Water usage with illness.

[Tartar Horde]

In my experience water quality is the major cause of disease in many parts of the World, and you would be amazed at how many people do not understand the most basic requirements of water safety.

[bigpaul]

all water, unless it comes from the mains, needs to be treated, no exceptions.

[Pete Grey]

(9 December 2019, 14:28)bigpaul Wrote: The average UK roof collects 300 water butts of water annually , that's 12,000 gallons of water, how much water do you think you need?

The original point of this thread was that we underestimate our water requirements, and fail to take into account all aspects of an event, in this case sickness.

Maybe something simple like flu or severe like cholera or typhoid, that were prevalent in victorian times, or even something from abroad like ebola.

The normal perception of one gallon per person per day would go by the board, two gallon a day is more realistic, even that would be a hardship. Allow at least twice or three times that with patient care, extra hand washing, patient washing, sick room cleaning etc.

We have 30 gallons in jerrycans and 120 gallons in three waterbutts, you can bet if an event did occur it would be during a drought and the waterbutts would have been used on the vegetables in the raised beds.

30 gallons of potable water, gone in a week ?

By this time there is no bottled water available, shops are empty even if you dare go out. TPTB brought a bowser into the next street but that only lasted a few days.

So what then ? do you risk carrying jerrycans from a local pool or stream, you’ve got bleach and sterilising tablets but are there chemical pollutants in the water ?

I’ll leave you to sort out an answer, (MB said we’re all going to die ?)

[bigpaul]

in a mild wet climate like Devon water isn't really an issue.

[Tartar Horde]

(10 December 2019, 20:43)Pete Grey Wrote:

(9 December 2019, 14:28)bigpaul Wrote: The average UK roof collects 300 water butts of water annually , that's 12,000 gallons of water, how much water do you think you need?

The original point of this thread was that we underestimate our water requirements, and fail to take into account all aspects of an event, in this case sickness.

Maybe something simple like flu or severe like cholera or typhoid, that were prevalent in victorian times, or even something from abroad like ebola.

The normal perception of one gallon per person per day would go by the board, two gallon a day is more realistic, even that would be a hardship. Allow at least twice or three times that with patient care, extra hand washing, patient washing, sick room cleaning etc.

We have 30 gallons in jerrycans and 120 gallons in three waterbutts, you can bet if an event did occur it would be during a drought and the waterbutts would have been used on the vegetables in the raised beds.

30 gallons of potable water, gone in a week ?

By this time there is no bottled water available, shops are empty even if you dare go out. TPTB brought a bowser into the next street but that only lasted a few days.

So what then ? do you risk carrying jerrycans from a local pool or stream, you’ve got bleach and sterilising tablets but are there chemical pollutants in the water ?

I’ll leave you to sort out an answer, (MB said we’re all going to die ?)

If it gets to the point where the mains water goes off and stays off we are in the doodoo big time.

[Pete Grey]

(11 December 2019, 14:02)Tartar Horde Wrote: If it gets to the point where the mains water goes off and stays off we are in the doodoo big time.

This is why we plan and prep for worst case scenarios.

[bigpaul]

(11 December 2019, 14:02)Tartar Horde Wrote: If it gets to the point where the mains water goes off and stays off we are in the doodoo big time.

that is defeatist sheeple talk.
water shouldn't be a problem in a mild climate like the UK.

[Lightspeed]

As said previously, having rivers streams, roofs etc. is one thing, but the task of transporting it is a huge one.

I'd not be wanting to transport water from the local pond in sufficient quantity to keep the household supplied. That's when I'm fit. If sick it would be almost impossible.

This is where dry run testing comes in useful, it identifies the issues and consumption rates that were previously unplanned.

[Pete Grey]

Transportation now would be easy, we have a garden cart which will carry 150kg, 2 or 3 jerrycans no problem. However as you say calculate your consumption and work out your needs, but neglect your stocks at your peril.

[Ajax]

In some parts of Ireland in 2020 they didn't bother to get the combine out. I live next door to Devon and our wheat crops were just above knee high at harvest and that was on heavy clay soils. I hate to think what other parts of the country managed. Plus we have not been self-sufficient in term of food for decades.
It all looks peachy.