# Efficient water use



## mikhailfrankovich (Jun 28, 2017)

Good afternoon, all. 

I have a question regarding the efficient use of water. We have two portable Life Straws, as well as a family Life Straw that can filter up to 18,000 litres, so I am fairly comfortable with being able to obtain potable water. 

Despite this, I can envision a future in which clean water is not something to be taken for granted. So I was wondering if you have any tips as to how to efficiently use water? The one thought I had in particular had to do with cooking water. Say I use 4 liters of water to cook some food (ie pasta). What can I do with the remaining water? Would it be something that could be used for bathing or other personal hygine? Or would you reuse that water (maybe top it up with some fresh water) for another round of cooking the next day?

Any other useful water tips about how to 'reuse' water would be greatly appreciated. 

Thank you,


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## NKAWTG (Feb 14, 2017)

You could use the leftover water to water your vegetable garden.
Water your livestock, if any.
If fuel isn't an issue, you could distill the leftover water.


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## jim-henscheli (May 4, 2015)

I lived in a camper for several years, then an RV and now a boat, so reusing water is not new to me. The ways that you can reuse "ry" water are only limited by your noggin, but your noggin is limited by your mits(hands) and in this case, resources. I would spend time developing your own sustainable filter, one that tackles dirt/grease/big shitt (up to 2mm) out of your water, something that is easy to replace i.e. Sand and gravel.
This way your not limited to using "dirty" water.


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## mikhailfrankovich (Jun 28, 2017)

Thanks, Jim. 

How would you build a sustainable filter? Any recommendations?


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## Back Pack Hack (Sep 15, 2016)

NKAWTG said:


> ............. you could distill the leftover water.


Something that has been proven on the ISS. Even with urine.


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## Ragnarök (Aug 4, 2014)

mikhailfrankovich said:


> Good afternoon, all.
> 
> I have a question regarding the efficient use of water. We have two portable Life Straws, as well as a family Life Straw that can filter up to 18,000 litres, so I am fairly comfortable with being able to obtain potable water.
> 
> ...


You could make a vent on your pot lid that collects the evaporated water into a chamber that produces precipitation. You could soak the pasta before before heating it up. Soak it in an airtight container to prevent moisture loss.

If water is so scarce I have to worry about life and death I will not bathe until the next rain comes. Stock up on sanitary wipes now.


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## Stick (Sep 29, 2014)

Oboy. Garden in five gallon buckets. I actually have watermelon this year unless something gets into it. Tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce, broccoli, onions. I use about two and a half gallons of water to shower when needed, with either a Zodi hand-pumped shower and/or another one that plugs into a laptop to charge, has a pump at one end and a shower head at the other end, five gallon bucket again. That's in the winter. Get wet, shut off the water, get soapy, rinse. For a real treat, use five gallons, what the heck. Excess drains out through a pipe to the five gallon bucket garden. OK. There IS one bath tub garden, as well, but that's new this year and still experimental, though the prototype sure looks good. In summer, I use a hundred feet of black garden hose for showers. If it is too hot to shower with, as is often the case, I run off the scalding hot water and do a load of dishes, maybe rinse out some skivvies and a t shirt, until there is cool enough water to shower. Just a couple of years ago, I was still showering with a canteen cup, and hauling all my water in five gallon jugs. Just parked another hundred gallons up on the hill to run into my holding drums (four fifty gallon barrels on a pallet platform uphill for gravity feed) in the morning when it's cool. I was in town for the Independence Day parade and picnic, so hooked up the trailer and brought back some water. I'm looking for a bigger tank for that trailer, but I do so want a 1872 Open Top Navy .38.


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