Mini SHTF scenario

[MisterHappy]

Recently, there's been some "what would you do?" scenarios, that were too broad-based or nebulous, IMO.

If honor of the Near-Earth rock that's passing by this AM (sice of a bus, 25.000 miles out) here's a simple one:

As of 9 AM, you have lost water service at your home.

If you're on town water, there was a break in a large main - it will take 72 hours minimum, 148 hours max to get it back on.

If you have a well, the pump is FUBAR, and jammed in the casing - the well service company will take 72 hours minimum to get there, but "guarantee" you'll be OK within 148 hours.

Bottled water is in short supply at the local store (can't make it too easy ) and you can get one case of 24 16 ounce bottles.

Enjoy.

 

[Flyer007]

Simple...you never said they were short on beer......

 

[el duderino]

Ive got a stockpile of canada dry ginger ale, ill be alright.

 

[Dradian]

Simple. I have way more than 72 hours worth of food, water and booze.

 

[sieveboy]

Road trip to boston harbor hotel

 

[P-14]

Easy. I have 55-gallons of H2O in the hot water tank all day, every day. Throw the breaker off, attach a hose to the tank and fill empty 2-Liter soda/milk bottles with H2O as needed. And, don't forget the 4 cases of soda on the basement floor from Costco, the case of bottled water, the case of beer, and the wine in the 72-bottle wine rack upstairs. You need 1 gallon of water per person per day to survive (which does not include washing).

It would have been more challenging if the water was contaminated. Then, I would have broken out the Katadyne Vario from the BOB and treated the water to make it drinkable. The Vario removes bacteria and chemicals from the water and will treat up to 500 gallons of water on one set of filters. It weighs a pound.

 

[Admin]

Everyone should have at a min a weeks worth of water on hand. Also have a quality water filter on hand as well.

 

[mass]

I remember when the pipe from Quabin broke and people were freaking out that the local stores were limiting water sales and the gubmit wasn't supplying it fast enough.

My thought at the time was "get your fat lazy ass in the car and drive 45 minutes to the friggin Nashua Market basket and get some water"

Sent from behind enemy lines using Tapatalk.

 

[P-14]

I remember when the pipe from Quabin broke and people were freaking out that the local stores were limiting water sales and the gubmit wasn't supplying it fast enough.

My thought at the time was "get your fat lazy ass in the car and drive 45 minutes to the friggin Nashua Market basket and get some water"

Sent from behind enemy lines using Tapatalk.

Wrong! Just remember the recipe to boil water - as apparently millions forgot how. We kept 2 2-qt containers of freshly boiled water in the fridge and just boiled more when one got empty. Simple is always better.

 

[djmefitz]

I have 12 gallons stored in containers and at least 1 case of bottledd water in the house at all times.

And of course this would be for my family, I would suffer and drink all the beer.

 

[LandOLakeS]

i have a few options, the 2 weeks worth i keep in storage. Second option, its raining outside, and i think i can operate a funnel and a bucket. There is also ground water, i don't know if its that clean but i own a filter, a pot, a stove, and a fire place. There is also the hot water heater that was mentioned earlier.

 

[Another_David]

Wrong! Just remember the recipe to boil water - as apparently millions forgot how. We kept 2 2-qt containers of freshly boiled water in the fridge and just boiled more when one got empty. Simple is always better.

Exactly. It was a "boil water" order and not a "stand in the center of town and wait for a guberment truck to hand you water and punch your neighbor in the face to get it" order. Dumb shats that they are stood in the sun for hours waiting for a gallon of water--they probably sweated more water just waiting for it. I think I was the only one that actually boiled water.

Short of what you have in your water heater tank (good point btw!) they have these things called "lakes" which is mostly made of water. Get in your car and drive down to your local lake. Fill up containers you've been keeping (you have containers, right?). Go home and filter and/or boil.

 

[P-14]

they have these things called "lakes" which is mostly made of water. Get in your car and drive down to your local lake. Fill up containers you've been keeping (you have containers, right?). Go home and filter and/or boil.

Er, there are no lakes in Chelsea. And, I'm not sure I would trust the few-and-far-between Chelsea streams that flow into the Mystic River either. However, we have 3 large swimming pools to take water from, filter, and drink.

You have to pre-plan these things in an urban area and "think outside the box" when it comes to potential fresh water sources for longer-term scenarios.

 

[WanMan99]

I keep a minimum of 4 each 5gal water bottles for my water cooler as well as 3+ cases of 12oz bottled water. My wife and I will be all set for at least 1 week. I will be traveling to get a better long term solution way before I am half way gone through the supply.

 

[hankster]

Simple. I have way more than 72 hours worth of food, water and booze.

Ditto . Same at my home.

 

[In God We Trust]

There are cheaper options, but I can't understand how a true prepper would not have a hand pump water filter in the house. I would walk the half mile to the stream and start filling bottles. Crisis averted.

 

[P-14]

View attachment 25315

There are cheaper options, but I can't understand how a true prepper would not have a hand pump water filter in the house. I would walk the half mile to the stream and start filling bottles. Crisis averted.

Carrying that water back at about 8 lbs/gallon would get old very quickly.

