No water

[JadeGorbash]

Well I've been trying to drop hints to my family the importance of prepping (they're still not on the same page) by dropping hints here an there but anyway my mom had a mini crisis of her own last week and guess who come to her rescue basically she doesn't have mains water she has a well, the pump broke and no one could get to her to fix it for about 4 days which ment no water what so ever so I had to take my water store to her she didn't realise how quick you use water for everyday living. So basically how much water do you have and how long do you really think it would last?

[nickdutch]

Yes, its an important question. We have three waterbutts at our house that we traditionally use for the garden, but with things like kelley kettles (or regular kettles and hobs if you still have electricity) you can purify it enough to drink, although I do doubt the safety of the plastic that its made from.

[piglet]

I am sure I have read many times that something like 1 gallon/4.5 litres a day, per person, is the rule of thumb.
Thats to drink, cook and basic washing/hygiene.
Anything more than that is, surely, just decadent.

[jansman]

Water is vital to life, no question. Here at Chez Jansman, we carry 10x 5 gallon containers of stored tap water. Then we have the water butts, like Nick does. Ours is an extensive system due to the extensive garden and animals. This amounts to 240 gallons, but this would need to be filtered and boiled. Would still be good to shower with too(solar shower-there is a hook in the shower cubicle to hang it from if shtf,and will be warmed however needed). Then we are fortunate enough to have a brook over the road if all else failed. Waaay back in 1990 when we were first wed, 2 months in we had a snowfall that brought the county to a standstill for a fortnight.
I drew water from the brook and boiled it on our open fire, as we lost ALL power and water for three days. Some were out for 3 weeks. It worked well,and I would do it again.

I wonder if my neighbours would do it?

[Le Mouse]

I wonder if my neighbours would do it?

Interesting question. The very hot weather recently has seen some silly behaviour with people flinging themselves into rivers and suchlike and then getting into trouble. I think that there would be people who would draw water from local sources like streams, but that they might not think about how much they have to purify it before they can drink it.

I've got 3 rivers, various ponds, a couple of lakes and umpteen streams within a short radius of my house and I'm not sure how I'd go about purifying that water. Is boiling enough or is further filtration necessary? What makes a good wild water source?

[ForgeCorvus]

Mouse. It depends on what else goes on in the area.
I live in Norfolk, most of my local surface water sources are likely to be contaminated with agri-chemicals (Nitrates, pesticides and herbicides) or 'farmyard run-off'. My nearest river is still tidal, so I'd have salt to contend with.

However, just up the road from me there is a spring that was used as a water source by a nearby small group of houses until relatively recently...This I might trust with minimal treatment.

Be aware of mining, industry and agriculture as all of these tend to leak crap into local water sources.
Powered boats (thats anything from a cigarette boat to a narrow boat) also pollute waterways


Moving water is probably better then still water

I'd look for the smallest stream and follow it to source if possible or pick the biggest lake I could find

Better still rain or snow harvesting, don't forget to check your catch surfaces are clean and food-safe (tarmac or roofing felt is not for example)

Course filter (eg a Milbank bag ) to get the big bits out followed by a hard & fast boil (no good for non-biological contaminates)
Or
Filter and chemical treatment (some filters are good for removing chemicals, look for 'Activated Charcoal')
Or
Purifier (removes everything, costs the most)
(BTW, the life of both filters and purifiers can be extended by using a course filter first)

[Le Mouse]

You're in my neck of the woods then ForgeCorvus! *waves* Your list for the contaminants in your water sources is probably what I have to look out for.

I'll investigate the sources of my local rivers. One of them has improved greatly in recent years - there's fish swimming there again and the riverside environment is massively protected.

[JBird]

Unfortunately my bottled water supply is quite small. I have enough for 2 people for about a week.

Additionally I have about 80 gallons of water butts and about 50 water purification tablets/hob for purification.

If the worst was to happen, then its bottled water for drinking and water butt for cleaning (then drinking when that runs out)

Within walking/cycling distance theres a canal and a river, although I think I would prefer to drink the water butt!

[diamond lil]

I have only got a few bottles of stored water. I'm up in the hills with loads of wee burns that are clean, would get as near the source as poss and use that.

[Arzosah]

I've got 24 litres. I also have some water purification tablets, enough for about 50 gallons, I think. And a snappy water filter (I even forgot what make, one of the "everlasting" ones tho). There are several streams around here, and a village duckpond, so I have wild sources, tho they'd definitely need work on them.

I also copied out a design for a home made coarse water filter, made from a 2 litre water bottle - rag, sand, gravel, etc.