Water collection options

[bigpaul]

no problems here, any sediment drops to the bottom of the first water butt, we dont use the stuff in the bottom, the top half is clear, that sets syphoned off into other water butts which are clear of any sediment, I'd be quite happy to drink that now but would filter and boil it first, at the moment I am only using it for growing my food plants but post collapse this would change.

[Pete Grey]

Managed to get on site at last.

Yes any water that does not come out of a tap is suspect and always needs treating and filtering.

While we need to collect and store more rain water (if we do get some rain) we could also do with more potable water storage to backup the jerrycans (hence sealed containers), will give it more thought.......

[Straight Shooter]

Pete in another thread MB made a water filter system ....a bit off topic but maybe on use in conjunction with your water collection ....no matter where of how you get the collection and how you store it .......you will need to filter it .

[Pete Grey]

Yes any rainwater or water that has been in long storage needs filtering and treating.

We have a berkefield filter (kept in the camper), spare filters and two brewing buckets. Also sand, gravel, plastic bin and pipe fittings all ready to set up a slow sand filter. We also have oasis tablets, thin bleach and charcoal to filter out the taste of chlorine.

We have 8 x 20 litre jerrycans of potable water so we do need more, hence sealed containers. We have 3 x 200 litre waterbutts, while these are for the garden they have always been our emergency backup, but with this drought and the likelihood of a hosepipe ban we need more.

At the moment I’m thinking I can squeeze 2 or 3 food grade tubs in the shed, 120 or 150 litres each (with lids) for potable water, don’t need taps as we have a 12v submersible pump (caravan type) or we can use a syphon. For rainwater a couple extra waterbutts or drums as a permanent addition, and a pool as reserve.

[Skean Dhude]

I've always worked on the assumption that any kit I have like the Berkelfield is for transition from where we are at the start to a longer term solution. eventually the filters will be useless. To this end I've build a much larger sand filter for long term use. May as well set it up and get it going now.

[Straight Shooter]

When I rerouted the spring water a few years back , I set a heavy duty plastic drum in the ground ready to act as a long term filter .....the filter drum fits inside this drum......I have gravel,charcoal and sand ready for the filter drum ....the outlet pipe is in place , but I intend to set in another collection drum a bit lower down and use that for manual easy access well .

[Mortblanc]

Everyone should also look at the technology of the slow sand filter as SD was referencing.

They take no special equipment, just the knowledge of how to build one, and they take over after the commercial filters have degraded.

Living alone with very light filtering necessary, my commercial filters will last me until I die! 10 years or more. Even a simple Sawyer Squeeze with filter 100,000 gallons! Unless you are filtering your bath water that should last a few years, not a few days.

[Pete Grey]

We have everything ready to set up the sand filter but will wait until we need it. With a life measured in years it’s a essential for preppers bugging in.

For anyone bugging out a Sawyer or a Life-straw are ideal.

[Mortblanc]

You are still going to need an instant filtering system to use until the slow sand filter activates its bacteria culture and starts working.

If you use it before it activates it is useless and there is only one way to find out. Better to give it plenty of time to percolate before use.

Best to count on a commercial filter for a couple of weeks after filling the slow sand filter with its first water.

[Straight Shooter]

With the current heatwave here in the U.K. and crops failing for lack of water , hosepipes are about to be set in place , reservoirs are low .......my spring still runs at a good rate ....it always has in forty odd years plus ( for now ) but it could change ....there are no guarantees only consequences .