# Should I rely on a creek?



## CoffeePot (Nov 9, 2018)

Hey guys, So I live in the middle of nowhere, and there is a creek that runs by my house. There are no other houses behind this creek, so there's no way that I can think of for the water to be polluted by microorganisms that wish to kill me. I've drank from this creek for years and never had a problem. that being said. Are there any other reasons to get those big water cans and stock up a few weeks worth of water? Maybe nuclear fallout, but that's all that comes too mind. Thanks in advance.


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## Yavanna (Aug 27, 2018)

CoffeePot said:


> Hey guys, So I live in the middle of nowhere, and there is a creek that runs by my house. There are no other houses behind this creek, so there's no way that I can think of for the water to be polluted by microorganisms that wish to kill me. I've drank from this creek for years and never had a problem. that being said. Are there any other reasons to get those big water cans and stock up a few weeks worth of water? Maybe nuclear fallout, but that's all that comes too mind. Thanks in advance.


Can you send this water to a lab and have it tested? 
I lived many years in the country as a child, and we always drank water from a small river. We had some small diameter pipes coming right from the source of the river, where the water is the cleanest.


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## Camel923 (Aug 13, 2014)

It does not hurt to have some stored inside if for what ever reason you can not temporarily access you creek. Say a raiding party has your access under rifle fire. May not be as huge a concern with a great source of freash water but nothing wrong with contingency planing.


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## Denton (Sep 18, 2012)

Cryptosporidium is always a concern but if the point of origin is known to you and there aren't any critters lke beavers relieving themselves in it, why not use it?

Being the paranoid type, I'd run the water through a Pro Pur to make sure. Bad times don't need the added misery of getting a bad case of the runs that would lead to dehydration.


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## ekim (Dec 28, 2012)

CoffeePot said:


> Hey guys, So I live in the middle of nowhere, and there is a creek that runs by my house. There are no other houses behind this creek, so there's no way that I can think of for the water to be polluted by microorganisms that wish to kill me. I've drank from this creek for years and never had a problem. that being said. Are there any other reasons to get those big water cans and stock up a few weeks worth of water? Maybe nuclear fallout, but that's all that comes too mind. Thanks in advance.


Isn't a creek/river a meeting place for all animals to gather and graze and go to pee, poop and wash all there dirt and crap off their bodies? I'd want to filter it a little first, especially if it's a long term deal.


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## WhatTheHeck (Aug 1, 2018)

I have a running brook about a quarter mile from my house. 

According to my towns by-laws, no livestock are allowed within 300 feet of any running body of water that transits from ones property to another's property.

You are always at the mercy of those upstream of you.

As others have pointed out, wildlife tend to do their business where ever they so choose. Town by-laws or not. 

I too have drank out of this brook in the past with no issues. Same with the dogs and I have gotten water for the livestock out of that same brook. I used five gallon buckets. 
Long term, I would use a gravity filter.


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## Lowtechredneck (May 7, 2018)

City people lol. If it is clear and has movement, I wouldn't be afraid of it. If there are any doubts, filters, purification tablets, or good ol' fashioned boiling should take care of it.


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## Illini Warrior (Jan 24, 2015)

CoffeePot said:


> Hey guys, So I live in the middle of nowhere, and there is a creek that runs by my house. There are no other houses behind this creek, so there's no way that I can think of for the water to be polluted by microorganisms that wish to kill me. I've drank from this creek for years and never had a problem. that being said. Are there any other reasons to get those big water cans and stock up a few weeks worth of water? Maybe nuclear fallout, but that's all that comes too mind. Thanks in advance.


I don't know about your area of the country - but the farmland across the state can be considered exactly the same as you describe >>>> because all the town treatment plants discharging into them are all highly regulated and operating ... if the grid goes down and the backup generators run out of fuel - the only recourse is to bypass and start dumping raw sewage - otherwise it'll just overflow eventually .... if the SHTF is bad enough I wouldn't be counting on those treatment plants for nothing ....

it'll be same for the rivers that the creeks flow into - more garbage & sewer joining already contaminated waterways ....

if you got some local lake - good chance that could also be compromised - water is going to draw the sheeple refugees like flies - with no field sanitation experience and little common sense ... you can expect to be plenty of hobo camping around the water sources - not exactly the situation for a regular water supply run .....


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## WhatTheHeck (Aug 1, 2018)

Lowtechredneck said:


> City people lol. If it is clear and has movement, I wouldn't be afraid of it. If there are any doubts, filters, purification tablets, or good ol' fashioned boiling should take care of it.


I was out hunting for rabbits a few years ago. Found a duck egg in the brook. I believe that is the same breed pair I see every year. They occasionally drop by our pond.


