I want to upgrade our water storage. We are on the edge of one of this week's water outages. We escaped this time but looking at Facebook queues made me realise just how hard getting hold of potable water is around here. Most of my water current stocks are OK for washing and the loo but need work to make them drinkable. I have the small water2go filter bottles but they are not so good for the continual kettle on scenario we seem to have.
So what suggestions do you have for a 4 adult household for drinking water? We don't have much storage space so stored water is likely to go into a variable temperature shed and a regular refill task will be hard work with our current health. I am wondering about a gravity filter - British Berkefeld or similar but does anyone have any better ideas?
What Preps are you doing this week? Part 11
Re: What Preps are you doing this week? Part 11
Decided to deduct a lot less than what HMRC said I could. I already got in trouble for doing what they told me verbally. Also it could affect capital gains if I ever sell. Better to play on the safe side. Paid them £870. Good job I sorted it out before January deadline.
Not much else going on. Not spending much on prepping. Keeping an eye on gas use, trying to keep lodgers warm, but not use more gas than I need. I've worked out past average use for the averge temperature. So for example today is 5°, so my target is 47 kWh. I've recently tweaked the thermostat settings, so will see how they go. Trying to keep lodger's room(s) 19.5 to 20.5°.
Not doing anything for Christmas, bah humbug!
Not much else going on. Not spending much on prepping. Keeping an eye on gas use, trying to keep lodgers warm, but not use more gas than I need. I've worked out past average use for the averge temperature. So for example today is 5°, so my target is 47 kWh. I've recently tweaked the thermostat settings, so will see how they go. Trying to keep lodger's room(s) 19.5 to 20.5°.
Not doing anything for Christmas, bah humbug!
Re: What Preps are you doing this week? Part 11
I suggest 5 or 10 litre containers. When new, give them a rinse with soapy water, then fresh. You can do it in a bath or sink. I find the bath easier. Then steralise with one or two Milton tabs for half an hour. No need to rinse. Fill with water and store in the dark. I like to change mine once a year, and I re-steralise with Milton when I do it. You shouldn't need to treat stored water. I do have larger puri tabs should I want to steralise 5 or 10 litre containers, but filtering that much would be a big job unless you have something designed for large volumes.GillyBee wrote: ↑Sun Dec 22, 2024 9:09 am I want to upgrade our water storage. We are on the edge of one of this week's water outages. We escaped this time but looking at Facebook queues made me realise just how hard getting hold of potable water is around here. Most of my water current stocks are OK for washing and the loo but need work to make them drinkable. I have the small water2go filter bottles but they are not so good for the continual kettle on scenario we seem to have.
So what suggestions do you have for a 4 adult household for drinking water? We don't have much storage space so stored water is likely to go into a variable temperature shed and a regular refill task will be hard work with our current health. I am wondering about a gravity filter - British Berkefeld or similar but does anyone have any better ideas?
For cleaning water from a river or lake, I recommend a filter and puri tab. I would probably use both on water from a water butt, if I had one.
Re: What Preps are you doing this week? Part 11
We use a combination of old soft drink bottles (coke, diluting juice, Tonic etc) and give them a wash then put in a dark cupboard. Also 4x 25litre containers filled with tap water and stored outside. Part water storage, part exercise regime- on a weekly basis I carry them 50m to the outside tap, empty & refill then carry them back. We also have 2x200litre water butts filled from the roof for (I expect) toilet flushing.
Re: What Preps are you doing this week? Part 11
If you want to filter water, you need to be clear about what you want to remove, and what filters can filter what.GillyBee wrote: ↑Sun Dec 22, 2024 9:09 am I want to upgrade our water storage. We are on the edge of one of this week's water outages. We escaped this time but looking at Facebook queues made me realise just how hard getting hold of potable water is around here. Most of my water current stocks are OK for washing and the loo but need work to make them drinkable. I have the small water2go filter bottles but they are not so good for the continual kettle on scenario we seem to have.
So what suggestions do you have for a 4 adult household for drinking water? We don't have much storage space so stored water is likely to go into a variable temperature shed and a regular refill task will be hard work with our current health. I am wondering about a gravity filter - British Berkefeld or similar but does anyone have any better ideas?
In general, we are concerned about bacteria, protozoa and viruses.
My Sawyer micro has 0.1 micron hollow fibres that remove 99.99999% of bacteria (like salmonella, cholera, and E. coli), 99.9999% of protozoa (such as giardia and cryptosporidium), and 100% of microplastics. Filters don't remove viruses, but these are not common in the UK.
Here is some more info
* Protozoa – single cell organisms often transferred through human and animal faeces. They are highly resistant to chemical treatments but are easily filtered because they are relatively large. They can also be treated with UV Light and heat. Giardia, Cryptosporidium.
* Bacteria – single cell organisms that can reproduce in water. Medium sized, they can usually be removed by filters though not all will have this capability. Can also be treated with UV and heat. E. Coli, Salmonella, Cholera.
* Viruses – these are spread through water but only reproduce in a host. They can be difficult to filter because they are Small, they are sensitive to chemical, UV and heat treatments. Hepatitis A, Norwalk, Rotavirus.
