Water procurement

I realise there are scattered references throughout the site yet I did not see a thread specifically devoted to water procurement. I am fortunate in that I have lived in southern states with an easily accessable water table so for myself at this time water is not a severe problem, however should I have to bugout or leave my "comfort zone" I am curious how those in other areas with limited access to resources expect to get water if TSHTF...no store bought well pump, no running stream on property ect. How do you figure to gain access to that absolute neccessity that may be fifty or a hundred feet below you and bring it to where you can access it, clean it, heat it. ect?

D.O.M.

collection of atmospheric moisture, collection of precipitation, transpiration, distillation, heat sanitization of groundwater and locating then digging in seeps and aquifers are all well represented in the forums as far as i know.

i am a proponent of learning all of these skills, since we don't get to pick and choose our emergencies.

Yes I gree. My point is this one item seems it should be grouped as a single section as a sticky. I have read and been exposed in various forms to most types of procurement available. Plastic over plants, holes and tarps, boiling seawater with towels to catch condensation...ect and researched well digging, homemade pumps ect but it's always scattered referrences...seldom a clear and concise listing for others to read and consider for their situation.

Just my two cents.
D.O.M.

The problem with stickies is that lot's of folks want them and then they get lost within the stickies like the rest of the threads. Now, if we had an especially well written, thoroughly documented expose' on how to acquire water, then you can bet THAT would get a sticky.

it needn't be sticky, but a single consolidated thread on water procurement, treatment, etc might not be a bad idea.

people would remember it was there, and could direct others to it as needed anyway.

Finding enough water can be very difficult, especially in urban areas where so much of it is chemically polluted.

If you are staying put in one area, your best bet may be storing large amounts of water and replenishing at every opportunity, such as during rainstorms.

I figure plants are generaly 75% water, so if you learn the plants in your area that can be eaten raw, just munch on them all day long and you'll not only be healthier all around (raw stuff is really good for you) and, you won't die of dehydration nearly as fast.

I'd prefer to not die at all from dehydration. But maybe that's just me.:innocent:

Plant munching, is a great idea, and the main reason I like to study wild edibles. I know that you can eat wild carrot, but there are look alikes that will put in a world of hurt if you don't die. Like the Hemlock growing near the wild carrots. Unless you are confident in the identification of the plants I wouldn't put them to my mouth. too much to risk.

Karl,there's alot of common plants, weeds, that you can eat raw,grass, lambs quarters, pursaline,wild grape,briars,rassberry,black berries,wood sorrels,all easy to identify,with few look alike. I just pinch off the growing tips (like your pruning it) and munch away my freind .Not the grasses of coures,I'm sure you've chewed one a piece of grass!

The best thing about this is you are pruning the plant, so a week later theres twice as many tips to munch!

If you are in a situation where water is scarce then eating allot of plant life is not a viable option. Your body will require even more water to process the food then if you hadn't eat'n.

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Originally Posted by klkak

If you are in a situation where water is scarce then eating allot of plant life is not a viable option. Your body will require even more water to process the food then if you hadn't eat'n.

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So if your in a situation where water is scarce you shouldn't eat either?

3 days w/o water and you're dead, period. Down here, where we received a grand total of 6 inches of rain in 2009, I think about that a lot. It was the first item on my prep list and remains in the forefront of my mind. Forget about digging to the water table, and the closest river (6 miles) ran dry about 100 years ago, though it floods for several days every Aug during the monsoon season.

Minor points:
- Way to much info on "water" for one big thread or sticky... finding, storing, making it potable, harvesting, etc, etc could fill a book.
- Munching on plant life depends on your geography, though in a pinch, you can split open a cactus (w/ a machete) and suck on the insides, but never swallow it.
- I seen some methods of creation (like putting a bag on a tree limb or getting condensation from a dug hole to drip into a can) discussed here and on TV... as they say in Jersey... forgetaboutit.... Ever try it? Please do! Think you'll collect the recommended 1 gal/day... you'll be lucky to collect a couple of teaspoons/day. If that's your best survival technique for water... well, keep thinking about it.

In case you're wondering, for my family of 4, I have:
- Eight 5 gal heavy duty jerry-can style jugs full at all times and cycled every 6 months
- 24 5 gal heavy duty expandable polyethylene jugs ready to fill in minutes
- 30 bottles of potable aqua: enough to purify 180 gals
- 3 Gals of household bleach: eye droppers, measuring cups, spoons, funnels, etc
- Big assortment of: hoses, sink adapters, sink plugs, hand siphons, funnels, etc
- Dozens of old gal milk, juice and assorted jugs. Probably 75 gals of non-potable containers ready to be filled. My wife and I have identified another 250+/- gal containers around the house we can use for non-potable if necessary. (Forget about filling your sinks and bathtub... that won't stay clean long and so it's just a knee-jerk reaction. I would do it too, but not on the top of my list.
- This is besides hot water heater, toilet basins, ice in freezer (We fill-up the extra space in our freezer w/ old milk/juice jugs filled w/ water. Two reasons: Less available space in the freezer makes it run more efficiently and an extra couple of gals of (non potable) water available at all times.)
- Both of my next door neighbors have swimming pools, so I stock a few bags of pool shock, in case they run out. Not a bad thing to trade in an emergency. I would drink from the pools for maybe a week w/o power or filters, after that, it's boil or filter it all.

Next on my list to learn and acquire:
- Hand/small filter systems
- PVC piping, fittings, corners, etc.. basically everything I would need to harvest rainwater from my roof, probably right into their pools. :-)

If I've forgotten anything, by all means, please remind me.

TM - I would recommend not using old milk containers if you have an option. No matter how well you rinse them, there is a great chance that you will leave some milk solids behind. The bacteria from that may cause you some problems.

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Originally Posted by Ted

Karl,there's alot of common plants, weeds, that you can eat raw,grass, lambs quarters, pursaline,wild grape,briars,rassberry,black berries,wood sorrels,all easy to identify,with few look alike. I just pinch off the growing tips (like your pruning it) and munch away my freind .Not the grasses of coures,I'm sure you've chewed one a piece of grass!

The best thing about this is you are pruning the plant, so a week later theres twice as many tips to munch!

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Looks like you agree with me, as you have "Identified" plants that you are familiar with and know what you can eat. The key being if you don't know the plant caution is recommended.

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Originally Posted by Ted

So if your in a situation where water is scarce you shouldn't eat either?

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I know if a dog is getting dehydrated it will not eat.

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Originally Posted by Ted

So if your in a situation where water is scarce you shouldn't eat either?

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As little as possible. Eating while dehydrated will cause you to dehydrate faster.

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Originally Posted by crashdive123

TM - I would recommend not using old milk containers if you have an option. No matter how well you rinse them, there is a great chance that you will leave some milk solids behind. The bacteria from that may cause you some problems.

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Crash: Understood and agreed. Old milk jugs are for non-potable water only, to wash clothes, rinse stuff, not digest unless absolutely necessary, and then, not until after boiling.

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Originally Posted by Ted

So if your in a situation where water is scarce you shouldn't eat either?

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That is the way I was trained so thats my advice. I have been in such situations and I didn't eat.

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Originally Posted by crashdive123

As little as possible. Eating while dehydrated will cause you to dehydrate faster.

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I did not know that. So collect food stuff while finding water. Thats got to be hard to restrain from eating if you have some food and no water.