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## Elvis (Jun 22, 2018)

I grew up and for many years as an adult backpacking and drinking out of the creeks and streams, never got sick. But a friend got giardia on a hiking trip, nasty stuff. A niece got a kidney infection after a week long camping trip and the doc thinks it came from the water.

Now days I usually sterilize creek water before drinking unless I'm taking it from right where it comes out of the ground. That giardia is nasty stuff and lasts for over a month.


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## Lowtechredneck (May 7, 2018)

If I were going to have to drink from a source like that as a regular thing, I would be set up to boil it and then store it.


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## BookWorm (Jul 8, 2018)

Nothing wrong with getting a few 5-gallon jugs to store some water in, and have a filter system in place to use it when ready. Maybe rotate them out every 6 months.


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## Lunatic Wrench (May 13, 2018)

Starving out your enemy is a tactic as old as war, but cutting them off from their water is much much quicker.


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## CoffeePot (Nov 9, 2018)

Illini Warrior said:


> I don't know about your area of the country - but the farmland across the state can be considered exactly the same as you describe >>>> because all the town treatment plants discharging into them are all highly regulated and operating ... if the grid goes down and the backup generators run out of fuel - the only recourse is to bypass and start dumping raw sewage - otherwise it'll just overflow eventually .... if the SHTF is bad enough I wouldn't be counting on those treatment plants for nothing ....
> 
> it'll be same for the rivers that the creeks flow into - more garbage & sewer joining already contaminated waterways ....
> 
> if you got some local lake - good chance that could also be compromised - water is going to draw the sheeple refugees like flies - with no field sanitation experience and little common sense ... you can expect to be plenty of hobo camping around the water sources - not exactly the situation for a regular water supply run .....


The spring head to the creek I'm on is actually on my property so there's little chance of contamination short of maybe a corps rotting in the creek bed. Though it may be cheap insurance to run a hydraulic ram pump to a tank, then run the water from a tank to a filter.


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## Smitty901 (Nov 16, 2012)

SHTF sanitation goes down hill and down stream fast. Surface water should be a last resort.


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## Back Pack Hack (Sep 15, 2016)

Lowtechredneck said:


> If I were going to have to drink from a source like that as a regular thing, I would be set up to boil it and then store it.


While boiling does work, it's very fuel-intensive. Pasteurization, done properly, will accomplish the same thing with much less energy requirements.


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## Yavanna (Aug 27, 2018)

Smitty901 said:


> SHTF sanitation goes down hill and down stream fast. Surface water should be a last resort.


he could still use this water for things like flushing the toilets, and spare precious potable water for drinking. I think that having a tank could be useful.


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## Lowtechredneck (May 7, 2018)

Back Pack Hack said:


> While boiling does work, it's very fuel-intensive. Pasteurization, done properly, will accomplish the same thing with much less energy requirements.


That may be, but I know how my ancestors survived. And I know many elderly who talked about surviving the Depression and WWII, although they are dying out now. Those who did not have access to a well would get water wherever they could find it and boil it. Usually all they had was a pot and a wood stove, but it got the job done.


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## Back Pack Hack (Sep 15, 2016)

Lowtechredneck said:


> That may be, but I know how my ancestors survived. And I know many elderly who talked about surviving the Depression and WWII, although they are dying out now. Those who did not have access to a well would get water wherever they could find it and boil it. Usually all they had was a pot and a wood stove, but it got the job done.


That's because they didn't know about pasteurization. They knew what worked and stayed with it. But today, we know better, and as intelligent human beings we use our knowledge to our advantage. If we can create potable water with 1/3 the fuel our ancestors needed, there's no reason not to.


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## Mad Trapper (Feb 12, 2014)

CoffeePot said:


> The spring head to the creek I'm on is actually on my property so there's little chance of contamination short of maybe a corps rotting in the creek bed. Though it may be cheap insurance to run a hydraulic ram pump to a tank, then run the water from a tank to a filter.


Build a cistren at the spring head; that will be pure spring water. If that is above your home run an underground line to your house. Otherwise think about a hand pump w/underground line.

Don't drink creek water unless you have to. Various animals/birds, poop/pee/die in it.


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## Elvis (Jun 22, 2018)

Back Pack Hack said:


> That's because they didn't know about pasteurization. They knew what worked and stayed with it. But today, we know better, and as intelligent human beings we use our knowledge to our advantage. If we can create potable water with 1/3 the fuel our ancestors needed, there's no reason not to.


So how do you pasteurize something? What is required?


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## StratMaster (Dec 26, 2017)

Elvis said:


> So how do you pasteurize something? What is required?


Heat to sufficient temps to kill pathogens, then cool again before use






.


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## Back Pack Hack (Sep 15, 2016)

Elvis said:


> So how do you pasteurize something? What is required?


Heat it to the point pathogens are killed. Usually, 160°F is sufficient for most of the nasty critters we're concerned about.

