Water

[GIJEW]

What about these retention ponds that are all throughout neighborhoods and office complexes? I am sure they have tons of chemicals in them from fertilizer and lawn treatments, but could you use them as a water source? If yes, besides a filter and boiling, any other precautions that need to be used?

I have always wondered as I live really close to some and my office has a large one in front of it.

Distilling the water should separate any chemicals

 

[shibumiseeker]

Distilling the water should separate any chemicals

It's not quite that simple.

 

[churchmouse]

It's not quite that simple.

I am not sure how many members could actually assemble and run a rig to distill water.

Not a knock but that is not as easy as it sounds.

 

[rhino]

Just wondering.

If I need to stock pile water? I know everyone needs water. I am trying to prioritize our prep. Our property backs up to a lake.

Would we be better off to invest in a water filter and purifier? If the need arose we could easily walk to the lake.

Thanks

I'd do both storage and filtration/purification in your situation. You'd have less need for storage than most of us, but it would be good to have a few days supply (at least one gallon per person per day) for emergencies.

 

[rhino]

Distilling the water should separate any chemicals

It's not quite that simple.

Correct ... some substances have boiling points close enough to water's that it's going to be tough to remove them simply by distillation.

If they're volatile organics (VOCs), then you should consider an aeration step in your treatment train.

If you think you're going to have to accommodate chemicals (both organic and inorganic) and not just microorganisms, it makes sense to put a reverse osmosis system in place before you need it.

 

[jhelm]

I am looking to stock a supply of drinking water in my basement with my other prep supplies. I was looking a 4 to 6 blue 55 gallon barrels and was told that someone makes a rack system that's allows them to be stacked to save floor space. Anyone know of a website for such a system. If not, I was leaning towards the 325 gallon tote. Which way would everyone go???

 

[pudly]

If you are slightly handy, it isn't hard to build a solid rack system for your barrels to save space. Either solution can work fine. It's really a toss-up. The biggest thing to be concerned with is if you can get them at a reasonable price and if they are used (most likely to keep them affordable) to make very sure that they've only been used to store food-grade materials before.

I just did a quick search on Youtube and it came up with a bunch of racks that others have built: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=55+gal+barrel+rack

 

[jhelm]

Thanks for the info and the time to respond.

 

[rhino]

Would it be viable to build a rack that holds them horizontally to allow gravity to assist in withdrawing water?

 

[Zoub]

At 450 pounds each you can't afford to get it wrong.

I have two things I use and frankly I may have got them all free but they came from closed or moving businesses, factories auctioning off assets.

Heavy duty warehouse racks and rubbermaid barrel dollies with 5 wheels. Dollies are chemical resistant and glide easy. Better for tight spaces. All you need is a hand pump for barrels.

Rack is cool with barrels vertical on 1st shelf and the larger 250 gallon cubes on floor under them. You can transfer water to barrels from truck bed and from barrels to cubes etc....

 

[pudly]

Would it be viable to build a rack that holds them horizontally to allow gravity to assist in withdrawing water?

You can easily embed a faucet on the side or top for easy water access.

 

[rhino]

At 450 pounds each you can't afford to get it wrong.

I have two things I use and frankly I may have got them all free but they came from closed or moving businesses, factories auctioning off assets.

Heavy duty warehouse racks and rubbermaid barrel dollies with 5 wheels. Dollies are chemical resistant and glide easy. Better for tight spaces. All you need is a hand pump for barrels.

Rack is cool with barrels vertical on 1st shelf and the larger 250 gallon cubes on floor under them. You can transfer water to barrels from truck bed and from barrels to cubes etc....

You can easily embed a faucet on the side or top for easy water access.

Good points. I asked my question as it popped into my head without thinking about it much!

 

[Icarry2]

weight, size..

A few different options.. One thing to remember is the pounds per square foot total load and where you want to put any bulk water storage. One 55 gallon drum sits on less than 4 square feet and weights close to 500 pounds. Also whatever you get has to fit where you want it, in your door, garage, etc..

Water Storage Tanks For Sale - Plastic Water Tanks

 

[danielocean03]

I just picked up one of these today, anxious to try it out: Introducing the Revolutionary Alexapure Pro!

Basically a Berkey-style system with filters that don't need to be primed from what I've read.

 

[BigBoxaJunk]

For long term, buy a few of these and keep them around, they carry the shibumiseeker seal of approval for emergency supplies:

https://sawyer.com/products/sawyer-mini-filter/

I took your advice and picked up three of those today to add to my stuff.

 

[Richwon4]

When you go with a H2O filter, extra filters for the filter become more important in the long and short run than the filter itself if you know what I mean. H2O filter is useless without effective and clean filter.

Also I don't believe anyone on this thread has said anything about UV methods. UV rays kill, plain and simple. Cheap to Free, 4-5 sunny days, and a decent size container. Anything that was living in the water will no longer be living. Strain the crap out of it using anything from a T-Shirt to a bandanna.

Household Bleach...2 Drops per liter/ quart. Simple/ Free.

 

[pudly]

Bleach and UV are two ways to accomplish the same thing: kill biologicals- bacteria, etc. Depending on your situation, that might be fine. They do nothing to filter sediments, chemicals, etc. Other tools can filter all three.

Edit: As for natural UV light killing everything, I think algae, fish and aquatic plants would disagree.

 

[17 squirrel]

Would it be viable to build a rack that holds them horizontally to allow gravity to assist in withdrawing water?

I wouldn't, I would store them upright with the bungs in place. I would install the valve just before I lay them down horizontal when its time to put that barrel in service.
with a rack full of barrels that has valves hanging over the edge is asking for a something to fall, slide down or hit one or more valves and create a problem.

 

[17 squirrel]

I am not sure how many members could actually assemble and run a rig to distill water.

Not a knock but that is not as easy as it sounds.

ahhhhh,, fire, a big metal pot with lid, a glass / aluminum bowl that will fit inside of big pot and some ice if you can get it.
even simpler all you really need is two bottles some tubing, fire....

 

[shibumiseeker]

When you go with a H2O filter, extra filters for the filter become more important in the long and short run than the filter itself if you know what I mean. H2O filter is useless without effective and clean filter.

Also I don't believe anyone on this thread has said anything about UV methods. UV rays kill, plain and simple. Cheap to Free, 4-5 sunny days, and a decent size container. Anything that was living in the water will no longer be living. Strain the crap out of it using anything from a T-Shirt to a bandanna.

Household Bleach...2 Drops per liter/ quart. Simple/ Free.

UV does indeed kill most biologicals, but not all. And sunlight can take quite a while in our area. The SODIS method of UV water treatment does not kill all biologicals, it simply is an emergency method for reduce the amount of them in water which can make a difference when there is no other method, but it is NOT a good method to rely on in any but the most dire emergency. Proper UV sterilization takes a lot of power to run. Mechanical filtration down to the sub micron level combined with chemical treatment remains the best method in general.