# Husband and water storage



## IowaPrepperMomma (Jan 28, 2014)

I am extremely frustrated with my husband. We are new to prepping. The last couple of days I have been trying to plan out water storage for us. My husband (who doesn't really allow me any access to our money because I don't have a job) is absolutely against storing any water. He says that we probably won't lose tap water and if we do we are very close to a river and a couple of nasty man made lakes. He would rather try to somehow access that water and purify it. Any ideas on what I can say to him to get him to change his mind? Obviously water is very important.


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## paraquack (Mar 1, 2013)

I'm making the assumption he doesn't want you spending money of storing water. You don't have to buy bottles of water. You can store your own. With a child, you are probably buying milk. Lots of people here have said you can do a real good job of washing out milk jugs and store your own home's water in them. If he is against storage in general, ask him to show you how to get the water, purify it enough to allow his child to drink it, just in case he isn't home, gets deployed or whatever.


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## tango (Apr 12, 2013)

Tell him to go get some of the river and lake water and drink it to prove it's available and safe to drink.
If he is not willing to do that, tell him you want safe water for you and your child.
Or, get a job.


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## IowaPrepperMomma (Jan 28, 2014)

Unfortunately, he is just against storing it in general. I've mentioned filling empty milk jugs with water and he's against it. I guess my biggest concern is what if there is a major drought or a severe snow storm and we can't access the water. We have at least a 1 1/2 mile walk on pretty steep hills. Carrying water up those hills would be miserable, but could be done. We can access water from gravel roads but that will be at least 5 miles.


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## HuntingHawk (Dec 16, 2012)

You could remind him of the chemical spill into the Elk River & Charleston's city water.


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## paraquack (Mar 1, 2013)

Damn, that's a good one Hunting!


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## SDF880 (Mar 28, 2013)

Sounds like he is set in his ways. You still have other options. My plan is to have plenty of water stored and to gather rain water. I keep 60 gallon bladder tanks in a box that can be quickly filled and placed anywhere they will fit in the house. I made several homemade 2 stage filters using the Birkley filter and they work great and are good up to 3000 gallons of filtration. I also have a nice supply of "Lifestraws" on hand. As for storage I recommend anything with a nice hard plastic container and not the flimsy milk jug type containers. I learned the hard way that these leak not too far down the road after storning. I mainly buy the 3 litre bottles and store them in every nook and cranny downstairs. After this latest W Va water contamination my wife liked what we have in place. Maybe try the West Virginia leak on him? Good luck


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## PaulS (Mar 11, 2013)

IowaMomma,

Locate your hot water heater. Find out if it is a 50 gallon or a 30 gallon unit. Locate the breaker for it in the electrical panel so you can shut it off. If there is a water emergency or you lose water then shut the power off and shut the water off. The water in your water heater is clean and ready to use. all you need is a short piece of garden hose to connect to the bottom drain (which has a valve on it) and use that water for meals and drinking. If it is a 30 gallon tank you have enough drinking water for ten days for three people. It is not a lot but it is better than nothing. Filling 2 liter plastic bottles of water and storing them under the bed or in the crawl space beneath your home or someplace where the "man" of the house doesn't go is another alternative. Your husband might be right in saying you will never lose tap water but if he is wrong then I'm sure he will be thankful for a wife who decided to store water just in case.


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## tango (Apr 12, 2013)

Milk jugs are not good for storing drinking water
Get a good water filter like a Berkey


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## Silverback (Jan 20, 2014)

I am going to tell you all a BIG SECRET of mine... sometimes when I go swim in the river.... I pee a little, purify that succas!


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## PaulS (Mar 11, 2013)

Tango,
I stored drinking water in milk jugs for over 7 years with 12 drops of bleach in each one. The bottles were placed an o concrete floor and atop them was a piece of 1/2 plywood and more bottles. It was a pain to rotate stock but I never had a single plastic jug fail and the water was good after two years (which was the longest I stored any water). the two liter bottles are easier to hide and easier to use than the gallon jugs but either will work as long as they are stored "cap up" in a dry, dark place.


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## paraquack (Mar 1, 2013)

How many developed leaks. I average 1 leaker out of 24 every 6 to 8 months. I started putting them in milk crates and stacked them up inside a plastic storage tub to catch the dripping water. The milk jugs are very thin and seem to degrade pretty quickly but the price is right.