Look into a simple device called a WAPI (WAter Pasteurization Indicator). I use the Sunflair.


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## 23897 (Apr 18, 2017)

Back Pack Hack said:


> Heat it to the point pathogens are killed. Usually, 160°F is sufficient for most of the nasty critters we're concerned about.
> 
> Look into a simple device called a WAPI (WAter Pasteurization Indicator). I use the Sunflair.


Wow. Just looked these up US$9.99
To get one sent to the UK? $61.53!!!

Ouch

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Smitty901 (Nov 16, 2012)

Lowtechredneck said:


> That may be, but I know how my ancestors survived. And I know many elderly who talked about surviving the Depression and WWII, although they are dying out now. Those who did not have access to a well would get water wherever they could find it and boil it. Usually all they had was a pot and a wood stove, but it got the job done.


 As did ours. The area was no where near as populated. Even if you do see them they are effecting you. They dug well asap.


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## Lowtechredneck (May 7, 2018)

You are all entitled to your opinions, and I am certainly not against pasteurizing, but people in the past did it because it worked. They were not stupid, and they saw no reason to reinvent the wheel. I see no need to either.


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## Back Pack Hack (Sep 15, 2016)

Lowtechredneck said:


> You are all entitled to your opinions, and I am certainly not against pasteurizing, but people in the past did it because it worked. They were not stupid, and they saw no reason to reinvent the wheel. I see no need to either.


Nobody said boiling doesn't work. And if you have an unlimited supply of fuel then boil away! But for the rest of us who prefer to be frugal with our energy reserves, we'll be plenty happy with pasteurized water as it will be just as potable as boiled.


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## Mad Trapper (Feb 12, 2014)

Pastuerization is mainly for foodstuffs (milk pickles etc...).

I would not rely on it to kill all water borne pathogens. In particular organisims that form spores and cysts. Better than nothing but I'll still boil.

Some things even boiling won't kill, that's pressure cooker territory.


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## RJAMES (Dec 23, 2016)

There are no natural water sources that are 100% safe. You should filter the water or boil/ solar still to disinfect. Old mining sites, oil gas, factories up stream? 

Settlers moving into the Rockies in the 1700's got sick why is the water better today? 

You cannot save enough water for a nuclear fall out.


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## txmarine6531 (Nov 18, 2015)

If you have to, clear plastic or glass containers and the sun. UV light kills a lot, not all though.


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## Smitty901 (Nov 16, 2012)

txmarine6531 said:


> If you have to, clear plastic or glass containers and the sun. UV light kills a lot, not all though.
> 
> View attachment 92037


 Lot of truth and science behind that, but must be done right long enough . Pasteurizing saved a lot of people from getting sick on milk.


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## Ragnarök (Aug 4, 2014)

CoffeePot said:


> Hey guys, So I live in the middle of nowhere, and there is a creek that runs by my house. There are no other houses behind this creek, so there's no way that I can think of for the water to be polluted by microorganisms that wish to kill me. I've drank from this creek for years and never had a problem. that being said. Are there any other reasons to get those big water cans and stock up a few weeks worth of water? Maybe nuclear fallout, but that's all that comes too mind. Thanks in advance.


What feeds the creek?

Can the creek dry up?

How far are your closest neighbors? How many neighbors do you have 3 miles away and in?

There are lots of reasons why you should filter your water even if it doesn't makes you sick for years...all it takes is one bad luck to meet the ferry man.

I wouldn't put all my eggs in one basket.


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## Caribou (Nov 11, 2018)

Here is what I would do, YMMV. I'd build myself a spring house with a substantial sump. Next, I'd burry a waterline, to the house, below the frost line. Now you have fresh water that the critters can't foul and the perfect place to store dairy, meat, and other stuff that would benefit from refrigeration. You would also have a place to go and sit in the summer heat.

I'd camouflage it and keep my mouth shut just for OPSEC. It should be perfect to drink, coming for a spring, but I'd get it tested while everything is normal just to cover all my bases. A Berkey or a Katadyn filter is also a good idea but not necessary depending on the test results. If I had the elevation I'd go with a gravity system, otherwise a solar panel and a small pump.

Some distance from the spring house, and along the stream bed, I think about digging a pond. If it was deep enough it could be a swimming pool and you could raise fish. This would also provide water to fight a fire, water stock and gardens, and it would attract game. 

I'd also set up a cistern at the house fed by both the spring and a roof catchment system. The roof catchment will provide excellent water and a decoy explanation for your water source.

You really have the ideal situation.


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## Annie (Dec 5, 2015)

That's my plan after whart I have stored is gone, and I have no choice. There are several streams around here. Boil it and put it through the Berkey Filter and hope for the best.

