Hello From Newbie Prepper!

[PrepperDoc]

Hello All!

Newbie here - I started down the prepping rabbit hole about a month ago now and feel like my head is about to explode send help

What is everyone doing about rain water collection in the UK?

A water butt and Berkey filter seems like the obvious choice, but my down pipe is in full sun most of the day so concerned if SHTF and I had to drink from the water butt there would be a lot of plastic chemicals leaching into the water.

Experienced preppers what are my options here? Food grade water tank or IBC (painted black to stop algae growth) connected to the downpipe?

Also what size of tank/water butt / collection container would I need?

And would I need to build a shelter around the container / water butt to provide some shade.

Watched a million YouTube videos and getting nowhere so was hoping to get some advice from experienced preppers please.

Thanks in advance,

PrepperDoc

[Yorkshire Andy]

You'd have to be desperate to drink from the average house roof

You can get black food grade ibc containers on a metal pallet which will stop any photosynthetic processes for
algee formation ...

Filtration is the start however most won't remove viruses so need a chemical treatment after or before or during treatment or a good rolling boil


As for what size after this dry summer bigger the better if the balloon goes up on time and you get time fill it with fresh water and cap it off 1000l.should last you a good while

[PrepperDoc]

Thanks @Yorkshire Andy.

Am I right in thinking the IBC pallet would have to be stood on concrete to prevent sinkage?

And will be unmovable once installed. So need to chose site carefully.

I have 2 possible sites - experienced preppers what would you choose?

1. On stone patio next to house and next to main downpipe from fibreglass coated flat roof at back of house, but in full sun with no shade and will be right next to neighbours fence so very visible.

OR

2. Around back of garden cabin. Much less visible but further away from house and if I ever wanted to fill from rainwater if SHTF I’d have to fill off shed roof guttering and shed roof is bitumen coated felt roof tiles. Unless I re did shed roof in galvanised steel. Plus area is currently lawn so also presumably need to install concrete slab.

Hoping some experienced preppers can weigh in please. Thanks.

[pseudonym]

Hello and welcome to the Forum.

IBC would be the way forward for me also, how well do you trust your neighbours would play a part in the siting of it.

[PrepperDoc]

Thanks Pseudonym. Don’t trust them as far as I could throw them.

[GillyBee]

I suppose you could put a storage "shed" on the patio with the IBC inside and keep it locked?