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## Gunner's Mate (Aug 13, 2013)

I just did a well and a 20,000 gal underground cistern you not gonna last long without water and the bad thing is that it goes fast and takes a lot of space


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## Gunner's Mate (Aug 13, 2013)

give him a couple of 5 gal buckets and have him hump his ass down to the river and back carrying them 5 gal buckets of water see how long before that changes his attitude about storing water


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## preppersintent (Jan 26, 2014)

Ive never heard of a prepper against storing anything..and water is absolutly the one and only prep U cant go without....Also, what kind of husband keeps his wife pennyless ???,Im sorry but he isnt a real man is he?...do u want this self centered prick raising your child....take a long look in the mirror ....U may need to start prepping for a new Man.


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## Slippy (Nov 14, 2013)

IowaPrepperMomma said:


> I am extremely frustrated with my husband. We are new to prepping. The last couple of days I have been trying to plan out water storage for us. My husband (who doesn't really allow me any access to our money because I don't have a job) is absolutely against storing any water. He says that we probably won't lose tap water and if we do we are very close to a river and a couple of nasty man made lakes. He would rather try to somehow access that water and purify it. Any ideas on what I can say to him to get him to change his mind? Obviously water is very important.


IowaPrepperMomma,

You asked so I'll answer...If he doesn't allow you access to "our money", then it really isn't "our money" right? Men should cherish their wives enough (especially after having children) to not want or need them to work but that's another discussion I suppose.

Anyway, tonight get the children to bed, turn off the TV, computers, phones etc. Have a cold beer or adult beverage of choice ready for your husband and get out of your sweat pants, clean yourself up and put on some lingerie. Have a plan in writing with cost estimates etc ready to present to him. It could be for simply storing extra bottles of water for $20 bucks extra per week...

or 55 gallon drums filled with tapwater and stored in your basement for about $120 each Shelf Reliance® Deluxe BPA Free 55-gallon Barrel Water Storage System...

or a more elaborate rain catchment system for about $500 for 500 gallons. RainHarvest Systems | Rainwater Collection Systems for Harvesting Rainwater

Good luck.


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## AquaHull (Jun 10, 2012)

Silverback said:


> I am going to tell you all a BIG SECRET of mine... sometimes when I go swim in the river.... I pee a little, purify that succas!


Human Urine is safe to drink.Not pleasant by any means.


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## RockyTopPapa (Oct 22, 2013)

well that's blunt...lol


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## pheniox17 (Dec 12, 2013)

AquaHull said:


> Human Urine is safe to drink.Not pleasant by any means.


7 of the world's early antibiotic type meds are derivatives of urine

I would be more worried about the dirty bastards that have sex in the lake, or dispose of their rubbers in the lake....

other water suggestions, goto the local car wash or bowling centre, or anyone that uses water based chemicals (WATER BASED!!!!!) you can get 20 litre drums that are good to hold water for FREE!! but you have to flush super well (lots of work) and really clean them out... you will need new taps for the drum and bingo, not prefect, but 20 litres of water in a sub tropical climate will last a grown man 5 days easy (not talking survival but every day, drinking) so a handful of free drums your laughing

but you have to make sure the residue is gone, visual is easy, taste is good to (highly diluted car wash won't hurt you, taste and spit out, then rinse mouth out) and a lot of places will have old plugs and caps that are new


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## Silverback (Jan 20, 2014)

Well that escalated quickly, Money is a big divide in marriage, I am now on my 3rd (potential at this time) wife. I have made my mistakes. The first one did not work, however she was happy to buy a new dress for every sunday and spend my money on her new man at the end of the relationship. I never had a shared account again as I saw separate accounts I do not have to worry. Fair Bill split always worked since then and I never had to hide anything I spent, today I stopped by the Auto Parts store to buy a new brake booster since mine died in my baby. I had to "approve" spending my own money like this in my first marriage. 

So the only issue here is she does not work, I am sure she is staying at home to raise the kids, homeschool them? they must be very young? If so he should be more giving. If they are at school, then maybe she needs to find some part time work during the day to even the scales. I do not take sides with those that like to keep up with the Kardasians.


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## Silverback (Jan 20, 2014)

pheniox17 said:


> 7 of the world's early antibiotic type meds are derivatives of urine


My favorite part of first aid is when I get to pee on it.


