water storage, for folks in the burbs

fieldgrade

fieldgrade

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The suburbs, that is.

Haven’t seen water storage discussed in a while. If it has been please point me to it, otherwise let’s discuss.

I used to have a walk-out basement in my last house and kept about 100 gallons of drinking water I rotated every six months on a rack I built for two food grade barrels, but we moved, and I don’t have that kind of storage space now.

I’m looking at options in the way of filtering water if I can’t store much of it. Looking at Berkey filters.

The CDC, yes, our friends at .gov, recommend a gallon per person, per day. So for me and the wife that would be 60 gallons for a month. To multiply that for my two kid’s households within 30 minutes of me (one in an apartment with SO, and the other in a single family home with a toddler), I’m looking at over 200 gallons to store, or filter, if I can find a source, for just a month.

CDC says to store at 50-70 degrees. My garage faces west, so aside from the 50 gallons in the water heater, that’s out for a storage space. Gets too hot in there for six-eight months a year.

Thoughts and ideas?
 
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I have a half dozen of these, but at 7 gallons they are right heavy, even if you stack them only two high, the bottom one will eventually crimp in one or two places on top, and leak a little. And six of them is just 42 gallons.

1704232585321.png
 
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NCLivingBrit said:
That's a lot of mass for that little bit of wood....
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I stored it like that for a year before we moved. I think @DangerRuss has that set up now. Maybe he can report the longer term viability.

I calculate it to be around 400lbs per barrel.

Look at the top pic and notice how the uprights are notched, so the crossmembers carrying the load aren’t dependent on the strength of the screws.
 
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fieldgrade said:
I stored it like that for a year before we moved. I think @DangerRuss has that set up now. Maybe he can report the longer term viability.

I calculate it to be around 400lbs per barrel.
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I always vastly underestimate material strength so you're likely right. I just remember the last time I had to move a full 55 gallon drum lol
 
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NCLivingBrit said:
I always vastly underestimate material strength so you're likely right. I just remember the last time I had to move a full 55 gallon drum lol
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Just washing them out, out on the patio every six months with a just few a few gallons in them was very awkward. I think if I had kept them I would have just drained and refilled with city tap water every six months, and added a few of drops of bleach per barrel.
 
fieldgrade said:
Just washing them out, out on the patio every six months with a just few a few gallons in them was very awkward. I think if I had kept them I would have just drained and refilled with city tap water every six months, and added a few of drops of bleach per barrel.
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That was always my plan if I ever had somewhere good to store something like this.
 
There was ( maybe still is) a thing called a Water Bob. It was a bladder that was meant to be put in your bath tub and filled with drinking water. Kind of geared towards hurricane or snow prep- warning that it coming and fill it up when stuff still working. After it is over, it is meant to be tossed.

Found it https://waterbob.com/
 
Berkey's are awesome!

If you have a metal roof you could do the rain collection thing. Metal roof runoff is treatable. Asphalt shingle runoff is not. But algae can become an issue in the rain barrels. How many community ponds you got close by?
 
mj1angier said:
There was ( maybe still is) a thing called a Water Bob. It was a bladder that was meant to be put in your bath tub and filled with drinking water. Kind of geared towards hurricane or snow prep- warning that it coming and fill it up when stuff still working. After it is over, it is meant to be tossed.

Found it https://waterbob.com/
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My BIL just sent me this. He’s going to put a couple in the truck for RVing. He’s got a big camper. Sturdier than the tub bladders.
Amazon product ASIN B009MU64Y0I’ve got some of those tub bladders you mentioned. Almost forgot about them.
chiefjason said:
Berkey's are awesome!

If you have a metal roof you could do the rain collection thing. Metal roof runoff is treatable. Asphalt shingle runoff is not. But algae can become an issue in the rain barrels. How many community ponds you got close by?
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We’ve got three good sized ponds/small lakes not far. Not ours, but in an emergency...
One is on golf course property and the other on American Legion property.

I think I’m going to a get a Big Berkey. The two filter model.
 
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fieldgrade said:
I think I’m going to a get a Big Berkey. The two filter model.
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They have a seconds area on their website. But finding the official website can be frustrating with everyone and their brother selling those things. Mine came with a very small dent in the lid. Who cares. I know I didn't for the price. So let me save you the hassle and grab the site off my email.

myberkey.com

Blemished Systems

gg
myberkey.com myberkey.com

Start with the 2 filters. But if it gets a lot of use going to 4 filters makes it run a lot faster. And you want to clean the filters about every 4-6 months. It lets them filter faster and increases life span. And ALWAYS prime the filter before installing. Otherwise they don't filter nearly as fast. The priming kit is worth it. Lots of YouTube vids on how to take care of them.
 
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Government at its finest...

We have a berkey lite and run 4 filters in it. Our well has lots of minerals and iron so we clean them frequently; every 2 weeks or so. (When the water flow rate slows)

We bought an extra set of filters at the same time. Ran it with 2 filters for 6 months or so; when daughter's family moved in for a while we went to 4.

Keep the filters clean; we used a set of 4 for several years.
 
