5 Water Storage Myths

[lcertuche]

I've been wanting to get some life straws plus a portable family size water filter and this article keeps nagging at my thoughts. It's hard when you are poor.

 

[MoonShadows]

I just Googled "primitive ways to purify water" and found methods that cost nothing, close to nothing...using items you probably already have or can easily attain.

 

[lcertuche]

Straining and boiling was my backup plan but after reading this article I started worrying it wouldn't be enough.

 

[rodeogirl]

if you have a pond or simular body of water that is poisonous you can purify it With bentonite. the slip on the bottom will still be poisonous but the water will be pure Enough for your livestock or even you with a little more Purifying

 

[MoonShadows]

I don't know if I would want to take that chance.

 

[Hinotori]

I don't have any long term water storage because I literally have no place for it. if we ever get a shop built, it can go in there. I usually have about 15 gallons of water around from the purifier at the store (Like most of my neighbors). We use that for drinking and cooking because our well water has too high of an iron content to taste good. The chickens get rainwater off the metal awning for 9 months of the year.

Yes we have a permanent stream and pond, but contamination is possible. It's only a few feet deep. The lilypads do help shade off algae during the warmer months. Ive never used that water for anything.

We have a few Lifestraws and a filter for short term water needs, but it would suck long term.

 

[MoonShadows]

Consumable water is THE #1 consideration when it comes to a disaster scenario whether that be a major natural disaster or manmade disaster. It is more important than food. I don't mean to sound harsh to anyone who has written in this thread, but you can either have "reasons" why you can't store or afford consumable water, or you WILL find the way to do it. Not having it, for any reason, will mean the difference between life and death after 3 days without consumable water. That's how long you will last without consumable water. It's as simple as that. A minimum is 1 gallon of water per person per day for a 30 day period, and if you live in a warm/hot environment or are/will be physically active (think wood chopping, gardening, etc), you will need more than 1 gallon per day. That does not include water for anything else but drinking/cooking/brushing your teeth, etc....consumable.

 

[waretrop]

I don't try to think really long term. I can protect myself very well. I can eat out of my pantry for over a year. I have water canned but only 10 gallons. I have a 10 gallon jug that I put one drop of clorox in every few months. That's all. It only my hubby and myself and if we run out of things or it really gets bad, well we will be dead anyway. That's too much for me to worry about for me at the moment..

 

[MoonShadows]

In the long run, each person has to decide for themselves. 10 gallons will last you and your husband 5 days. Don't mean to sound flippant, but that's a lot of food wasted in your pantry.

 

[Hinotori]

I planned ahead to limit our vulnerability to most local disasters. We don't live in the valleys where lahars flow. We're not built on fill and at huge risk from the earthquakes. We don't live near a slope to risk mudslides. Very small tornadoes are still a possibility. So is the mountain deciding we need a layer of ash.

I want to get a rainwater cachement system set up like a friend has. Almost all of their household water is caught, filtered, treated, and UV treated. We average 60+ inches of rain a year so it's very feasible. She can go 4 months on stored water while waiting for the rains without rationing. That was tested a couple years ago when we had an unusual dry spell. She offered to help set it up, but it does take money to start with.