Water the final frontier...

[Vodin]

I live in Colorado which technically means I live in a desert. So water is my roadblock that I am trying to get over. Get ready for an interesting discussion.

If the SHTF and it turns into the end of the world as you once knew it, water will be the top of my to get list.

You drink all of your cache. Were you just pi***** away the only water you had to live on?
Should you save it so you can..

Distill urine, eww yeah but water is needed. Will you go that far?

[helomech]

I have a 2 wells on my place, a couple springs, and a pond. My deep well would not work in a SHTF situation, but I can get water from the other sources. They would need distilled, but I have everything needed to build a still and have all the wood I need to run it. I am good on water.

[Caveman Survival]

I have two rivers that join right in the heart of my city.

Aside from severe contamination of these rivers by biological or nuclear means, treated properly and harvested in the right locations before they reach the city, both sources are a viable option for water.

With that being said, if they were to become to contaminated... I'm essentially screwed long term

[LUNCHBOX]

I think knowing how to distill drinking water is a win/win either way.

[ladyhk13]

I have a 2 wells on my place, a couple springs, and a pond. My deep well would not work in a SHTF situation, but I can get water from the other sources. They would need distilled, but I have everything needed to build a still and have all the wood I need to run it. I am good on water.

Have you thought about getting a solar pump for your well?

[bacpacker]

IIRC Prepguide sells pumps and I believe he told me there is a model that will run off solar/battery power. Once I get a well that is my plan to power a pump.

[helomech]

Have you thought about getting a solar pump for your well?

Yeah, they are just expensive. My well is 300 feet deep, so I want to change it over to a airlift system, and that will be easier to use solar to power. I am just going to wait until my well needs to come up for some reason, then I will do something.

[Brownwater Riverrat 13]

Talk about derailing the thread, the man asked you all a specific question and you went to your own back yard. I, I, I, me, me, me......OK one more time. Vodin, I'll help ya out Brother.

"Distill urine, eww yeah but water is needed. Will you go that far?"

In a survival situation YES! I would distill my own dang piss if I had to do so in order to sustain life. In the meantime I'd be looking for alternatives of course. "Shaken the Dew off the lily" has been taken to a whole new level here.

There, done!

[helomech]

Talk about derailing the thread, the man asked you all a specific question and you went to your own back yard. I, I, I, me, me, me......OK one more time. Vodin, I'll help ya out Brother.

"Distill urine, eww yeah but water is needed. Will you go that far?"

In a survival situation YES! I would distill my own dang piss if I had to do so in order to sustain life. In the meantime I'd be looking for alternatives of course. "Shaken the Dew off the lily" has been taken to a whole new level here.

There, done!

Actually he asked if we would go that far. I have made plans to not have to go that far. I think if you are to that point you are just postponing the inevitable. You are still walking, but you are dead.

[bacpacker]

Well maybe not dead yet. But damn sure tryin to get that horrible taste outta your mouth. :)

[Brownwater Riverrat 13]

Seeee, that wasn't so hard. Of course you planned, but the situation calls for "survival" you're not where you planned to be at that moment. IT'S GONE! So you just answer the question, that's all. No big deal, simple.

[TroubleShooter]

Fight for water is a real reality in near future...just wait until your suppliers decide to charge $5 a gallon for water.....

Yes in Shtf , distilling or purifying urine would become a reality...But like one said , you are just walking dead without a plan for securing water....

You could start using your septic system now and reusing the leech flow......The septic tank is already a filtering system utilizing solid drop out and emulsified waste... Just super chlorinate, the filter again....

[ElevenBravo]

Catch rain water into a rain barrel... A large tarp setup can grab a LOT of rain. From there, it is stored in the barrel until needed, at which time is can be distilled and Cloroxed for consumption.

Problem is... some places get more rain than others...



Thats all I can contribute for today..


EB

[Gunfixr]

Yes, I suppose I would. But like others have said, that's a lost cause.

Locally reachable groundwater is brackish, so I already need a distillation setup.

[ak474u]

I'd do what I had to, however... At the first sign of shtf, I'd be adding to my rain water system ASAP, up to and including building shed roofs from anything I can find, draining into any container I can find, even if I have to steal the neighbors trash cans. Lol. As soon as I pay the $1000 in taxes I didn't expect to pay, I'm having our gutters installed. The gutter guy is making some design changes for me as far as locations of downspouts etc for my barrels. I'm going to prepare to enlarge the system at a moments notice.

[Gunfixr]

Last year we had those gutters installed that don't collect junk. Almost all of it, and all of the bigger stuff, goes right off the roof, while the water goes down the spout. I plan on building a couple of above ground "cisterns", which would hold more than a barrel. There will be very little trash in them.

Of course, roof water should be at least filtered and bleach treated, but distilled would the way to go.

[izzyscout21]

I plan on building a couple of above ground "cisterns", which would hold more than a barrel.

Just out of curiosity...... Mind elaborating a little?

