So... what do you do for water?

[O.S.O.K. 1961]

So... water is like almost number one on your survival needs. I mean after air and maybe shelter... you don't last long w/o water. If the air is somehow extinguished, well then, here I come Jesus.... but I think we will all be OK with having air - although we might need to filter it... and shelter - most of us have that too. And we all have water but can you count on your source of water?

So my answer given where I live (not many near-surface water pockets...) is the gizmos that pull water from air. They work in much the same way as the old de-humidifiers though, more refined. They are not cheap. Like $4K for a unit that will produce 15 liters a day in San Antonio.

So, what do ya'll do to ensure a supply of water?

 

[ZX9RCAM]

How do you power it when the grid goes down?

 

[no2gates]

I live about 1000 feet from a lake and have berkey filter with spare candles as well as uv sterilizers.

 

[O.S.O.K. 1961]

How do you power it when the grid goes down?

Excellent question. You do need something like a wind generator or solar generator system for that. I have that, so I wasn't thinking about that need. But that's a good point.

 

[Vaquero]

Well and windmill or hand pump.

 

[no2gates]

Excellent question. You do need something like a wind generator or solar generator system for that. I have that, so I wasn't thinking about that need. But that's a good point.

Not just a solar system, but one with battery backup that will work when the grid goes down.
What most people don't realize is that without a battery backup, almost all solar systems cease to function once there's no power coming from the grid.

 

[O.S.O.K. 1961]

I live about 1000 feet from a lake and have berkey filter with spare candles as well as uv sterilizers.

That's good - you will have to haul the water but that's of little consequence when you need it. As an aside, did you see that Berkey is in "hot water" with the NSA over their filtration claims? Seems they never actually tested their 3000 gallon claim... woops. Not saying Burkey's are bad just that they may not be "all that".

I personally have a Britta and a Zero water filter - I'd rather have big Berkey but I've spent my money on other things. And if I decide to get an atmospheric water generator, I won't need another filter as they have built-in filtration systems.

 

[O.S.O.K. 1961]

Well and windmill or hand pump.

Nice - that's what I would like to have. I've had wells in the past... and all's you need is a windmill or solar powered pump...

 

[O.S.O.K. 1961]

Not just a solar system, but one with battery backup that will work when the grid goes down.
What most people don't realize is that without a battery backup, almost all solar systems cease to function once there's no power coming from the grid.

Yes, the panels, one or more inverters and the batteries with all of the accoutrements. I have a 2000 Watt "generator" which is an inverter, controller and battery all in one unit and I would like to get an expansion battery to go with. The system I have will handle my fridge and some lights and a few other small things but that's it. I do have 800 Watt folding panels on the way... and that's the other thing - my system is portable.. which has it's merits.

 

[IXLR8]

Lifestraw. If you need more than that you are going to make it anyway.

 

[no2gates]

Yes, the panels, one or more inverters and the batteries with all of the accoutrements. I have a 2000 Watt "generator" which is an inverter, controller and battery all in one unit and I would like to get an expansion battery to go with. The system I have will handle my fridge and some lights and a few other small things but that's it. I do have 800 Watt folding panels on the way... and that's the other thing - my system is portable.. which has it's merits.

I'd like to get a portable solar system as well. For portable, all I have is a gas generator. For the house, I've got a 16.5kw solar system with 13kw Powerwall backup battery. At some point, I'd like to add another battery, but I'll wait till the prices come down.

 

[gll]

My primary grid-down water supply is my low production well that is pumped to 1500 gal storage by a 48v solar direct submersible that is currently run off of a 60v 3kw lead/acid battery bank that is charged from a 1200w solar array. It doesn't need the batteries, but they are a convenience for other applications. That well only produces a bit over 100 gal/day though..., not enough for much gardening. I do have a backup pump and solar panels.

I also have a 2nd well that I can pump using my Miller Bobcat 250, that will deliver 30 gal/min using about 1 gal of gas/hr; so, about 1800 gal/hr. It's a 3hp pump, so takes a bit of power to pump; I can't run it off my 4kw inverter battery backed grid-tie system that powers my house; not enough power... Storage on that well is 1000 gal. If the pump failed and I could manage it, I would install my backup solar direct pump on that well and have a good supply.

My total water storage is 2500gal.

I have one small groundwater tank that usually has some water in it that I could filter water from. I have some Sawyer Mini filters for that purpose, but would cob together a pre-filter if it came to that. I also have a stove-top distiller that I can set on my wood stove in winter; distilled water is important to have for lead/acid batteries.