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## pheniox17 (Dec 12, 2013)

Silverback said:


> My favorite part of first aid is when I get to pee on it.


lol it's just amazing that the gross things in our society are better for us than the shit the government approves in.our drinking water


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## Smokin04 (Jan 29, 2014)

OP,

Tell him you want a pool (or a hot tub). Above ground or in ground doesnt matter. With-hold intamacy until he gives in. Never under-estimate the power of the vagina. Some in ground pools can hold up to 50K gallons where as most above ground are in the 1500-3K gallon range. Either way, you can hook up purification systems that are easy and will provide the family with a replenishable supply of water. DO NOT GIVE IN UNTIL HE AGREES!!!

Just m y .02.


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## PaulS (Mar 11, 2013)

Smokin04,
Why should she punish herself? 

Open communication is always the best and appealing to his responsibility to ensure the safety of his family should work. If it doesn't then you do it and tell when it is needed. (or after his second or third trip to the river)


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## Smokin04 (Jan 29, 2014)

Punish herself? Plenty of ways to self gratify...women have higher tolerances for that which sucks. Proven fact. A lack of intimacy wouldn't be a long drawn out ordeal...I see hubby giving in fairly quickly. It would be a Win-Win for all involved.


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## pheniox17 (Dec 12, 2013)

come on guys, a noob prepper with no budget... low cost or free ideas already have me interested, a pool... jez, single income family getting a pool, add running costs, chemical treatments.. lists go on


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## Smokin04 (Jan 29, 2014)

You can buy an above ground pool from Walmart for 300 bucks. 2K gallons....just sayin. Why do I know....because my GF has one in her backyard. Very easy to filter out chlorine with just a simple sand/charcoal type filter. 2K gallons will last you a while...


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## MI.oldguy (Apr 18, 2013)

Just tell him no water for you......go get your own,5 gallons at a time!...what, at 7.5 pound per gal is it?..37.5 pounds or better.


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## StarPD45 (Nov 13, 2012)

8.34 lbs per gallon.


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## whoppo (Nov 9, 2012)

You can do without many things in bad times.... fresh water is not among them. I'm curious... if your new-to-preparedness husband doesn't wish to keep a supply of water on hand, what kind of stuff does he consider important to stock?


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## Will2 (Mar 20, 2013)

I'd just drop it. Store some for yourself then. Keep an eye out on kijiji and craigslist. Find somewhere you can store it such as in the woods, a park etc.. at a location no one will think to look as long as you arn't breaking a bylaw. You could even fill the bottom of a container with clean rocks to weight it down somewhere, lots of options if you don't store it at home. As long as you arn't spending money. To be honest you could probably easily find water bottles thrown around. None the less water bottles often contain bpa which is an estroen that increases as the plastics sit in contact with water. estrogen is fine for women but not so great for men. This is a no brainer though.. you should be able to find materials to store water on your own. However, I'm not sure about your hubby or how your relationship works so use your own judgement.


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## kevin108 (Jan 16, 2014)

tango said:


> Milk jugs are not good for storing drinking water
> Get a good water filter like a Berkey


I've heard this many times and finally put some to the test. I filled some up and left a few in the pantry and a few in the garage. I had jugs in both sets leak eventually, but it was after 2-3 years. If it's all you have access to, it's what you use! The heavier plastic orange juice jugs should be great. Even 2-liter soda bottles are okay. A few large, clear bottles like that are worth having around. Should you have to drink nasty lake water, you can use SODIS to minimize fuel consumption.



Smokin04 said:


> With-hold intamacy until he gives in.


That is a terrible suggestion and one that will just put more distance between them. A marriage isn't a concentration camp. You don't punish a person to get what you want from them. That's a good way to find herself with no job, no husband, and nowhere to live. I've been in dating relationships where women thought like that. Marriage is a far different scenario and one I've had no troubles with, as my wife and I spent years together before getting married. When I was younger, and before I met her, I thought of sex as being like food: if there's none at home, you gotta go out.

No, as others have said, open an honest communication and presentation of educated arguments should be the only plan right now.


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## PrepConsultant (Aug 28, 2012)

kevin108 said:


> I've heard this many times and finally put some to the test. I filled some up and left a few in the pantry and a few in the garage. I had jugs in both sets leak eventually, but it was after 2-3 years. If it's all you have access to, it's what you use! The heavier plastic orange juice jugs should be great. Even 2-liter soda bottles are okay. A few large, clear bottles like that are worth having around. Should you have to drink nasty lake water, you can use SODIS to minimize fuel consumption.
> 
> That is a terrible suggestion and one that will just put more distance between them. A marriage isn't a concentration camp. You don't punish a person to get what you want from them. That's a good way to find herself with no job, no husband, and nowhere to live. I've been in dating relationships where women thought like that. Marriage is a far different scenario and one I've had no troubles with, as my wife and I spent years together before getting married. When I was younger, and before I met her, I thought of sex as being like food: if there's none at home, you gotta go out.
> 
> No, as others have said, open an honest communication and presentation of educated arguments should be the only plan right now.


