# My current water prep is… What’s yours?



## AntiObama (May 13, 2013)

In my basement I have three 55 gal water barrels "w/check valves" in line with my hot water tank inlet. Water flows through all three barrels before reaching my hot water tank. In the event the water goes out I will have the three barrels plus the 75 gals in the hot water tank. This equals 240 gallons. This project started as one 55 gal barrel filled with water. Call me a lazy prepper, but empting and refilling this barrel every three to six months wasn't something I wanted to do. I have posted a diagram pic. I'm curious as to what everyone else is doing. I'm always open to a better way.








```

```


----------



## Ripon (Dec 22, 2012)

Study your rainfall. You should be able to google your average rain fall and determine how many gallons you can score off the roof of your home, and then find a simple way to collect it, treat it and filter it. Most of us, even OK I would assume, get enough rainfall on our homes each year to keep us going. I just got a 275 gallon tote that I'd use after filtration and treatment for long term storage. That would cover us 6 months and we never go 6 full months without some rain here in CA.


----------



## paraquack (Mar 1, 2013)

Very interesting design. Whats the normal water pressure you have in the system? City or private well? My plan is to relocate to Tucson , AZ this year, and they don't get a whole lot of rain.


----------



## AntiObama (May 13, 2013)

Ripon said:


> Study your rainfall. You should be able to google your average rain fall and determine how many gallons you can score off the roof of your home, and then find a simple way to collect it, treat it and filter it. Most of us, even OK I would assume, get enough rainfall on our homes each year to keep us going. I just got a 275 gallon tote that I'd use after filtration and treatment for long term storage. That would cover us 6 months and we never go 6 full months without some rain here in CA.


I always thought of rain as being a long term solution to a long term problem. I think I would build the rain collection system when the time came to need a "long term" solution. With this design you have fresh water immediately without filtration. However.. I would have to build something for rain collection soon after the SHTF because my current stock of water would last my family of 6 plus 2 dogs about 1 and ½ months "give or take". Oklahoma can easily go 6 months with little to no rain.


----------



## AntiObama (May 13, 2013)

paraquack said:


> Very interesting design. Whats the normal water pressure you have in the system? City or private well? My plan is to relocate to Tucson , AZ this year, and they don't get a whole lot of rain.


My hot water pressure did drop a little bit after this went online. Not enough to not do it though. I've dealt with a leak hear and there, but overall it has worked very well.
On a side note&#8230; If you're planning a move.. Why would you choose a place that will be filled with 0bama zombies when the SHTF?


----------



## PaulS (Mar 11, 2013)

AntiObama said:


> My hot water pressure did drop a little bit after this went online. Not enough to not do it though. I've dealt with a leak hear and there, but overall it has worked very well.
> *On a side note&#8230; If you're planning a move.. Why would you choose a place that will be filled with 0bama zombies when the SHTF?*


Target practice!


----------



## HuntingHawk (Dec 16, 2012)

Rain collection & storeage system should be a priority of any prepper. Its free water once you get it set up. Mine is only screened for debris going into the barrels. Most of mine goes to plants. But I do have a set up with a ceramic filter to clean up the water for human use. There is also to filter it threw cloth & boil it.
My storeage is 440 gallons & can't even use all the water I catch.


----------



## grinder37 (Mar 1, 2013)

I keep 4 55g water storage barrels that I do flush and fill every 6 months,but I really like the idea of your inline setup.Great thinking and thanks for giving me my next project to do.:lol:

However to answer the original question,for our water supply we also have a 4 55g barrel rain collection setup (not for drinking unless we need to,just for washing,hygene,watering the garden etc.).Plus a berkey water filter with four sets of replacement filters.

We also have a stream that runs through our property,which is fed by the nearby city's reservoir,as well as an artesian spring about 3 miles away in the woods with a honda recon and garden trailer that holds two large coolers to make collection easy and even do-able if the quad isn't running.

The stream would also just be for washing,bathing,etc. for fear of contamination of what folks 4 miles upstream are dumping into it.But if needed,we would prefilter strain it,filter it,then boil it before use for drinking/cooking.The spring is excellent drinking water that i've seen flowing in the dryest of times.


