View Full Version : What will you do without water?
KeptByTheWord
08-04-2014, 04:23 PM
We had a nasty storm come through our area Saturday evening (the second of two straight line wind storms here in less than 10 days). Many people in our area had just gotten power back on after being out for 6-7 days. Thankfully, we did not lose power or have any damages in the first storm. However, Saturday night, our power went out as a major transformer was taken down that supplied power to an area of 100 miles or more. Thousands of people are without power, and many may not get power for weeks, because of the tree damage.
We suffered no property damage in the storm, however two of our beautiful huge trees went down, along with multiple other trees. It could have been worse, so we are very thankful. However, our power has been out now for almost two days.
We have a generator, which is keeping our refrigerator and freezers going. Water, however, is the issue that many people don't realize how necessary it is. Luckily, we live in an area where there is a clear mountain spring that is piped out of the mountain and is open to the public to use for drinking water year round. So, we have been blessed to get our water there.
However, this power outage has gotten me to thinking about water, and how necessary it is. We can live without electricity pretty easily, and comfortably, if you have a generator. However, one thing that we don't have is a well that could be switched over to run by a generator. That is something we have learned many people have in this area, and is something we want to plan to get in the future.
However... how many of you are prepared to have enough water should you find yourselves unexpectedly without electricity?
I do know one thing, we plan to buy more water just to have in store, because if we were unable to access gasoline, that would pose a much bigger problem. No electricity, and no gas or diesel or propane available... how would we cope then? Just questions we are asking ourselves, and I thought it would be good to talk about here.
FlamingZword
08-04-2014, 04:47 PM
There is plenty of water in our atmosphere.
we just need to trap it.
in africa people use sheets of plastic material to trap the water in the air.
MawMaw
08-04-2014, 05:54 PM
We are thinking about putting down an old time hand pump water well.
Plus we have access to an artesian well.
Disciple4life
08-04-2014, 06:44 PM
We are thinking about putting down an old time hand pump water well.
Plus we have access to an artesian well.
When I was a kid we had to water all of my moms flowers. We had to use a hand pump that pumped water up from a cistern that caught rain water. It was a great experience that many people my age would not understand what I am even talking about. :girlytantrum
There is plenty of water in our atmosphere.
we just need to trap it.
in africa people use sheets of plastic material to trap the water in the air.
How does that work?
MawMaw
08-04-2014, 08:52 PM
When I was a kid we had to water all of my moms flowers. We had to use a hand pump that pumped water up from a cistern that caught rain water. It was a great experience that many people my age would not understand what I am even talking about. :girlytantrum
Boy, that's the truth! :nod
FlamingZword
08-04-2014, 10:46 PM
How does that work?
I have no idea, I read it in some science magazine.
Apparently they use sheet of plastic to trap moisture from the air.
the heat of the sun somehow evaporates the water which then is trapped in the sheet of plastic.
KeptByTheWord
08-05-2014, 04:32 PM
There is plenty of water in our atmosphere.
we just need to trap it.
in africa people use sheets of plastic material to trap the water in the air.
I did a search online about this, and came up with nothing. Just wondering what you might have read about this?
KeptByTheWord
08-05-2014, 04:33 PM
When I was a kid we had to water all of my moms flowers. We had to use a hand pump that pumped water up from a cistern that caught rain water. It was a great experience that many people my age would not understand what I am even talking about. :girlytantrum
How awesome to have a hand pump with a cistern!
KeptByTheWord
08-05-2014, 04:37 PM
We just got our electricity back on! :happydance :happydance
Two and a half days without electricity wasn't too bad. We have a generator, which kept our freezers and refrigerators going. Had to haul our water from a local spring where water runs out of the ground year round - totally amazing. It would fill a five-gallon bucket in less than a minute. It is good to know that we have a good source of water in case of tough times. Going without electricity for 2-1/2 days - you really really miss the running water the most. I could probably live without electricity, but living without water for an extended period of time would be tough.
My husband and I are definitely going to look into a hand pump or a cistern or something to where we can get our hands on water, even if we have no electricity.
MawMaw
08-05-2014, 04:49 PM
We just got our electricity back on! :happydance :happydance
Two and a half days without electricity wasn't too bad. We have a generator, which kept our freezers and refrigerators going. Had to haul our water from a local spring where water runs out of the ground year round - totally amazing. It would fill a five-gallon bucket in less than a minute. It is good to know that we have a good source of water in case of tough times. Going without electricity for 2-1/2 days - you really really miss the running water the most. I could probably live without electricity, but living without water for an extended period of time would be tough.
