How are you storing or planning to store water long-term for periods where fresh water might be in short supply. Not necessary TEOTWAWKI, but something like an extended power outage, a spill into your local water supply, etc.

I've got 4 55-gallon sryup drums thanks to the local Coca Cola plant. I'll be picking up at least 2-4 more personally, as well as trying to hook up some friends w/ some. I figger that the 4 that I have now, being 220 gallons, should be at least a 1 month supply for my family of 3 (plus the dogs)

I havent really thought about it much. I have a few plastic bottles and jugs filled with tap water and a couple drops of bleach. That will not last very long I know, but its a start.

I have enough water on hand for a couple months. A pond and stream close by plus couple gallons of bleach. Could fabricate a still with items on hand in a few hours. A camp filter would be a GOOD addition for me - need to consider that.

Get my water from a well. Don't see that becoming contaminated. My generator will run the pump. Failing that, I am equipped to dip enough water from the well to survive.

City folks have it much tougher - but then, that is why I don't live in the city!!

Trust me Micky, living in the urban environ isn't my first choice. If I could find a place in the country for what I'm paying now, I'd be on that like white on rice. I grew up in the country, got married and moved to the city. It's convenient, yeah, but I liked open spaces, without effing mariachi music at all hours of the night, sirens constantly moaning in the distance, and nosey damn neighbors. Eventually I'll be making enough to afford to move back out to the stix, where we belong

Actually I use a 200 gallon water bed shock treated with chlorine. This wasn't as easy as it sounds since the bed can't be the normal polypropolene material which leaches into water but nylon material. Even then, the drinking water would be filtered.

Tj

Good idea TJ.

Yea, I'm afraid another learned the hardway. During Hurrican Alicia when I was in TX, we were without utilities for 7 days. I had a waterbed which came in real handy. Unfortunately it was polypropolene so the water tasted like a USGI canteen that the water had been in a couple years. The nylone cuts that way down.

Tj

Thats a heck of a good idea. so you put no other chemicals in besides chlorine?

It's not necessary. Once you shock the water killing all the microbial life, it's not going to come back unless you open it thus contaiminating it again.

Unlike a 55 gallon drum that loses it's oxygen content over time just setting there, a water bed gets jossled regularly when used.

BTW, I would never recommend a water bed for second floors only bottom floors with a concrete flooring. Their weight is like 8 refridgerators stacked together. Still it is an excellent water storage option for someone who lives in apartments which is where I lived during Alicia.

Also not a good idea in an apartment complex when the utilities are out to let anyone know you have a toilet that flushes.

Tj

Some of the places we have lived you would have a hard time NOT having that get out. Paper thin walls and all that.

I have a waterbed that we used to use as our spare bed in the guest bedroom before our daughter was born and we turned the room into a nursury. I will probably be putting the bed up in another room before too long, and now I have another reason to!

How much bleach do you add?