----------



## AntiObama (May 13, 2013)

This is the "average" rainfall for my current location. Does this seem like enough for 6 people plus 2 dogs? Like I said&#8230;. I always planed to build something to catch rain when it looked like I would have to. Maybe I should stop procrastinating. It would give me more time to shoot zombies when the SHTF.

Rain(Inches)
January 1.3

February 1.9

March 3.3

April 3.1

May 4.5

June 3.5

July 2.3

August 2.4

September 3.1

October 3.3

November 1.8

December 1.1



HuntingHawk said:


> Rain collection & storeage system should be a priority of any prepper. Its free water once you get it set up. Mine is only screened for debris going into the barrels. Most of mine goes to plants. But I do have a set up with a ceramic filter to clean up the water for human use. There is also to filter it threw cloth & boil it.
> My storeage is 440 gallons & can't even use all the water I catch.


----------



## AntiObama (May 13, 2013)

Glad to share grinder... It sounds like you're set pretty well for water. That's Awesome!!



grinder37 said:


> I keep 4 55g water storage barrels that I do flush and fill every 6 months,but I really like the idea of your inline setup.Great thinking and thanks for giving me my next project to do.:lol:
> 
> However to answer the original question,for our water supply we also have a 4 55g barrel rain collection setup (not for drinking unless we need to,just for washing,hygene,watering the garden etc.).Plus a berkey water filter with four sets of replacement filters.
> 
> ...


----------



## Ripon (Dec 22, 2012)

You can do a google search and find out how many gallons you get in runoff with each inch of rain and square foot of roof space. It's kind of shocking actually. I suspect you won't be able to store it all if you have a sizable roof. Just remember roof lines are nasty, bird crap and all. Lots of filtration and treatment are needed.



AntiObama said:


> This is the "average" rainfall for my current location. Does this seem like enough for 6 people plus 2 dogs? Like I said&#8230;. I always planed to build something to catch rain when it looked like I would have to. Maybe I should stop procrastinating. It would give me more time to shoot zombies when the SHTF.
> 
> Rain(Inches)
> January 1.3
> ...


----------



## Ripon (Dec 22, 2012)

You can do a google search and find out how many gallons you get in runoff with each inch of rain and square foot of roof space. It's kind of shocking actually. I suspect you won't be able to store it all if you have a sizable roof. Just remember roof lines are nasty, bird crap and all. Lots of filtration and treatment are needed.

Btw I believe 1 inch and a 1000 sq foot roof is over 600 gallons. 
runoff calculation



AntiObama said:


> This is the "average" rainfall for my current location. Does this seem like enough for 6 people plus 2 dogs? Like I said&#8230;. I always planed to build something to catch rain when it looked like I would have to. Maybe I should stop procrastinating. It would give me more time to shoot zombies when the SHTF.
> 
> Rain(Inches)
> January 1.3
> ...


----------



## HuntingHawk (Dec 16, 2012)

You average 31.6" of rain per year. Now add up all the square footage of roofs.

Yes, the formula is 0.6gal on one square foot from 1" of rain.

People have always survived on islands from rain catch & storeage systems.


----------



## AntiObama (May 13, 2013)

Thanks guys!! Great info.


----------



## budgetprepp-n (Apr 7, 2013)

AntiObama said:


> In my basement I have three 55 gal water barrels "w/check valves" in line with my hot water tank inlet. Water flows through all three barrels before reaching my hot water tank. In the event the water goes out I will have the three barrels plus the 75 gals in the hot water tank. This equals 240 gallons. This project started as one 55 gal barrel filled with water. Call me a lazy prepper, but empting and refilling this barrel every three to six months wasn't something I wanted to do. I have posted a diagram pic. I'm curious as to what everyone else is doing. I'm always open to a better way.
> 
> View attachment 1986
> 
> ...


 That is a great idea,,, Was there a hillbilly involved in this design?


----------



## HuntingHawk (Dec 16, 2012)

You will also need to estimate your useage. With enough roof space & storeage it can be done. With six people useage will add up & sometimes you might have to go to a conservation mode. But you can figure about 60 gallons per day for everyone to take a shower. But conservation mode using 1 gal to wet down & 2 gal to rinse. And you can expect doing atleast one load of laundry per day which is 40 gallons.
Now you are at 100 gallons & haven't even cooked, done dishes, or watered animals or plants.

