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Discussion: Water: Purity, How much, and How to get it...

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StrykerPez	Water: Purity, How much, and How to get it... Nov 16 2011, 8:18 PM EST You're busy battling the undead when suddenly... you get thirsty! Every good survivalist knows to have some water on hand, but this thread is for asking and answering the specific questions about water. Heck, I think this should be our topic of the week. Anyways, To start things off, recommendations per day per person are a gallon in survival situations. You can live on a half gallon, but you better drink every drop and not sweat too much. So where do you get a gallon of fresh water per day? First is what you've got stored up. I've got 30 gallons of fresh, drinkable water stored in my kitchen in FDA-approved plastic jerry cans. You can also stockpile water bottles, plastic jugs from the grocery store, Sparkletts bottles, or any other safe container of water. As long as it keeps the water in, contaminants out, and doesn't leach into the water, you can store water in it. The second way to ensure you've got some water is to scavenge it. If you're quick about it, you can fill your bathtub and other various bowls, pots, and buckets before the municipal water loses pressure or gets contaminated. You can also find water in the tanks of flush-toilets, in water heaters, and even in the pipes of houses (close the main, open an upstairs sink, and suck with all your might on the front yard garden hose). Even still, you're going to want to purify anything you aren't 100% sure of its safety unless there's no other choice. I have a set of purification tablets that disinfect and deodorize the water to make it safe, but some people have great success with other forms of purification. Lets hear your opinions and thoughts! Post reply 7 out of 7 found this valuable. Do you find this valuable? Do you? Keyword tags: drinking filter H2O purification tablets water
Oakspar77777	1. RE: Water: Purity, How much, and How to get it... Nov 16 2011, 9:15 PM EST Obviously, there are commercial water purifiers, but for any water that looks clean, boiling is enough. Creek water would be a good example. Still water will need to be filtered. You can also let it settle, then skim the top inch off, pour out the middle, and discard the dredge. It will still need to the boiled. It will have lots of swimmers in it, and that is okay - the boiling kills them and they become free protein. A solar still can be used to purify water without fuel consumption, but it will take a sizeable setup for consistant use (a large tank of water, a sheet of plexiglass on a slant, clean gutter, and some sunlight will get you a few cups a day if you keep the system airtight). A good ole fashioned still can be used to purify water quickly without the need for filtering, but is overkill unless you need to remove salt. Near salty or bracish water a still is a great idea, however. Rain water is clean, if you have a clean way to gather it. Most rain barrels and roof with store water, but it will still need boiling. When it doubt, boil. Of course, plain hypercholrate (bleach) will clean water as will iodine tablets - though iodine is not great for you long term and the level of bleach need to clean water (not just improve shelf life) is a spoon per gallon - which means you usually want to let it sit open or heat it just to get the pool water taste out. In much of the world, digging a well is a real option, but digging a groundwater basin in a low area that fills with rain and groundwater is easier and won't let you get overconfident in your water quality. They make manual pumps for current well systems (either to replace an electric well pump or as supplimental system). They are not cheap, but would be ideal. You can use a modern well like an old fashioned well, but the diameter means that you are not going to get much in a hurry. Post reply 1 out of 1 found this valuable. Do you find this valuable? Do you?
StrykerPez	2. RE: Water: Purity, How much, and How to get it... Nov 16 2011, 9:59 PM EST I've got 3 deep well pumps at my BOL and a genny to run them, should be enough :) How about on the run? Those hiking purification bottles they sell at sporting goods stores... can you really scoop up dirty water and drink through their filter? Post reply Do you find this valuable?
brandon_a_boyer	3. RE: Water: Purity, How much, and How to get it... Nov 16 2011, 10:02 PM EST There are liners that you can buy to place in your bathtub and fill with water. They are pre-sterilized and allow you to fill them with more water than you typically could. Also there is a British company that sells 1 L water bottles that can sterilize drinking water without the use of chemicals. They also sell 5 gallon Jerry cans that do the same thing. Both are pretty expensive though. The filter on the 1L is supposed to be good for 3000 fill ups. I've also heard of people sterilizing water bed liners and using those for long term storage, although I would worry about vinyl leeching into the water. Post reply Do you find this valuable?
