How nuch water?

[yrralguthrie]

When making preparations for disaster a lot is said about food and self defense. Water is sometimes glossed over. Most say they have stored water. If the disaster is severe enough that gardening is called for and supplemental protien has to be found then stored water is not going to keep me alive.'

So, how am I going to get water? Catch rainwater? I don't think so for a variety of reasons. No tap water. If I am one of few I can likely find a fresh water source. Lake, pond or stream. I of course need to have a way to sanitize it. If there are a lot of survivors, but the infrastructure is shot to hell there will be people or groups of people setting on those fresh water sites and likely trying to sell it. ln a SHTF situation long term water will be a concern, more so than food or self defense. No one would be able to live in a city or even a small town, since the water system will be inoperative. No one is going to be able to live in their shelter unless it is near a reliable water supply.

Again in the SHTF situation with many casualties there will be a lot of food available for the taking(on store shelves) Cows, pigs, chickens and what not are likely to multiply. But water will still be a problem.

Potable water was a problem in colonial days and will be again. I think for the SHTF situation a good water still would be a real asset. No need to make alcohol since we now know what is in the water that causes the problems.

Larry
Larry

 

[cobra1]

This is ONE of the things I'm doing, along with a Guardian, and First Need portable, and a Life Straw.

http://www.monolithic.com/stories/a-practical-life-sustaining-water-filter

bare minimum figure 1 gallon per day per person.

 

[riper1]

Get a berkley water filter, you should have a least two different types of water filters, you don't want to be sick during a disaster or whatever comes your way

 

[BadgeBunny]

Water, I think, is the weak link in most folks' preps. I know it is in ours. Not for lack of trying, but just because water is not something you can grow and it takes up an awful lot of room to store (but that doesn't mean you shouldn't try).

We live in town, but close to an extremely large water source. In a short term situation we would be right as rain, as they say, because we have the equipment to gather and clean that water, but how safe will it be to try to get there if there is an extended situation? Who knows ... It's just like everything else in prepping. You have to find your "comfortable risk" level and go from there ... Otherwise, you'll drive yourself (and your family) NUTS ...

 

[Wheel Gun]

For the two of us, we're storing about a hundred gallons. Depending on the time of year, we would expect to augment that with rainwater. The last ditch solution would be trucking the stuff from the nearest lake, but that would be a very very problematic solution.

 

[BadgeBunny]

For the two of us, we're storing about a hundred gallons. Depending on the time of year, we would expect to augment that with rainwater. The last ditch solution would be trucking the stuff from the nearest lake, but that would be a very very problematic solution.

That sounds about right to me, too. I've got 150 gallons for the two of us, 2 GSDs and a bunch of chickens ... Plus a couple of different ways to deal with the lake/river water and rainwater storage if I absolutely have to. Me, Jackie (my first GSD) and the cats got really sick from some water that had been stored and not treated properly (apparently) one time. I'll NEVER drink water again that I haven't filtered/treated myself ... N.E.V.E.R.

And I'd definitely start using the rainwater first, lake/river water second WAY, WAY, WAY before I ran out of stored water. The longer I can make that stored water last, the better ... at least to my way of thinking ... However, depending on the time of year (I use my barrels outside to help water the garden), my stores of water that could be made drinkable if I needed to, is something quite a bit higher than 150 gals.