[bacpacker]

Here are some examples.

http://www.rainharvest.com/roth-multitank-1500-gallon-cistern.asp

http://www.rainharvest.com/norwesco-bruiser-1500-gallon-below-ground-cistern-tank.asp

http://www.usplastic.com/catalog/item.aspx?itemid=74996

http://www.plasticwatertanks.com/?gclid=CMzbmoaY_7wCFSXl7AodATIA0g

Great idea Fixer!

[ak474u]

I've considered getting a 300-400 gallon tank from tractor supply or one of the other ag stores. They make a bunch of different styles. I would need a very hefty stand to gravity feed off the tank or at least be able to get a bucket under it for watering. I also think I'd want to build a small fence around it so it doesn't look like an industrial tank in my yard, but I think it would actually have a smaller footprint than multiple barrels.

[TroubleShooter]

The cisterns being used for catching rain I have seen are always dark and has another barrel feeding it.... They use the barrel catching the rain as filter then the overflow goes to the cistern , which sometimes is inground, in a shed or basement. The first barrel allows rainwater to enter and solids settle to bottom, the pipe diverting flow to cistern somtimes has an elbow below max water level to prevent floating debris from entering....Have seen screens also...

[Gunfixr]

Well, I hadn't quite thought of it the way the links portray it, but those clearly would work.
We live right at the top of the "flood zone" limit, and the soil is about 8" of dirt before going to concrete like clay. I've gone 36" down, and still in the clay, so I don't know how deep it is.

My idea was to build a heavy duty wood box next to the downspout, maybe 2'-3' tall, and 3' or so long, by about 2' wide. Then line it with something. It would have a lid that could be closed and locked, and a tap on the side. Of course, the lid could be opened and water scooped out. It would also be easy to clean if necessary.
I have these gutters, so not much debris: http://www.leafguard.com/

Those tanks are way too big. The city would almost certainly refuse the building permit I would have to have, for no contractor would dig the hole without it. I'm certainly not going to dig such a hole with a shovel. Also, the idea is "gray man". A contractor digging up half my backyard and sticking a huge tank in the hole will not go unnoticed. A couple wooden crate sized boxes, at the back corner of the house, could be explained as yard storage. Inspectors used to just drive around, looking for infractions, too lazy to get out of the car. A couple years ago, that changed. They will come up in your yard and look for things.
Our city has not (yet), but one local city has banned the collection of rainwater, or so I've been told.

I'm talking 100-300 gallons of water.

[ak474u]

Well, I hadn't quite thought of it the way the links portray it, but those clearly would work.
We live right at the top of the "flood zone" limit, and the soil is about 8" of dirt before going to concrete like clay. I've gone 36" down, and still in the clay, so I don't know how deep it is.

My idea was to build a heavy duty wood box next to the downspout, maybe 2'-3' tall, and 3' or so long, by about 2' wide. Then line it with something. It would have a lid that could be closed and locked, and a tap on the side. Of course, the lid could be opened and water scooped out. It would also be easy to clean if necessary.
I have these gutters, so not much debris: http://www.leafguard.com/

Those tanks are way too big. The city would almost certainly refuse the building permit I would have to have, for no contractor would dig the hole without it. I'm certainly not going to dig such a hole with a shovel. Also, the idea is "gray man". A contractor digging up half my backyard and sticking a huge tank in the hole will not go unnoticed. A couple wooden crate sized boxes, at the back corner of the house, could be explained as yard storage. Inspectors used to just drive around, looking for infractions, too lazy to get out of the car. A couple years ago, that changed. They will come up in your yard and look for things.
Our city has not (yet), but one local city has banned the collection of rainwater, or so I've been told.

I'm talking 100-300 gallons of water.

For the amount of trouble you're looking at lining a box, and plumbing a tap, you may just consider 2 blue barrels with a box around them to shade them and prevent mold growth, and be less obtrusive looking. Like this...

https://www.google.com/search?q=rain+barrel+diy&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en&client=safari#biv=i%7C57%3Bd%7CmThPAV0pD-GF8M%3A

[Gunfixr]

Well, if I used two barrels, I'd either have to route to both, or connect them, which invites leaks.
I don't actually have to tap the box, I can just scoop water out.
Plus, there will be some debris in it, you can't very easily clean the barrels, unless you cut out the whole top. It'll be hard to scoop out also, it'll have to be tapped, or have a pump. Of course, a pump can be used on the box.
I think it was MI who posted links to tubs. I may find one about the size I need, and just build a box around it.

This plan isn't set in stone, it's just an idea in my head right now. But, I think the lined box is cheaper, since a box around barrels is still a box. The plastic to line it will certainly be cheaper than the barrels. Plus, my expenditure is spread. I can get the wood, build it, get the plastic later, add the crossover later, etc. I'm going to do something, before too long. The brackish natural water is about 1/8 mile away. I want water to last during the initial stage, where travel is suspect.

I'd really like a shallow well.