Berkey Water Filters can remove:

Fluoride - over 99.9%.
Viruses - over 99.9%.
Pathogenic Bacteria - over 99.9%.
Lead - over 99.9%.
Arsenic - over 99.9%.
Iron - over 99.9%.
Mercury - over 99.9%.
Chlorine - over 99.9%.
Trihalomethane(THMs) - over 99.8%.
Bisphenol-A - over 99.9%.
Chloramines - over 99.9%. 
Pharmaceuticals - over 99.5%. 
Petroleum Contaminants - over 99.9%. 
MCHM - over 99.9%. 
Pesticides - over 99.9%.
Heavy Metals - over 99.1%.
Coliform and e-Coli - over 99.9%.
Atrazine - over 99.9%.
Uranium - over 97.0%.
Gross Alpha emitters - over 98.7%.
https://theberkey.com/


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## CoffeePot (Nov 9, 2018)

Annie said:


> That's my plan after whart I have stored is gone, and I have no choice. There are several streams around here. Boil it and put it through the Berkey Filter and hope for the best.
> 
> Berkey Water Filters can remove:
> 
> ...


But do they remove the chemicals in the water that turn the frogs gay?


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## 23897 (Apr 18, 2017)

CoffeePot said:


> But do they remove the chemicals in the water that turn the frogs gay?


Ribbet?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Annie (Dec 5, 2015)

CoffeePot said:


> But do they remove the chemicals in the water that turn the frogs gay?


All the stuff they put in birth control pills that ends up contaminating our water supply might be messing with not just frogs, but some men these days. Just a theory.


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## Maine-Marine (Mar 7, 2014)

one dead deer, raccoon, human, cow, horse, or car wreck, upstream will ruin your week...


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## Annie (Dec 5, 2015)

Because it saves so much water, I've come to the conclusion that storing paper goods (paper plates and bowls) is as important as food storage. It's shocking how much I use just to clean the dishes.

ETA: If things go really far downhill it might be a good idea to take the cleaning water that gets used, collect it in dish tubs and recycle through boiling and filtering.


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## Back Pack Hack (Sep 15, 2016)

Annie said:


> .........ETA: If things go really far downhill it might be a good idea to take the cleaning water that gets used, collect it in dish tubs and recycle through boiling and filtering.


Or use it for watering the garden.


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## Caribou (Nov 11, 2018)

Ragnarök said:


> What feeds the creek?
> 
> Can the creek dry up?
> 
> ...


He said that the creek is fed by a spring on his property. That greatly diminishes the upstream threat, especially if he builds a spring house.

If you can't afford a Berkey or a Katadyn filter then buy the replacement element, a spigot, and two 5 gallon buckets. Put the spigot in one bucket near the bottom and put the lid on. Put the other bucket on top of the first and drill a 1/2" hole through the bottom middle of the upper bucket and the lid of the lower bucket. Mount your filter inside the upper bucket with the gasket next to the filter and the retaining nut on the lower side of the lid.


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## Annie (Dec 5, 2015)

Another option if water becomes scarce is to sterilise cooking equipment in a sun oven just to be safe.


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## Smitty901 (Nov 16, 2012)

We have some old threads on this subject around some where. Sand point wells. If you live in an area where the water table is not real deep and the ground is not full of large stone a sand point well is an option. A sand point well is not necessarily legal in many places any more but SHTF who cares. It basically a point pipe not a real dig diameter that is drive in the ground often by hand as you go down you add sections. Then it can be hand pumped or small pump used. I would never advise anyone to break the law.
There are those that put sand points in and hidden then for a day when they may be needed. It is something anyone concerned about water should have knowledge of.


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## Back Pack Hack (Sep 15, 2016)

Smitty901 said:


> We have some old threads on this subject around some where. Sand point wells. If you live in an area where the water table is not real deep and the ground is not full of large stone a sand point well is an option. A sand point well is not necessarily legal in many places any more but SHTF who cares. It basically a point pipe not a real dig diameter that is drive in the ground often by hand as you go down you add sections. Then it can be hand pumped or small pump used. I would never advise anyone to break the law.
> There are those that put sand points in and hidden then for a day when they may be needed. It is something anyone concerned about water should have knowledge of.


Good advice. I'll add the following: If you're capable of driving your own sand point, you can easily store extra pipe so you can drive the well head further down if the water table drops.


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## Smitty901 (Nov 16, 2012)

Back Pack Hack said:


> Good advice. I'll add the following: If you're capable of driving your own sand point, you can easily store extra pipe so you can drive the well head further down if the water table drops.


 I have heard that some may drive the pipe then cap it and bury it for use at another time .


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## Lowtechredneck (May 7, 2018)

A word of caution about shallow wells: In areas with a lot of oil wells, usually the shallowest water becomes contaminated. In this area you can hit water at ~20', but it is pure sulfur. Now 50' is clear as a bell. It is a good idea to find out those details before your life depends on it.


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