* Multi-cellular parasites – Large and can be easily filtered, can also be treated by boiling. Resistant to UV and chemicals. Hookworm and Roundworm.
Location, location, location
The primary threats in water collected from rural, relatively pristine sources are Bacteria and Protozoa, the likelihood of Viruses being present is very low.
Chlorine tablets ineffective against Giardia and crypto sporidium at cyst stage. Chlorine is more effective at higher temps.
Last edited by Frnc on Sun Dec 22, 2024 9:53 am, edited 1 time in total.
Re: What Preps are you doing this week? Part 11
GillyBee wrote: ↑Sun Dec 22, 2024 9:09 am I want to upgrade our water storage. We are on the edge of one of this week's water outages. We escaped this time but looking at Facebook queues made me realise just how hard getting hold of potable water is around here. Most of my water current stocks are OK for washing and the loo but need work to make them drinkable. I have the small water2go filter bottles but they are not so good for the continual kettle on scenario we seem to have.
So what suggestions do you have for a 4 adult household for drinking water? We don't have much storage space so stored water is likely to go into a variable temperature shed and a regular refill task will be hard work with our current health. I am wondering about a gravity filter - British Berkefeld or similar but does anyone have any better ideas?
For water from streams, water butts, etc, I recommend pre - filtering the water to remove any silt or other debris, followed by a Berkey type ceramic water heater. I believe these filters can remove nearly all bacteria and the "larger" viruses, but check this. Then use a chlorine tablet, and/or boiling. Children may not drink heavily chlorinated water, so perhaps boil theirs. It's worth checking out the source of any stream or lake to ensure there's not a chemical factory or sewage works nearby! This can be done using Ordnance Survey maps.
There's some debate as to whether water needs to be boiled for some minutes or whether just bringing up to the boil or over 90 degrees C is sufficient. In a crisis energy expenditure would need to be considered.
Using 5 or 10 litre containers is a good idea, especially if you have to carry them up steps or are elderly.
I made a Berkey type water filter using two buckets and ceramic filters. This is (or was) cheap and needs modest DIY skills.
Re: What Preps are you doing this week? Part 11
For streams, try to find where one starts on a map. Obviously not where it's been under a road or whatever, a genuine spring. They exist even in low areas and suburbs. The water should have less chance of contamination, hopefully! You can also look on a sewage map for where is is discharged.PPrep wrote: ↑Sun Dec 22, 2024 9:52 amGillyBee wrote: ↑Sun Dec 22, 2024 9:09 am I want to upgrade our water storage. We are on the edge of one of this week's water outages. We escaped this time but looking at Facebook queues made me realise just how hard getting hold of potable water is around here. Most of my water current stocks are OK for washing and the loo but need work to make them drinkable. I have the small water2go filter bottles but they are not so good for the continual kettle on scenario we seem to have.
So what suggestions do you have for a 4 adult household for drinking water? We don't have much storage space so stored water is likely to go into a variable temperature shed and a regular refill task will be hard work with our current health. I am wondering about a gravity filter - British Berkefeld or similar but does anyone have any better ideas?
For water from streams, water butts, etc, I recommend pre - filtering the water (if silt is present), followed by a Berkey type ceramic water heater. I believe these filters can remove nearly all bacteria and the "larger" viruses, but check this. Then use a chlorine tablet, and/or boiling. Children may not drink heavily chlorinated water, so perhaps boil theirs. It's worth checking out the source of any stream or lake to ensure there's not a chemical factory or sewage works nearby! This can be done using Ordnance Survey maps.
There's some debate as to whether water needs to be boiled for some minutes or whether just bringing up to the boil or over 90 degrees C is sufficient. In a crisis energy expenditure would need to be considered.
Using 5 or 10 litre containers is a good idea, especially if you have to carry them up steps or are elderly.
I made a Berkey type water filter using two buckets and ceramic filters. This is (or was) cheap and needs modest DIY skills.
https://theriverstrust.org/sewage-map
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Re: What Preps are you doing this week? Part 11
Let me out.. let me out!!!
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Avian flu housing order comes in tomorrow for our area and many more so that's another job done
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Avian flu housing order comes in tomorrow for our area and many more so that's another job done
If your roughing it, Your doing it wrong 
Lack of planning on your part doesn't make it an emergency on mine

Lack of planning on your part doesn't make it an emergency on mine
Re: What Preps are you doing this week? Part 11
I'd suggest shop bought 5L or 2L bottles and forget about the idea of refilling them. Stash them and forget them.
Graceful Degradation! Prepping's objective summed up in two words. Turning Disaster into Mild Inconvenience by the power of fore-thought
Not Feeling Optimistic. Let me be wrong
Not Feeling Optimistic. Let me be wrong
Re: What Preps are you doing this week? Part 11
That's what I do, with 2l bottles. I have about 10l of half litre bottles, because they fit in the empty space under a chest of drawers. The other thing I've started doing, I buy liquid laundry detergent in 2l bottles, the plastic is *really* thick, very strong. I rinse them out, and fill them with water, then store them at the back of a deep cupboard, I have to get on my hands and knees to reach them. They add to the protective thickness of the walls (mostly for zombies) and I can use the water for hygiene - I wouldn't drink it unless it was literally life or death, bit too soapy for me.