I've been thinking about constructing a solar distiller from a pair of old sliding doors I have...

Last resort would be the river that is about a 2 mile walk or by electric golf cart, or 3 mile by road. I'd have to pump or bucket water into barrels..., I do have pumps and inverters that would allow me to do that several ways, but it could be wild west to get there depending on how neighbors react to grid down.

Grid-down and SHTF could be very different scenarios. Grid-down, people will probably remain civil; SHTF, all bets are off.

I have a 9kw grid-tied solar system on micro-inverters that I added a 4kw inverter and a 4.8kw lead/acid battery bank to in order to hybridize the system so it will function off-grid to power my house. I can double the battery storage to 9.6kw with my golf cart batteries, but grid-down, I am focused on using that system and it's limited battery storage to power refrigeration, not for water supply.

All battery storage mentioned above is based on a 50% discharge of the lead/acid batteries.

Like you said, water is near top priority, and I am still not comfortable with my supply, but I think I could cobb together something from parts to pump water even if some of what system I have was destroyed by EMP or other catastrophe, given time...

 

[striker55]

With a 7' pipeline for water not far from my house, I'm wondering where is the water coming from? House's being built everywhere in Katy, how can water be supplied especially with the drought we are having?

 

[FireInTheWire]

15,000gal pool

Catch rainwater

Multiple stock tanks

 

[jrbfishn]

Lifestraw. If you need more than that you are going to make it anyway.

I have at least one for each member of my immediate family. River is about a quarter mile and a large lake a little farther as the crow flies.

Sent from my SM-S906U using Tapatalk

 

[Mills]

The Guadalupe river

 

[reddog]

Living off grid in the desert water was a main concern, using water catchment I currently have over 17K gallons stored here at home. That is enough without more rain to last my family over a year with daily usage for all the normal things. I have enough roof to capture over 3K gallons per inch of rain fall. Those of you that own your homes can easily add a catchment tank to your gutter system, maybe something to think about.

 

[Dad_Roman]

My total water storage is 2500gal.

Thats sooo cute

But Im being a smartass, sorry.

On a more serious note, Most yall know I make water for a living. In a SHTF scenario I have access to 6 tanks so lets call that 1.8 million gallons, then I have access to 14 deep wells that are in the aquifer.

But how to get that out? 5-600ft down. Some are powered but in a long term SHTF scenario diesel will certainly run out.

Unbolt and knock aside wellhead and motor provides direct access to water. All you need then is 500 ft of line (Actually more in the 3-350 range when a well isnt pumping) and one of these....

Screw together sampling stick with one way valve in the end...

Ok.....now you know my whole plan. So make friends with your local Public Works guys.

....or a Life Straw and the lake. I like that choice.

 

[gll]

Thats sooo cute

But Im being a smartass, sorry.

On a more serious note, Most yall know I make water for a living. In a SHTF scenario I have access to 6 tanks so lets call that 1.8 million gallons, then I have access to 14 deep wells that are in the aquifer.

But how to get that out? 5-600ft down. Some are powered but in a long term SHTF scenario diesel will certainly run out.

Unbolt and knock aside wellhead and motor provides direct access to water. All you need then is 500 ft of line (Actually more in the 3-350 range when a well isnt pumping) and one of these....

Screw together sampling stick with one way valve in the end...

Ok.....now you know my whole plan. So make friends with your local Public Works guys.

....or a Life Straw and the lake. I like that choice.

View attachment 350559

300-350 ft? You could pump that well with a solar direct pump and panels and black tubing...

As to my storage volume, I wish I had it made it more before the price of tanks went up 50-60%..., but storage volume really only matters when your ability to pump more fails.

 

[MountainGirl]

First thing I did when we got this place last March- was make sure there was a supply of water that could be drawn by hand. It was a true blessing this property had a secondary set up (for RV's or whatever: a second well, septic tank, power) - and I had all that pulled off, the shallow well pump pulled out, and rigged a simple, no moving parts, hand-pump thingy that a garden hose can hook to. We'll have water. Always. Unless the well dries up, and given the terrain here that's unlikely.

For filtering - the water is pretty good, but for some things I need filtered water so we use the LifeStraw pitcher as needed. After using it for a month, and being really happy with it, we bought a second pitcher and 3yrs worth of filters. Did I mention we're kinda preppers? LOL