 

[Boghog1]

What if I have redundant systems? I have both well and town water on my property so I go on Business as usual, I did have a repair on the well 4 years ago where it was down for 4 days so we used the town water

 

[In God We Trust]

Carrying that water back at about 8 lbs/gallon would get old very quickly.

My fat ass can use the excercise. Water is plentiful up here in the northeast, all you need is a plan for filtering the animal shit out of it.

 

[P-14]

What if I have redundant systems? I have both well and town water on my property so I go on Business as usual, I did have a repair on the well 4 years ago where it was down for 4 days so we used the town water

Redundant systems are the way to go. But, do you have a genny to run the well pump if the power takes a crap too?

 

[P-14]

My fat ass can use the excercise. Water is plentiful up here in the northeast, all you need is a plan for filtering the animal shit out of it.

Better to get a lawn cart, kiddy wagon, or wheelbarrow to transport it, IMO.

 

[Boghog1]

Redundant systems are the way to go. But, do you have a genny to run the well pump if the power takes a crap too?

Generator is next on the list but I do have a inverter (big one) that should enable me to run the pump in the event of a power outage on an as needed basis but the town water would have to go out too along with the power and in that case I do have 3 days water stored in the basement, I may not be able to take a shower but I will not be without water

 

[Twigg]

72 hr supply on hand, water filter on hand. Head down to the lake or an ice free stream for more as needed, filter and enjoy.

No problem.

 

[GM-GUY]

I have at least 30 gallons of toilet flushing water (not sterilized) and 30 gallons of potable water (solar sterilized) stored in corner of the basement unfinished cool area plus I have a 21 foot diameter x 4 foot deep pool plus I have some bottled water plus a good hand pump filter with extra cartridge (each is good for 500 gallons)

 

[mclina]

I've got about 10 cases of bottled water in the house, along with what is in my water heater. I also have a hot tub in the back yard that I would use to flush the toilets (for the girls - my son and I are just going to pee off the deck...).

There is a spring in the woods about 100 yars from my house that I suppose I could get water from. That would be a good job for the kids.

 

[MisterHappy]

See, this was a nice simple one, but I'm guessing that it got soem people thinking.

When the MWRA break occurred, I was not affected, but the kids asked, "What would we do?"

"We'll put those big, blue barrels on teh trailer, and go to the club. There's a well there." If that's a no-go, I have 15,000 gallons in my pool.

Keep it coming!

 

[Another_David]

Er, there are no lakes in Chelsea. And, I'm not sure I would trust the few-and-far-between Chelsea streams that flow into the Mystic River either. However, we have 3 large swimming pools to take water from, filter, and drink.

You have to pre-plan these things in an urban area and "think outside the box" when it comes to potential fresh water sources for longer-term scenarios.

A still is what you need. Not hard to fabricate.

 

[P-14]

A still is what you need. Not hard to fabricate.

I have enough liquor on hand already. So, I don't need to distill my own.

Seriously though, distilling the water would remove the minerals. Drinking distilled water is as hard on the body as no water at all. Same result - a quick death in a few days. I'd have to look at stocking fresh water minerals and "salt" the water with them in the right concentration. Too much work.

Maybe you meant a solar still, rather than a boiling distillation process. Nonetheless, if we ran low on water for a very, very long term scenario, we'd probably relocate closer to a lake.

 

[Boghog1]

I have enough liquor on hand already. So, I don't need to distill my own.

Seriously though, distilling the water would remove the minerals. Drinking distilled water is as hard on the body as no water at all. Same result - a quick death in a few days. I'd have to look at stocking fresh water minerals and "salt" the water with them in the right concentration. Too much work.

If we ran low on water for a very, very long term scenario, we'd probably relocate closer to a lake.

Do you have documentation/studies to back that up as I have heard there is no appreciable difference since we take most of our minerals in through our food and not water

 

[P-14]

Do you have documentation/studies to back that up as I have heard there is no appreciable difference since we take most of our minerals in through our food and not water

OK, so all those chemistry classes of information on distilled water and the body are now trash. I stand corrected. Apparently, there is a lot of controversy about drinking distilled water. Medical journals say there are long-term problems with a lack of minerals. Other journals say that lack of minerals forces the body to reduce "bad" minerals. Who really knows?

Organic gardeners say that there is quite a bit of evidence that drinking distilled water on a long term basis is in fact harmful. A Certified Water Treatment Specialist VI level with the Water Quality Association says these are all myths:

Distillation, when combined with carbon filtration, will kill and remove virtually 100% of bacteria, viruses, cysts, and will remove heavy metals, inorganics; including minerals, radionuclides, particulates, and organics; including VOC’s.

Over 95% of our minerals come from our food and less than 5% from drinking water. You would practically have to drown yourself by drinking it to get the RDA of any beneficial minerals......Distilled water will not leach minerals from your body. There has never been any documented evidence to prove this claim true. It is perfectly safe to drink.

Long term drinking of distilled water is not deleterious to your teeth.

But, he is trying to sell us home pure-water distillers.

You decide.

If I get most of my minerals from food and I can supplement my stored foods and vitamins with some fresh vegetables and fruits, I would have no problems drinking distilled water for long periods of time. This is good to know. Thanks Boghog.