My husband and I are definitely going to look into a hand pump or a cistern or something to where we can get our hands on water, even if we have no electricity.
Yay! Glad your electricity is back on! Living in an area where
hurricanes frequent, we know what it's like to be w/o it! Longest
was 2 weeks! :blink But, we have never been w/o our water
during those times.
KeptByTheWord
08-05-2014, 06:21 PM
Yay! Glad your electricity is back on! Living in an area where
hurricanes frequent, we know what it's like to be w/o it! Longest
was 2 weeks! :blink But, we have never been w/o our water
during those times.
Having a generator made not having electricity not too bad. However, no running water - that is something you really miss. Almost everything you do needs water! This was good for us. We will be sure to implement something in the future so that we have access to running water even if we have no electricity. I like the idea of a hand pump and a cistern, and also the idea of being able to switch your well water pump over to a generator if need be.
But, even if we didn't have these things, we live close enough to lots of rivers that we could get water from. And of course, we also have the incredible artesian spring well that pours out of the side of a mountain close by to us which is an amazing resource to have too.
But just think of people who live in metropolitan areas, fresh water in times of emergency is an issue that quickly rises to the forefront. People just can't exist without fresh water for very long.
One friend mentioned to me that in times of water shortage, you could use the water out of your hot water heater. I thought that was a good piece of advice too.
Roagiesgal
08-07-2014, 06:59 PM
We just got our electricity back on! :happydance :happydance
Two and a half days without electricity wasn't too bad. We have a generator, which kept our freezers and refrigerators going. Had to haul our water from a local spring where water runs out of the ground year round - totally amazing. It would fill a five-gallon bucket in less than a minute. It is good to know that we have a good source of water in case of tough times. Going without electricity for 2-1/2 days - you really really miss the running water the most. I could probably live without electricity, but living without water for an extended period of time would be tough.
My husband and I are definitely going to look into a hand pump or a cistern or something to where we can get our hands on water, even if we have no electricity.
You are indeed blessed to be where you are...
We live in the city suburbs...not my idea, but God set us here so we are doing our best to be as self sufficient as we can be...to address the water issue for those that don't a well or as you have a wonderful spring...
Water is the most vital and hardest thing to store for a very long time. There are stabilizers you can buy that help, there are 50 gal water barrels you can buy online that are meant to store water, they usually come with a hand pump. Water purifiers are online also, a bit expensive to buy but worth it if you don't have a fresh source of water. You can drink any water if you have a way of purifying it.
We have a well, and bought a hand pump that can be attached if we need too, we also have an IBC, you can find these on the internet as well, which is sterile to catch rainwater and fill, we can also fill it from the well, probably NOT by hand that would take forever. The IBC holds 275 gallons and has a spigot in the bottom front to get your water out. If you locate one be sure it was not used for toxic stuff as some are on farms and such, but if you can find one that was used for making alcohol as ours was its sterile and still has some 180 proof vodka in it. We will wash that out...my husband is in the process of hooking the gutters from his shop up to a system to fill the IBC this winter. We put a metal roof on his shop so when it rains its not bringing the stuff that a comp roof gives off and gutter filters to keep the big debris out, then a sand and charcoal filter to get the rest of micro particles out and then it will go into the IBC and from there to the water filter/purifier. We have also stored some water in our emergency supplies but not a huge amount.
So after all that, sorry for the book, we have put a lot of thought and effort into storing and having water, it is critical to have, truly a life or death matter.
The drought that is hitting many areas right now was another wake up call for me. We don't know what the future holds, but we can be prepared...being a good steward of our resources so we don't have to depend on someone else if there is a disaster, hopefully be a blessing to others that may need it too!
God is in control and that is joyful to know!
KeptByTheWord
08-09-2014, 06:43 PM
You are indeed blessed to be where you are...
We live in the city suburbs...not my idea, but God set us here so we are doing our best to be as self sufficient as we can be...to address the water issue for those that don't a well or as you have a wonderful spring...
Water is the most vital and hardest thing to store for a very long time. There are stabilizers you can buy that help, there are 50 gal water barrels you can buy online that are meant to store water, they usually come with a hand pump. Water purifiers are online also, a bit expensive to buy but worth it if you don't have a fresh source of water. You can drink any water if you have a way of purifying it.