JunkCollector	4. RE: Water: Purity, How much, and How to get it... Nov 17 2011, 12:38 AM EST I have in stock 2 - 50 gallon barrels, 14 - 1 gallon jugs (was 20, but we had a water main break two days ago), 240 - 16.9 oz. bottles of water, and 100 4 oz. water pouches. For purification I have 200 Iodine tabs, 4 gallons of bleach, 4 survival straws, 4 filtering water bottles, and 1 hand pump filter. I have city water, but there is a large river 3 blocks south and a lake to the west. But water isn't hard to come by in this area. For rain water I have a rain barrel that is fed through my eaves troths. Post reply Do you find this valuable?
Filadog	5. RE: Water: Purity, How much, and How to get it... Nov 17 2011, 7:53 AM EST I have one of those water purification filter bottles in my BOB. Fill it up with suspect water and drink it through a straw which filters it. Lots of hikers use them and by all accounts work well. I tried some stream water in mine and guess it worked [didn't get sick]....Supposedly if you filter the water using a cloth as you pour it in the bottle it;s filter will last longer Got mine at Walmart for $40, I think everyone should get one I have a shallow well for my house water, been told it is probably only 15 ft deep but don't know. The pump is in my basement, went bad a few years ago and I had to put another in. Minimal trouble I could run the pump using my generator or for that matter by hooking up a gas engine. Maybe even a hand powered fly wheel? I have friends that use the old type pitcher pump and I thought about putting one into my well but not something I will probably ever need I have stream that runs through my property that I could use if I had too though I would want to purify it befor drinking Post reply Do you find this valuable?
PedroAsani	6. RE: Water: Purity, How much, and How to get it... Nov 17 2011, 8:50 AM EST "I've got 3 deep well pumps at my BOL and a genny to run them, should be enough :) How about on the run? Those hiking purification bottles they sell at sporting goods stores... can you really scoop up dirty water and drink through their filter? " What powers the generator, and what can you do when it runs out? Post reply Do you find this valuable?
zombiezlayer	7. RE: Water: Purity, How much, and How to get it... Nov 17 2011, 11:15 AM EST \| Post edited: Nov 17 2011, 11:25 AM EST "What powers the generator, and what can you do when it runs out?" I have a well, also in my BOB I have an aquamira fitration straw that you can literally drink out of a puddle with. It is good for 250 gallons. Now I would not recomend drinking out of a puddle. I also keep coffee filters in my BOB to filter water before I used the straw. It helps keep the filter good for longer. I used it on my last 3 day hike and didnt get sick so I think it works lol Also, in the camping section at walmart you can buy a collapsable 5 gallon water jug made my coleman for like 7 dollars. I keep an empty one under the seat of my truck I can fill up on the run as well as a few cases of water behind the seat. I am currrently looking at putting a manual pump on my well in addition to my electric one, but it seems rather expensive. Edit: I also keep about 3 bottles of iodine tablets in my BOB and I have a pot and canteen cup to boil water. I didnt mean to quote you Pedro, although it could be geared to your comment about the well being run by a genny, I just hit wrong button. Post reply Do you find this valuable?
brandon_a_boyer	8. RE: Water: Purity, How much, and How to get it... Nov 17 2011, 11:29 AM EST " I have one of those water purification filter bottles in my BOB. Fill it up with suspect water and drink it through a straw which filters it. Lots of hikers use them and by all accounts work well. I tried some stream water in mine and guess it worked [didn't get sick]....Supposedly if you filter the water using a cloth as you pour it in the bottle it;s filter will last longer Got mine at Walmart for $40, I think everyone should get one I have a shallow well for my house water, been told it is probably only 15 ft deep but don't know. The pump is in my basement, went bad a few years ago and I had to put another in. Minimal trouble I could run the pump using my generator or for that matter by hooking up a gas engine. Maybe even a hand powered fly wheel? I have friends that use the old type pitcher pump and I thought about putting one into my well but not something I will probably ever need I have stream that runs through my property that I could use if I had too though I would want to purify it befor drinking" Not like this one though. http://www.lifesaversystems.com/ Post reply 1 out of 1 found this valuable. Do you find this valuable? Do you?
tvercetti1	9. RE: Water: Purity, How much, and How to get it... Nov 17 2011, 3:20 PM EST "Obviously, there are commercial water purifiers, but for any water that looks clean, boiling is enough. Creek water would be a good example. " Dont be so sure. Chemicles might be inside the water that you cant see or smell or even if you can, you have to be able to deal with that stuff too. I dont know what kind of filtreation or treatment would get lets just say... battery acid out of the water or maybe there was a huge chemicle spill upstream/upriver? What then? I sure would like to know since I have NO idea at all lol. Post reply 0 out of 1 found this valuable. Do you find this valuable? Do you?
