Well, not really. This is an old saying that is based in reality, but has more to do with places in the world where water is more scarce. Fortunately or us in the U.S. we "generally" do not have this problem however, if you go off grid and do not have the money to drill for a well, or have access to a natural water source, this is a very real problem.
We are 100 percent off grid with no provided power, services, sewer or WATER! That means we have to either bring the water we need, or collect it in place. Even that is not necessarily the only concern once you do have it.
Carrying water. This can be a challenge and you will be limited by your vehicle size. As an example, I regularly carry 25-35 gallons in the 5Gallon water dispenser bottles or 5 gallon water containers from Amazon. This works and makes handling the water easier. Another option, if you have a truck like I do, is a larger 30 to 75 gallon container that sits in the bed of the truck. This takes up less space but introduces a new problem of needing a pump to get the water out, potentially to also get it in, depending on your circumstances.
If you are carrying potable water and are carful to not introduce bacteria or contaminants during the transfer of that water, you should be good to go. This is particularly true if you are not storing that water. Our solution involves the above and I place that water, via transfer pump, into the trailer we are currently using for housing. However, we use bottled water for drinking. The main reason for this is to be extra careful to not get sick if we had inadvertently introduced a contaminant into the tanks which is easy to do and a potential issue considering that water typically sits there for days or weeks at a time before it's completely consumed.
If you are not carrying potable water or put that water into a container not secure from contaminants you'll have to purify the water before consuming or using in any context other than a garden or as washing objects (i.e. pressure wash a trailer).
Collecting Water: I have heard that you should check local government rules around rain water collection, but that is up to you. I have a specific view of this statement but lets just assume you collect rain water in some form. This is a common, popular and most efficient way of collecting water for off grids situations. The main challenge to consider is that after collection, whether directly into secure and clean containers or from a ground pond or shallow well (yes, that is an option), you will have to purify the water before drinking or using on your body.
Purifying Water: Getting rid of contaminants from water, such as bacteria, viruses, and dangerous substances, is a crucial step. There are various ways to purify water, and the best one will depend on the exact contaminants it contains and the degree of purification that is required. Here are five popular techniques for cleaning water:
Boiling: Boiling is one of the simplest and most effective ways to purify water. It is especially useful for killing harmful microorganisms, such as bacteria and viruses. To purify water using this method, bring the water to a rolling boil for at least one minute, then let it cool before drinking.
Filtration: Filtration is another common method of purifying water. It is used to remove physical impurities, such as sediment and debris, from water. There are many different types of filters available, including activated carbon filters, ceramic filters, and reverse osmosis filters.
Chlorination: Chlorination is a method of water purification that involves adding chlorine to the water. Chlorine is a powerful disinfectant that is effective in killing a wide range of microorganisms, including bacteria and viruses. Chlorination is most commonly used in large-scale water treatment plants, but it can also be used in smaller systems.
Ultraviolet (UV) radiation: UV radiation is a highly effective method of purifying water by killing microorganisms and bacteria that are present in the water. The process works by exposing water to UV light, which disrupts the genetic material of microorganisms, making it impossible for them to reproduce and causing them to die.
Distillation: Distillation is a process in which water is heated to its boiling point, causing it to vaporize. The vapor is then condensed back into water, leaving behind impurities such as bacteria, viruses, and dissolved minerals. This method is highly effective in purifying water, but it can be costly and energy-intensive
All of these methods can be implemented for water purification for home use or for larger scale, it ultimately depends on the context and specific requirements. In emergency situation, boiling and filtration are the more common way of purifying water but if you have access to different methods and resources such as chlorination, UV radiation and distillation will be more effective in purifying water.
Storing Water: Once you have the water, you'll need a place to store it. Depending on the frequency of rain or your trips and quantity carried, the larger the storage capacity that you can maintain, the better off you'll be. Were here in North Central Texas and when it does rain, it usually rains a lot. However, we can go long stretches' (Summer) where there is little or no rain. Being able to get through those times is the main purpose of our water collection.
If you have a structure, such as a house, you will typically have enough roof space to collect a LOT of water once you set things up. In our situation, we did not have any real roof space besides the trailers (and that did provided several hundred gallons of water collection). Due to the need to have a consistent method of collecting, I built the below water shed. The main purpose is simply to provide a roof space (160 square feet) and storage containers to collect that water. We now also have a second roof about 50 feet away that will provide an additional 1020 square feet of roof to collect from (Trailer cover).This second roof is slightly elevated form this position so we can run piping to these tanks and should be able to fill them all in 1-2 moderate rain events. I'll post a completed picture of the shed soon but this is about 2/3 of the way through the project.
Whatever method you use to move, collect or store water, you will need it and a lot of it. Finally, I'll end with...in a prolonged drought, if you have stored enough water, it will be worth far more than oil! Nothing more happens on your farm, or homestead without it.
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