Water outages

[Woody girl]

I've noticed how many household water outages have happened recently. Currently there are ongoing situations in Southampton, new forest and around Epsom in Surrey. Then there was the serious Devon incident in Brixham earlier this year.
Are you prepared ? do you have any water stored? Do you have a household water filter, and which do you recommend?
I know most of us will have something like a grayl or sawyer, but that isn't realy big enough for a household consumption.
Do you think we should all have something like a Berky under the stairs for emergencies? We all make sure we have candles and battery banks etc. Do we think about water? How many gallons/litres for one person for a week, drinking, washing, washing up, toilet flushing etc.
I have a dry toilet bucket that uses sawdust and/or wood pellet kitty litter,( which I'd recommend, as it can be disposed of easily ) I have several 10 litre containers of water stored, which I replace every six months or so. I think I could cope with a short water outage , but if it went on for weeks, I'd be struggling.
Im thinking of buying something like a berky so I could use rain water or water from my local river at a pinch.
Thought exersize at the moment, but I'd like to be a bit more prepared.

 

[Tengu]

Thats a good idea.

And of course, knowing where to get it.

We have a stream just a field away....further along is a spring but I dont know how clean it is.

 

[Pattree]

Use supermarket/Costa/Service station loos where possible - Obviously for local issues.

I have several 25l plastic containers. I keep two full.

A guy with a factory under spaghetti junction was selling his empties (of deionised water). I ordered two but when I got there he only had ten left and gave me the lot.
I’d give some away if they weren’t so bulky to post.

 

[Glow_worm]

I have a home made gravity filter (two enormous stainless stockpots) fitted with a ceramic filter cartridge from Wrekin water, which lasts a year. (Actually I clean the ceramic and replace the activated charcoal, so they last indefinitely, but it's a lot of faff to modify the cartridge).

I use this daily with mains water to remove hormones, pesticides etc and could switch to filling it from the water butts if needs be, or a local stream. My consumption is minimal, I use a dry compost toilet and basic strip washes due to lack of a bathroom (serious house restoration).

So there wouldn't be any issues here. Gravity filters are great- nothing to go wrong, and you can easily stockpile enough cartridges to last you a few years.

 

[Woody girl]

I have a home made gravity filter (two enormous stainless stockpots) fitted with a ceramic filter cartridge from Wrekin water, which lasts a year. (Actually I clean the ceramic and replace the activated charcoal, so they last indefinitely, but it's a lot of faff to modify the cartridge).

I use this daily with mains water to remove hormones, pesticides etc and could switch to filling it from the water butts if needs be, or a local stream. My consumption is minimal, I use a dry compost toilet and basic strip washes due to lack of a bathroom (serious house restoration).

So there wouldn't be any issues here. Gravity filters are great- nothing to go wrong, and you can easily stockpile enough cartridges to last you a few years.

I'm thinking of a home made one too. I have one of those old village hall water heaters that already has a tap fitted, also a stockpot that just fits the top of it, but the pot is not very big, just need to find the best filters, that also fit my pocket, ie best filtration, longest lasting, not costing the earth.
How much do yours cost? How many do you have at a time in your system?

 

[Pattree]

Prompted by this post I’m thinking of stacking two 60l drums to make a rainwater collector/gravity filter connected to the roof drainage (rones?)

I might experiment with the 25L drums that I’ve got and go from there.

 

[Glow_worm]

just need to find the best filters, that also fit my pocket, ie best filtration, longest lasting, not costing the earth.
How much do yours cost? How many do you have at a time in your system?

I use these from Wrekin Water https://www.wrekinwaterfiltration.co.uk/wrekinwaterfiltration/final.asp?id=1378#scroll

They're cheaper than anything else trustworthy on the market at £48 a pair posted, made in this country and don't remove beneficial minerals from the water. They also remove flouride which many don't, not an issue for me as my mains supply is only chlorinated.

I have one fitted to my filter which drips at an adequate place for my drinking and cooking water- a larger household would need two.

Your plan sounds great, it would save a lot of money over a commercial unit. A smaller top pot just means you'll have to add a jugful whenever you're passing.

 

[British Red]

Water outages are a significant issue and one that is difficult for many people to prepare for adequately. It's not simply a matter of having adequate drinking water. Water for washing yourself, washing clothes & cooking materials, flushing toilets and much more is needed.

145 litres per person is average. Just a quarter of the norm is more than 35 litres per day. Transporting that any distance is exhausting & purifying it really hard work.

We have lived without piped water for a period. It's amazing what a time suck it is.

We have multiple, on site water sources & it's still a royal pain.

As well as filtration I would consider how you plan to move water from it's source to it's point if use. If the plan is to carry it, think again

 

[demented dale]

I had to laugh. There was a power outage here and it was off for over a week. People kept asking me if my power was back on. I didn't know what to say because I never had any in the first place. I think the thing to do if your power does go off is to have a plan B. simple preps. all else failing just go camping till it comes back on.