[Sniper-T]

I have a collection of 15 gallon barrels around my property, which I use to water my gardens. But being that they are all over hells half acre, means I have to haul water...

http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt140/Sniper-T/garden/0529141801a_zps768fc50e.jpg (http://s605.photobucket.com/user/Sniper-T/media/garden/0529141801a_zps768fc50e.jpg.html)

http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt140/Sniper-T/garden/0529141801b_zps1817c6fe.jpg (http://s605.photobucket.com/user/Sniper-T/media/garden/0529141801b_zps1817c6fe.jpg.html)

[Mira57]

Newbie here and a great site!

I have a question: I live alone on a small plot in the country, I would like to know if there is anyway one could disguise a water caption unit in a flower bed! (it can rain a lot!) I would not want marauders to spot a barrel on my terrace and camp out for a few days to replenish their stocks and also make away with whatever else I may have hidden around my house and garden. Would anyone have any ideas? Thank you.

[Sniper-T]

how about something like a raised bed with water storage underneath

you can make something like this:
http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=...lectedIndex=10

but have a 'floor' in the high back section about 2 feet deep at most, and create a hidden cupboard underneath it.

if you go with something like that, you can access the hollow from the back by removing a couple of boards and not have to disturb the dirt at all.

Think of this as a picture of the back of the previous, so all you see is the tall back one(and scrap the lid):

http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=...ectedIndex=109

If you have doors on the back, then people would know there is something in there, so you could board it up and then remove a few boards to access.
or you could utilize the space underneath there for storage, but have an extra opening that goes under the middle planter that gets hidded with a sheet of plywood, and is your storage space.

_X_
| ... |
| ... |
| ... |
|___|_X_
| ... | ... |
| ... | ... |
| ... | ... |
|___|___|_X_
| .H | .S | ... |
| .H | .S | ... |
| .H | .S | ... |
|___|___|___|

here, the plants are the x's.
the dots are the soil
the H is the hollow part that is open to the family (doors)
and the S is the secret one, behind a false wall.

You could also increase the storage space by making a larger cupboard in the back...

_X_
| ... |
| ... |
| ... |
|___|_X_
| .H | ... |
| .H | ... |
| .H | ... |
|___|___|_X_
| .H | .S | ... |
| .H | .S | ... |
| .H | .S | ... |
|___|___|___|

AND EVEN EXTEND YOUR SECRET SPOT:


_X_
| ... |
| ... |
|___|
| .H |_X_
| .H | ... |
| .H |___|
| .H | .S |
| .H | .S |_X_
| .H | .S | ... |
| .H | .S | ... |
| .H | .S | ... |
|___|___|___|

Depending on the size of the entire planter, it could be big enough to store rakes and shovels, or small enough for just your barrels

[helomech]

You could bury a tank under ground, but would need some kind of solar pump to get it out.

[Kesephist]

If you are catching rainwater ( and, swelp me, I have NO clue why a municipality would ban rainwater capture, except in defense of a local water monopoly or the opening overtures of being Big Brother ) you might look to your roofs. Almost all roofing these days is shingles or tiles. Metal sheath roofs are rare, but would be the best bet for rainwater, especially copper and galvanized. Doubt that there is any lead sheet roofing.

"Water is the real gold." -Hugh Farnham

As always, I may be contacted at oldvegasfox@reagan.com

[mitunnelrat]

Follow the money. The answer is there.

[realist]

I believe it is either Oregon or Washington that prohibits the collection of rainwater because the state owns all the water.

[helomech]

Texas owns all surface water. So the water in my pond is actually owned by the state of Texas. I believe they do this for fighting forest fires.

[Sniper-T]

They don't 'own' the water here, but if you have it, and they need it for fighting fires, they will use it. You have the right to refuse, but doing so will guarantee how hard they will fight to save your property/home.

[realist]

As of January of this year the State now owns all the water. This is to control the amount of use however it appears the major farms and corporations have control of huge majority of the water. Money does talk! There is the potential of the State to put monitors on everyone's well to tax the amount of water use, whether or not that is true only the future will tell. I see with the drought they are stepping in more and the people in the cities have no clue how much water it takes to run even a small farm.

[Vodin]

Colorado owns all the moisture. You can not capture or reroute the water. It is currently in the process for review.

http://water.state.co.us/DWRIPub/Documents/DWR_RainwaterFlyer.pdf

[Vodin]

And I believe an executive order has been written in the last month or so that basically allows the government to control all bodies of water. And if the internet is true that includes puddles as well. Hence the wording moisture...

[Socalman]

In my location in So. Calif. we generally have very little summer rainfall. In a typical July/August we will have zero rain. Knowing that background, does it make any sense to build a system based on 55 gallon drums?

We do have a system that uses grey water from our washing machine and use that to water many of our plants.

[Vodin]

If you can legally control the water on your land. Yes. Do it it will save you cash and it will train you in the skills needed for the uses you have in mind for that water.