StrykerPez	10. RE: Water: Purity, How much, and How to get it... Nov 17 2011, 3:22 PM EST It's a multifuel by Northstar. Propane or gasoline. We have 50 gallons of gas and 2 big propane tanks installed on the property, along with plenty of the small ones. Also working on a solar setup with an inverter to run the pumps without fuel. Post reply Do you find this valuable?
Briannasaurs	11. RE: Water: Purity, How much, and How to get it... Nov 19 2011, 8:57 PM EST Have any of you ever heard of gravity filtration??? Basically you fill one bag with water and hang it from a tree and it filters through a tube into another bag... You can filter water while you're putting up your tent. I have one and on empty it's almost weightless and fits anywhere in my bob with no problem Post reply Do you find this valuable?
StrykerPez	12. RE: Water: Purity, How much, and How to get it... Nov 28 2011, 3:42 PM EST Thanks for the replies. Anybody got any new ideas for the next Thread of the Week? Post reply Do you find this valuable?
Frag-12	13. RE: Water: Purity, How much, and How to get it... Nov 29 2011, 12:36 PM EST \| Post edited: Nov 29 2011, 12:43 PM EST I want to add; BOL 1. Water acclamation, filter to cistern, and filter for drinking. 2. If you have managed to generate electricity for your BOL, there is a company or companies that make atmospheric water generators. And no, they do not look like the ones in of Star Wars. 3. multiple wells 4. You can also retrieve fresh water from an Aquaponics system on the return valve going into the fish tank. 5. Drinking water can be taken from a moving stream or river. Of course, it still needs to be filtered. On Foot\Horse\Bike - 1. High quality water filter that will filter hundreds of gallons before needing a filter change. 2. A canteen with water tube - so you can drink on the move if need be. The above reduces weight you need to carry while on foot. Vehicle - 1. Same filter for On Foot. 2. A canteen with water tube 3. A few water jugs. The above reduces space needed, provides easier drinking while driving, an alternative if your vehicle breaks down, and a little storage. Post reply Do you find this valuable?
StrykerPez	14. RE: Water: Purity, How much, and How to get it... Nov 29 2011, 1:41 PM EST "If you have managed to generate electricity for your BOL, there is a company or companies that make atmospheric water generators. And no, they do not look like the ones in of Star Wars." I've actually drank water from one of theses machines. They look like a regular water cooler without the sparkletts bottle on top. As long as there is some humidity, they make water. Post reply Do you find this valuable?
PedroAsani	15. RE: Water: Purity, How much, and How to get it... Nov 29 2011, 3:25 PM EST "It's a multifuel by Northstar. Propane or gasoline. We have 50 gallons of gas and 2 big propane tanks installed on the property, along with plenty of the small ones. Also working on a solar setup with an inverter to run the pumps without fuel. " Are you able to pump by hand should the motors fail? Post reply Do you find this valuable?
Frag-12	16. RE: Water: Purity, How much, and How to get it... Nov 29 2011, 3:52 PM EST "I've actually drank water from one of theses machines. They look like a regular water cooler without the sparkletts bottle on top. As long as there is some humidity, they make water. " It appears they do not take much electricity too. Solar panels and extra parts for both, water shouldn't be a major problem in humid areas which tend to be great growing areas too. Post reply Do you find this valuable?
Frag-12	17. RE: Water: Purity, How much, and How to get it... Nov 29 2011, 3:55 PM EST \| Post edited: Nov 29 2011, 4:00 PM EST 1. Hmm, I have a good next topic - safe BOL waste disposal - sewage and garbage. 2. And the second after #1, if it is known that people turn when they die no matter if they are infected or not - what are your plans for living with your family and friends when every one of them potentially can become the walking dead? Post reply Do you find this valuable?
Frag-12	18. RE: Water: Purity, How much, and How to get it... Nov 29 2011, 3:59 PM EST "Are you able to pump by hand should the motors fail?" How about the old Ox and Wheel method? Or you can use DEVILDOGMP's zombie power... lol <joking> That is worse than Herschel keeping walkers in the barn. Post reply Do you find this valuable?
Randyofpirate	19. RE: Water: Purity, How much, and How to get it... Dec 17 2011, 8:50 AM EST My BOL has a water purifiction plant and river access when the plant fails. So i should be fine. Post reply Do you find this valuable?

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Location: Essential Skills

Discussion: Water: Purity, How much, and How to get it...

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