We have a well, and bought a hand pump that can be attached if we need too, we also have an IBC, you can find these on the internet as well, which is sterile to catch rainwater and fill, we can also fill it from the well, probably NOT by hand that would take forever. The IBC holds 275 gallons and has a spigot in the bottom front to get your water out. If you locate one be sure it was not used for toxic stuff as some are on farms and such, but if you can find one that was used for making alcohol as ours was its sterile and still has some 180 proof vodka in it. We will wash that out...my husband is in the process of hooking the gutters from his shop up to a system to fill the IBC this winter. We put a metal roof on his shop so when it rains its not bringing the stuff that a comp roof gives off and gutter filters to keep the big debris out, then a sand and charcoal filter to get the rest of micro particles out and then it will go into the IBC and from there to the water filter/purifier. We have also stored some water in our emergency supplies but not a huge amount.
So after all that, sorry for the book, we have put a lot of thought and effort into storing and having water, it is critical to have, truly a life or death matter.
The drought that is hitting many areas right now was another wake up call for me. We don't know what the future holds, but we can be prepared...being a good steward of our resources so we don't have to depend on someone else if there is a disaster, hopefully be a blessing to others that may need it too!
God is in control and that is joyful to know!
Sounds like you are in very good shape, and have very thoughtfully considered all of the different options available to you! Clean drinking water is a precious resource, and getting harder, and harder to come by. I hope to someday install gutters on our home and catch our rain water as well. We do not have a water filter yet, but that is also on our list.
Thanks for letting us know the different options available for people who don't have access to water.
Roagiesgal
08-09-2014, 08:31 PM
Sounds like you are in very good shape, and have very thoughtfully considered all of the different options available to you! Clean drinking water is a precious resource, and getting harder, and harder to come by. I hope to someday install gutters on our home and catch our rain water as well. We do not have a water filter yet, but that is also on our list.
Thanks for letting us know the different options available for people who don't have access to water.
Your welcome, I don't get by here very often, but like the preppers patch things....
KeptByTheWord
08-10-2014, 09:26 AM
Your welcome, I don't get by here very often, but like the preppers patch things....
It is good to talk about these things, and to at least have a backup plan in mind.
I watched a documentary recently that talked about how mega-corporations are buying up fresh water supplies and sucking things dry. Freaky to think about.
KeptByTheWord
08-11-2014, 09:59 AM
I watched a documentary recently that talked about how mega-corporations are buying up fresh water supplies and sucking things dry. Freaky to think about.
Interesting. If they are concerned about fresh water... you know they foresee a problem ahead.
Roagiesgal
08-21-2014, 09:37 AM
The Lord provides...and He has for us! I do my best to hear His voice and not depend on my own understanding...He prompted us to prepare as best we can to be as self sufficient as we can be...I have been told I have lack of faith because I have an extensive pantry and water storage, and other things to get us through if there is a emergency of most any type...for an extended period of time. I think the Lord does provide, He provided us the means to be prepared, and not have to rely on others. I hope we can be a blessing to others though our preparations!
MissBrattified
08-21-2014, 03:28 PM
I did a search online about this, and came up with nothing. Just wondering what you might have read about this?
Google "solar still" and you'll come up with quite a bit of information. :thumbsup
KeptByTheWord
08-21-2014, 08:30 PM
The Lord provides...and He has for us! I do my best to hear His voice and not depend on my own understanding...He prompted us to prepare as best we can to be as self sufficient as we can be...I have been told I have lack of faith because I have an extensive pantry and water storage, and other things to get us through if there is a emergency of most any type...for an extended period of time. I think the Lord does provide, He provided us the means to be prepared, and not have to rely on others. I hope we can be a blessing to others though our preparations!
I think you have a wonderful mindset, and heart for the coming days. I am reminded of the story of Joseph, and how the LORD himself instructed Joseph to prepare for the coming seven years of famine.
We can follow the voice of the Lord, and not go off the deep end at all. However, there are so many who are preparing as if they have to think of everything, and God is not in their program at all. I feel sorry for these people who live in such fear. On the other hand, I think your attitude and outlook is balanced, and one we all can learn from.