I had a woman tell me she was going to cut me off one time.. I said "you don't know where I'm gettin it from".. She didn't think it was funny..lol


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## rickkyw1720pf (Nov 17, 2012)

PrepConsultant said:


> I had a women tell me she was going to cut me off one time.. I said "you don't know where I'm gettin it from".. She didn't think it was funny..lol


It's funny but if a woman cuts you off act like you don't want it anyway and see how pissed they get. It's like you took away their whole arsenal unless the can cook of course.


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## Mish (Nov 5, 2013)

rickkyw1720pf said:


> It's funny but if a woman cuts you off act like you don't want it anyway and see how pissed they get. It's like you took away their whole arsenal unless the can cook of course.


That's when said girl walks around in skimpy/tight clothing eating a freeze pop...just sayin


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## GTGallop (Nov 11, 2012)

Even the government officials that populate the cubicals of our various bureaus and bureaucracies unanimously agree that 72 hours of water is not just a "good idea" but an absolute must have.

If the people at Nincompoop Central can understand the importance and all but mandate it, then what's the dealy-o with hubs? Does he have a legit objection?


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## longrider (Mar 25, 2013)

I agree with the others. Start saving water where your husband won't find it. Use milk jugs. Check them periodically for leaks and replace the leaky ones. I have had them for over 5 years and no problem. I use milk jugs, bleach & vinegar jugs as well as 2 liter pop bottles. What he doesn't know may save you all. And don't withhold sex. Sex should never be used as a tool. Never. It's a matter of respect.


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## Scotty12 (Jan 5, 2013)

As far as water we lost ours for about 2 weeks. I live in the Kanawha Valley where a lot of people were like out. I have a creek next to my house, a well, and a culvert that drains water from the hill. The tap water still smells like licorice sometimes


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## pastornator (Apr 5, 2013)

I'd suggest that your problem is not a lack of water, but rather a lack of intimacy (which does NOT mean just sex) in marraige, but what do I know, I only counsel people with troubled marriages for a living...

About the water, I'd suggest being proactive just a bit. If you have a freezer, just freeze some bottles (almost full) and use them for thermal mass -- cost effective because the more that is in a freezer the better it runs -- and then at least you will have water on hand for the day that you don't have any.

As for the trip to get it out of the lake or river, that is a viable back-up plan, but anyone who has actually carried water for a family will KNOW just how difficult it is to move water a mile and a half. Just taking care of family water needs would take one person ALL DAY making trips back and forth and it still needs to be made potable once you get it home.

Not sure what level your husband is regarding prepping of any sort, but if he is the "I'll live in the woods because I'm the toughest SOB in these parts..." I'd let him prove it for a couple of days... On the other hand, if he is totally adverse to prepping at all, it only takes one garden variety natural disaster to convince most people that SOME level of preps is a good idea and one can always build from that platform once established. But seriously, you need to work on the marriage because THAT is your greatest prep. Right now it sounds like you two would be fighting each other instead of pulling together to do what needs doing.


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## pheniox17 (Dec 12, 2013)

pastornator said:


> I'd suggest that your problem is not a lack of water, but rather a lack of intimacy (which does NOT mean just sex) in marraige, but what do I know, I only counsel people with troubled marriages for a living...
> 
> About the water, I'd suggest being proactive just a bit. If you have a freezer, just freeze some bottles (almost full) and use them for thermal mass -- cost effective because the more that is in a freezer the better it runs -- and then at least you will have water on hand for the day that you don't have any.
> 
> ...


very true, and a good assumption, well I believe the key to a preppers survival is a well balanced team, and your life partner is key to that team

I done a eBay search not long ago on water storage, you can get a 1000l storage container for less than $100aud, the US price will be cheaper, just need to pick it up, and 1000l is a lot of water (on the 2l per person per day, that's 1 person for 500 days, but depending on climate, in the tropical areas I plan 4l minimal)


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## Smokin04 (Jan 29, 2014)

Lol...

This is my hetero life mate Silent-Bob


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