I estimated 224gal from the roof I collect off of. So I decided reasonable was being able to store twice that. My storeage is 440 gallons but its just me and a few dogs (4 legged). Plus some plants & fruit trees.

My guess would be your normal use would be atleast 200 gallons per day. Figure rain maybe every two weeks that would be 14X200=2800 gallons minimum you want to be able to store.


----------



## AntiObama (May 13, 2013)

Lol...



budgetprepp-n said:


> that is a great idea,,, was there a hillbilly involved in this design?


----------



## Inor (Mar 22, 2013)

AntiObama said:


> In my basement I have three 55 gal water barrels "w/check valves" in line with my hot water tank inlet. Water flows through all three barrels before reaching my hot water tank. In the event the water goes out I will have the three barrels plus the 75 gals in the hot water tank. This equals 240 gallons. This project started as one 55 gal barrel filled with water. Call me a lazy prepper, but empting and refilling this barrel every three to six months wasn't something I wanted to do. I have posted a diagram pic. I'm curious as to what everyone else is doing. I'm always open to a better way.
> 
> View attachment 1986
> 
> ...


That is cool! If I had the space in my utility room I would do it, not because we need it, but just because it is a neat idea! Where we live having too little water is usually not the issue. Sometimes having too much...


----------



## grinder37 (Mar 1, 2013)

AntiObama said:


> Glad to share grinder... It sounds like you're set pretty well for water. That's Awesome!!


Yes,we are very fortunate for our water supplies.But putting the tanks in line with the h20 tank was simply genius!I believe alcohol may have played a roll in the planning of this.lol.No more flushing and will keep the water at peak freshness all the time?My house is plumbed in 3/4" and 1/2" pvc now,so tapping these tanks in will be a breeze.I was an HVAC tech,I have buckets of pvc fittings and piping as well as pallets to set them on and will change my setup tomorrow.Ideas like this are the main reasons I read on this forum.Thank you.


----------



## AntiObama (May 13, 2013)

grinder37 said:


> Yes,we are very fortunate for our water supplies.But putting the tanks in line with the h20 tank was simply genius!I believe alcohol may have played a roll in the planning of this.lol.No more flushing and will keep the water at peak freshness all the time?My house is plumbed in 3/4" and 1/2" pvc now,so tapping these tanks in will be a breeze.I was an HVAC tech,I have buckets of pvc fittings and piping as well as pallets to set them on and will change my setup tomorrow.Ideas like this are the main reasons I read on this forum.Thank you.


That's awesome brother. We'll talk about my vodka stash later... lol


----------



## 5Runner (Jan 1, 2013)

I like your idea.


----------



## PrepperDogs (May 12, 2013)

Even though we live on water, we still have 20 cases of bottled water stored. In addition we can purify 170 gallons per day. More water than we'll ever need but it will be good for bartering and such.


----------



## Blackcat (Nov 12, 2012)

All our water comes from the ground here... Dugouts and wells. No need to find water just dig a hole anywhere and there you go. Needs some boiling but its been tested and were told its safe to drink. Right now we drink and cook with town water in 20 gallon jugs. But I cant think of any reason to store water in our area. It would have to be something pretty drastic to eliminate the ground water out here.


----------



## rickkyw1720pf (Nov 17, 2012)

AntiObama said:


> In my basement I have three 55 gal water barrels "w/check valves" in line with my hot water tank inlet. Water flows through all three barrels before reaching my hot water tank. In the event the water goes out I will have the three barrels plus the 75 gals in the hot water tank. This equals 240 gallons. This project started as one 55 gal barrel filled with water. Call me a lazy prepper, but empting and refilling this barrel every three to six months wasn't something I wanted to do. I have posted a diagram pic. I'm curious as to what everyone else is doing. I'm always open to a better way.
> 
> View attachment 1986
> 
> ...


 I must be missing something in your design, most city water is between 50 to 70 PSI and I wouldn't think a 55 gal drum could hold up to that pressure.


----------



## paraquack (Mar 1, 2013)

I wondered the same thing. I've seen a guy try to pressurize a 55 drum of hydraulic oil to force it out a hose without having to do any work and it blew out a weak spot (or he really over pressurized it) on the top seam. Oil all over the place. At $6 a gallon, what a waste.

The idea sounds very interesting but the best plastic drum only stands up to maybe 5 PSI.


----------