KeptByTheWord
08-21-2014, 08:34 PM
Google "solar still" and you'll come up with quite a bit of information. :thumbsup
I had tried to google the idea but didn't have the right word search, as I had read something about this before myself. Thanks for the help!
For those who are interested in a solar still:
The principle of using the sun’s heat to separate water from dissolved minerals has been understood for millennia, salt ponds being the best example of how this knowledge has been put to use in the past. In salt ponds, seawater is drained into shallow ponds and then baked and purified in the sun until all that remains are crystals of salt. In this case, the pure water that gradually evaporated away was considered a useless byproduct, but as far back as the time of the ancient Greeks it was known that seawater could be made fresh and drinkable by this process.
A solar still works like a salt evaporation pond, except that the water that invisibly evaporates is extracted from the air; the minerals and other impurities are left behind and discarded. As the hot, moisture-laden air rises up to the slanting sheet of relatively cool glass sealed to the box, water condenses out in the form of small droplets that cling to the glass. As these droplets get heavier, they roll down the glass to the collector tube at the bottom and then out to the jug.
The box is built from 3/4 " BC-grade plywood, painted black on the inside to absorb heat. We used a double layer of plywood on the sides to resist warping and to help insulate the box, with an insulated door at the back and a sheet of glass on top.
Read more: http://www.motherearthnews.com/diy/how-to-make-a-solar-still-ze0z1209zsch.aspx#ixzz3B5HuIGLV
Roagiesgal
08-21-2014, 09:07 PM
I think you have a wonderful mindset, and heart for the coming days. I am reminded of the story of Joseph, and how the LORD himself instructed Joseph to prepare for the coming seven years of famine.
We can follow the voice of the Lord, and not go off the deep end at all. However, there are so many who are preparing as if they have to think of everything, and God is not in their program at all. I feel sorry for these people who live in such fear. On the other hand, I think your attitude and outlook is balanced, and one we all can learn from.
Thank you for your kind words...
The solar still sounds very interesting...
Fionn mac Cumh
09-26-2014, 03:49 PM
die
KeptByTheWord
09-27-2014, 09:01 AM
die
That's it? You haven't thought about what you could do to somewhat prepare in case of such an event?
I have water filters that can filter up to 10.000 gallons. Pump it right out of the creek!! Inexpensive.
Esaias
09-07-2015, 03:51 AM
I have water filters that can filter up to 10.000 gallons. Pump it right out of the creek!! Inexpensive.
Link?
Link?
http://www.katadyn.com/en/katadyn-products/products/katadynshopconnect/katadyn-wasserfilter-endurance-series-produkte/katadyn-combi-schwarz/
Up to 13.000 gallons.
Esaias
09-08-2015, 09:44 AM
http://www.katadyn.com/en/katadyn-products/products/katadynshopconnect/katadyn-wasserfilter-endurance-series-produkte/katadyn-combi-schwarz/
Up to 13.000 gallons.
Thanks!
I don't think it can be used where there is open sewage being dumped. Also, there is the same model without the faucet mount. A little cheaper. Did you see the video?
Thanks!
Hey, the katadyne is for hiking or emergency like situations. The Berkey models are for home use but will also purify the water. Berkey also has fluoride filters that will attach to the main filter.
I'm looking at buying a Big Berkey.
KeptByTheWord
09-08-2015, 06:18 PM
I've heard Berkey is the best for home use.
shazeep
09-08-2015, 07:54 PM
I have no idea, I read it in some science magazine.
Apparently they use sheet of plastic to trap moisture from the air.
the heat of the sun somehow evaporates the water which then is trapped in the sheet of plastic.a boy scout thing. you put a sheet of plastic, 4'x4' or so, staked about 4-6"above the ground. Put a stone in the middle. Water evaporates from the ground, gets trapped by the plastic, and runs toward the stone, and drips into a bowl. Strictly a survival measure.
die
Of course!
If obamba doesn't do it for you then God forbid that you might do for yourself!
Hey, the katadyne is for hiking or emergency like situations. The Berkey models are for home use but will also purify the water. Berkey also has fluoride filters that will attach to the main filter.
I'm looking at buying a Big Berkey.
We have a big berkey. Like it. Buy extra filters.
We have a big berkey. Like it. Buy extra filters.
I seen on youtube that you can make a Berkey using plastic buckets with lids. Not sure if one can find pba free plastic.
shazeep
11-04-2016, 09:57 AM
Your water
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