 

[demented dale]

I use these from Wrekin Water https://www.wrekinwaterfiltration.co.uk/wrekinwaterfiltration/final.asp?id=1378#scroll

They're cheaper than anything else trustworthy on the market at £48 a pair posted, made in this country and don't remove beneficial minerals from the water. They also remove flouride which many don't, not an issue for me as my mains supply is only chlorinated.

I have one fitted to my filter which drips at an adequate place for my drinking and cooking water- a larger household would need two.

Your plan sounds great, it would save a lot of money over a commercial unit. A smaller top pot just means you'll have to add a jugful whenever you're passing.

What have you got? is it the inline sawyer type filters ofr the metal drum one. Two different products come up when I press the link? cheers. dale x

 

[demented dale]

What have you got? is it the inline sawyer type filters ofr the metal drum one. Two different products come up when I press the link? cheers. dale x

dont worry . I worked it out x

 

[Woody girl]

Water outages are a significant issue and one that is difficult for many people to prepare for adequately. It's not simply a matter of having adequate drinking water. Water for washing yourself, washing clothes & cooking materials, flushing toilets and much more is needed.

145 litres per person is average. Just a quarter of the norm is more than 35 litres per day. Transporting that any distance is exhausting & purifying it really hard work.

We have lived without piped water for a period. It's amazing what a time suck it is.

We have multiple, on site water sources & it's still a royal pain.

As well as filtration I would consider how you plan to move water from it's source to it's point if use. If the plan is to carry it, think again

Perhaps one or two of those caravan roller water containers...no idea what they are actualy called might be useful to transport water with.?

 

[Woody girl]

I use these from Wrekin Water https://www.wrekinwaterfiltration.co.uk/wrekinwaterfiltration/final.asp?id=1378#scroll

They're cheaper than anything else trustworthy on the market at £48 a pair posted, made in this country and don't remove beneficial minerals from the water. They also remove flouride which many don't, not an issue for me as my mains supply is only chlorinated.

I have one fitted to my filter which drips at an adequate place for my drinking and cooking water- a larger household would need two.

Your plan sounds great, it would save a lot of money over a commercial unit. A smaller top pot just means you'll have to add a jugful whenever you're passing.

They look just the job, thanks. I hadn't heard of that firm before. I'll give them a ring tomorrow and see if I can order over the phone. If not I'll have to find someone to order for me. I have enough in my emergency kitty to easily afford a pack of two. So one in the filter and a spare. Perfect!

Just wondering if anyone is affected by the current ongoing situations in Surrey or Southampton, and how you are coping.

 

[Glow_worm]

@Woody girl you're welcome, I have no connection to the firm other than that I've been drinking water filtered by their gravity cartridges for at least 5 years. At that time there was some talk of fake branded filters on the market, and questions over the safety of cheap imports- a phone chat with this company quickly proved they seriously know their stuff!

I'm lucky in that the mains supply here is from a local-ish borehole into deep chalk aquifer and the only treatment is chlorine, so likely far fewer nasties than most people's mains- no flouride, chloramines, theoretially no hormones, pesticides etc. But it costs so little in money and effort to filter it I do so anyway, and it would be seamless to switch to alternative sources if the tap went dry. Without the filter I'd still be faffing about leaving a big stockpot out for 24 hours to let the chlorine evaporate anyway...

Perhaps one or two of those caravan roller water containers...no idea what they are actualy called might be useful to transport water with.?

Aqua roll or water porter... much better than carrying!

 

[British Red]

Perhaps one or two of those caravan roller water containers...no idea what they are actualy called might be useful to transport water with.?

Aquarolls - or even a sack truck & Jerry Cans

 

[Woody girl]

Or a camping trolly or kit truck like are used at festivals to get your gear from car to camping areas.
Shopping pull along with bag removed, held on with bungies.
Lots of solutions when you think about it.

 

[Nice65]

I’d go here. Sacred Well of The Virgin Mary, Byworth. An ancient healing well, apparently the water is good for eye problems. It’s about 1/4 mile away from where I live and I drink it almost daily. Still have to wear glasses though.

 

[British Red]

I’d go here. Sacred Well of The Virgin Mary, Byworth. An ancient healing well, apparently the water is good for eye problems. It’s about 1/4 mile away from where I live and I drink it almost daily. Still have to wear glasses though.

View attachment 92238

I would be very interested in a post on you getting 25 litres home from there. It's a fair schlep twice a day!

 

[MartinK9]

Camelback squadpak:

 

[Tengu]

I’d go here. Sacred Well of The Virgin Mary, Byworth. An ancient healing well, apparently the water is good for eye problems. It’s about 1/4 mile away from where I live and I drink it almost daily. Still have to wear glasses though.

View attachment 92238

Its a lovely well but haven't you clean water closer?