WellCC said:
8.34 lbs per gallon X 55 gallons = 458.7 lbs + weight of the barrel
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Can’t fill it to the top the way I had them on their side, so I figured about 400
 
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@fieldgrade check out this thread: https://carolinafirearmsforum.com/i...lorine-and-how-to-make-it-safe-post-shtf.236/

I have some 55 gallon drums designed for long term water storage that I bought off the former member, TRCubed that I use. Yes, size and weight are a consideration. We picked up 5lbs of 99% chlorine (I forget the chemical name, but it is certified as “approved” for water purification) which should sanitize half a million gallons. The barrels are black, food grade, and have a spigot and side pipe plumbed in so that you can tell the water level.
 
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I have a big berkey. @Lil D bought it for me a few years ago. I need to start watching their site again for sales and get me a handful of filter replacements for it
 
I found a Royal Berkey, the 3.25 gallon model, and ordered the priming kit with it. One of two left at Amazon.
 
Burt Gummer said:
I have a big berkey. @Lil D bought it for me a few years ago. I need to start watching their site again for sales and get me a handful of filter replacements for it
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You can sign up for alerts of specific products.
 
fieldgrade said:
You can sign up for alerts of specific products.
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Amazon has knock off berkey filters for a LOT less. Even if they lasted half as long, you’d still save money
 
fieldgrade said:
I stored it like that for a year before we moved. I think @DangerRuss has that set up now. Maybe he can report the longer term viability.
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No issues here. It’s a static load (not moving around) and no problem holding that weight. Stored in the basement, so no issues with deterioration of the wood.
Thanks again @fieldgrade !
 
DangerRuss said:
No issues here. It’s a static load (not moving around) and no problem holding that weight. Stored in the basement, so no issues with deterioration of the wood.
Thanks again @fieldgrade !
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I’m glad it’s getting use!
 
chiefjason said:
Berkey's are awesome!

If you have a metal roof you could do the rain collection thing. Metal roof runoff is treatable. Asphalt shingle runoff is not. But algae can become an issue in the rain barrels. How many community ponds you got close by?
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Do you have any literature on the asphalt shingle not being good to collect? I've never heard that before.
 
Bsd0323 said:
Do you have any literature on the asphalt shingle not being good to collect? I've never heard that before.
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It’s the potential for them to leach chemicals into the water that might not get filtered out. Keep in mind filtration is limited in what it can remove.

Just a quick search tends to point out that it’s a crap shoot based on whether your particular shingles leach or not.

I water my garden with it and have no worries on that. I would certainly use it as grey water to flush toilets. It would need to be a last resort for me to drink it. And I’m not one to be terribly scared of water borne stuff, just smart about it. I’ve drank untreated from streams on occasion under the right circumstances. But keep in mind what ends up in the gutter off an asphalt roof. The water is pulling stuff off, and out of those shingles.

greywateraction.org

One question - Greywater Action

EBMUD states on its website regarding the use of rainwater harvested from a roof covered with asp...
greywateraction.org greywateraction.org
 
Bsd0323 said:
Do you have any literature on the asphalt shingle not being good to collect? I've never heard that before.
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Google it. I just did and there’s not much good to say about water off an asphalt shingle roof.
 
I have a closet with a stash of these that I refill and rotate. I also try to keep at least a few cases of bottled water around at all times. I need a big filter too, gotta add that.

www.waterbrick.org

World’s Best Potable Water Storage Containers | WaterBricks Saves Lives

At WaterBrick, we provide a revolutionary system for people in need of bulk water, food, and other life essentials. Shop the #1 Stackable Water Container.
www.waterbrick.org www.waterbrick.org
 
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noway2 said:
@fieldgrade check out this thread: https://carolinafirearmsforum.com/i...lorine-and-how-to-make-it-safe-post-shtf.236/

I have some 55 gallon drums designed for long term water storage that I bought off the former member, TRCubed that I use. Yes, size and weight are a consideration. We picked up 5lbs of 99% chlorine (I forget the chemical name, but it is certified as “approved” for water purification) which should sanitize half a million gallons. The barrels are black, food grade, and have a spigot and side pipe plumbed in so that you can tell the water level.
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I followed that experiment. As I recall he was able to keep water under the house in those containers a long time without rotation, and without perceivable ill effects.
 
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phideux said:
In an emergency situation it is more than enough to keep you hydrated. We're not talking bathing, cleaning, hand washing, anything, just drinking.
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Leaves out cooking. But this thread is about water storage in the Suburbs, not in emergency situations!

By the way, in NC a 2,000 square foot rooftop can gather an average of nearly 4,000 gallons of rainwater each month. The biggest challenge is storage capacity.
 
MacEntyre said:
But this thread is about water storage in the Suburbs, not in emergency situations!
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I was only thinking about emergencies. Sorry if I didn’t include that in the post. Edit: It is however posted in the “survival and prep” section of the forum.

I don’t think I would be thinking about water storage in the suburbs since we are on city/municipal water, except for the concern of an outage. I’ve got to start somewhere. Keeping the family hydrated is a start.

I’ve lived in seven different “burbs” in six different Carolina towns since I left home in ‘76 and they all had municipal water. Only one had a well inside the city limits from the early 60’s and it was grandfathered. I don’t think I could get a permit to sink a well here if I wanted to.
 
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get a swimming pool for the wife.
if people are using chlorine and pool shock to clean up drinking water, might as well have 15 or 20k gallons of it sitting around.
It's not ideal, but also not so bad if it comes to that.
 
Just use plastic bags. If they work for gas, they are extra good for H2O.

Just check for holes. Then you won’t have to double bag like the lady in the video.

 
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