have potable water available immediately when an emergency begins.

Layer 2 - Additional Water Storage

Have containers available to capture or store additional water when advance warning allows.

Layer 3 - Filtration

Have a quality filtration system appropriate for the water sources you may encounter.

Layer 4 - Disinfection

Have a method of addressing disease-causing microorganisms.

That's where H2gO becomes particularly interesting.

Because the raw material it needs is ordinary salt, you can maintain a tremendous potential treatment capability in a very small package.

One Important Reminder

H2gO is a water disinfection tool - not a magic contaminant remover.

Chemical disinfection addresses microorganisms. It does not necessarily remove chemicals, heavy metals, fuel, pesticides, salt or every other potential contaminant that could make a water source unsafe.

Source selection still matters.

When water quality is questionable, filtration and other appropriate treatment methods may be necessary in addition to disinfection.

Always follow the manufacturer's dosing, contact-time and operating instructions for the specific H2gO model you're using.

Why Guard Dawg Partnered With H2gO

This wasn't simply a matter of finding another product to promote.

We had already included the H2gO GLOBAL in our 72-Hour Go-Bag recommendations before establishing an affiliate relationship with the company.

That matters to us.

Our standard for an affiliate partnership is simple:

Would we recommend the product to our own family as part of a real-world preparedness plan?

In this case, the answer was yes.

H2gO provides a compact, reusable water-disinfection capability that fills a useful role alongside stored water and conventional filtration.

Special Offer for Guard Dawg Subscribers

As part of our new partnership, Aqua Research is offering Guard Dawg Solutions subscribers $6 off any H2gO Purifier purchased through our dedicated partner link.

$6 OFF ANY H2gO PURIFIER

Use discount code: GUARDDAWG at checkout.

Shop H2gO through our dedicated partner link:

👉 SHOP H2gO & SAVE $6

Want to learn more first?

Compare H2gO GLOBAL vs. PRIME at Guard Dawg Solutions

Using our affiliate link helps support Guard Dawg Solutions and our preparedness education and training efforts at no additional cost to you.

Affiliate Disclosure: Guard Dawg Solutions may receive a commission from purchases made through our H2gO affiliate links.

Final Thoughts

Take a look at your current emergency water plan and ask yourself:

If our stored drinking water ran out, where would our next gallon of safe water come from?

Then ask the harder question:

Do we have more than one way to make that water safer to drink?

If the answer is no, consider adding another layer.

Because in a serious emergency, redundancy isn't excessive.

It's preparedness.

We would be more than happy to schedule a free 30-minute initial consultation, if you would like to learn more about this subject or other emergency preparedness solutions.

Be Prepared, Be Protected!

Guard Dawg Solutions