When the water goes out

Posted by AskMrScience@reddit | preppers | View on Reddit | 33 comments

Dealing with an extended water outage is challenging. I live in earthquake country, so this is very likely due to broken water mains. I also live in a small apartment, which means I have to make strategic choices.

So let's talk water!

Problem: You can cook, but then you have to clean the pots and pans with your limited potable water. Ideas:

Cook in aluminum foil packets to reduce dish-washing
Use disposable plates, cups, and utensils
Collapsible buckets let you set up a water conserving 3-bucket cleaning station: soapy water > rinse water > water with bleach (one example)

Problem: Holding a big volume of water when you live in a small space in an urban environment.

Bathtub liners (e.g. waterBOB) that (a) make your bathtub water-tight so it doesn't slowly leak, and (b) keep the water potable by preventing it from mixing with your bathtub's soap scum.
Does your apartment complex or neighborhood have a swimming pool? That's free water to bucket-flush your toilets! (And to bathe in, if it's not overly contaminated.)

Problem: Pasta, rice, and freeze-dried foods all require a lot of potable water to cook. Ideas:

Don't just stock crackers, granola bars, and jerky. Canned soups, pasta sauce, fruits, and veggies all have a lot of water content.

Problem: Staying clean. Ideas:

Baby wipes are overrated. Substitute rinse-free body wipes, intended as a shower-alternative after surgery when you can't get your stitches wet.
Dry shampoo
Hand sanitizer
Lysol wipes

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TheLostExpedition@reddit

We use a Berkey water filter and it holds a few gallons. When the water goes out or we have boil warnings we just switch to unscented wipes for cleanliness and we use less dishes when the water is out. Example: We make something convenient like tacos and serve them on a steel platter and use 1 or 2 cast iron skillets for cooking.

We also keep bottles of water in the pantry and usually a few larger gallons. We also have access to a stream and ground water is 3ft down in most places.

Cleaning cast iron can be done with paper, salt, Oil, and heat. It doesn't require water. For things that do we usually fill a 2.5 gal bucket with some hot water and soap. And a rinse bucket with more water. Towel dry and its golden. Bonus points if you have a dog or teenage son to lick the plates clean first. It makes it easier to clean.

The toilets are relegated to only flushing #2. We use bottled water if we don't have any other options for flushing. One time we used Fiji water to flush our toilets and it left the bowl smelling like flowers. It was during the 2020-2021 implosion. We had a lot of Fiji water then. Whenever my wife needs cheering up I ask her. "But who has flushed there toilets with Fiji water? " the water was gotten for basically free with coupons.

Other options are to collect rain water. Rain water is very dirty and needs filtering. All the smog and particulates comes down in the rain.

Boiling water is always a good idea. Especially if you aren't sure of the quality of it.

Places to find clean water. The toilet tank on the back if its never had any cleaners in it. Its as safe as tap water, still boiling it wouldn't hurt.

Its ok to be a little dirty so long as you are hydrated, we are talking about a limited water shortage. Brush your hair instead of washing it if you don't have the water, prioritize life over comfort.

austin06@reddit

In western nc and dealing with this now. Things we’ll add to the above now and in the future.

install at least one rain water collection barrel for non potable water for flushing. We have a stream close by and one person with a pool who has donated his water for this but it’s interesting how available potable water is now and nonpotable is not.
maybe add a small tub. We took all out for large walk in showers but may rethink that for water.
fill the six 5 gallon water containers I just ordered at any sign of a storm besides the two gallon water dispensers that have lasted awhile.
wash all laundry and sheets. Take showers beforehand.
run one or two dehumidifiers if climate is wetter. Our one dehumidifier that drains to the outside produces a good gallon a day in in nonpotable. I’ll add another to garage for more.
have shower wipes and all over deodorant sticks on hand. Spray bottles as well. I have long hair and can wash and rinse using one small water bottle of water over a basin and collect. It’s doable.
if you have to wash pans a small amount of water boiled works well - boil, pour in, swish, use non scented wipes, wipe with damp paper towel. Best to use disposable everything as much as possible though.
consider a well.

We’re looking at a few more weeks potentially of no water here in avl.

StageSevere2947@reddit

This is why I have a well and a river on my property. I still store fresh water regardless, because a well and a river are pretty much useless in a large flood, but still. If you can get out of a city and move rural, do so if you can now.

Olefaithfull@reddit

The EPA did a toxic spill in the Elk River a few years ago that affected my water table.

So despite a well, pond, and creek, having a few hundred gallons of safe water carried me through.

That sucks. I'm lucky that my river starts not too far up stream from mountain springs, so I don't have to worry about that for now.

The point is all of us are vulnerable. Complacency is just as lethal as normalcy bias.

And it was the friggin’ E P A !!

Yes agreed. I know my water can change overnight to undrinkable. I still have 5 gallon jugs stored and numerous ways to filter. I need to get a hand pump for my well, though.

Good start.

Consider

https://www.surewatertanks.com/?srsltid=AfmBOoqnhPqvenNAQbqSLNZvH1-0My5N0kEyfOYRW8XKN6gc0lUliwho

so you are totally prepared.

How long does it take a toxin to leach through the water table?

Safe_Designer2263@reddit

I live in a marina in California and purchased a desalinization filter that turns sea water into drinking water. I figure I can use my stored water for drinking and cooking, and use the filtered sea water for bathing and cleaning, as I'm a little concerned about chemicals in the sea water from boats and pollution that might not filter out. I also keep a range of life straw filters on hand in case of a prolonged situation.

https://www.quenchsea.world/products/quench-sea?variant=39687646707874&currency=USD&utm_medium=product_sync&utm_source=google&utm_content=sag_organic&utm_campaign=sag_organic&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjw9p24BhB_EiwA8ID5BoWLt_uH2cDvqAvw5VV2Z9ek8DIEgO8xhE1r3F8UOIZF_hiKgmYh7BoCZfwQAvD_BwE

transitional_path@reddit

You have 50 gallons of tap water in your hot water tank that is probably a little gross, but can be made drinkable.

If you drain the first few gallons to let out sediment, you can get some better water out. Have to open the hot sink tap to let air in for it to drain.

Try to filter sediment out of the water or let it settle.

Then, you must disinfect with water tablets or pure bleach with no fabric protection or anything else in it. 16 drops per gallon. Stir well, let sit for one hour.

If you can boil it for one minute, that's easier to disinfect.

If you can filter the sediment first using bottles and cloth, or whatever, and then even better, if you can post-filter with a Brita filter or other water filter, it will taste better.

Basically taking the tap water that is in there and cleaning it up. You must disinfect it or risk legionnaires which will make you puke and poop, the number one cause of death during emergencies, dehydration. The original problem.

This is the first time I have heard someone advise turning off cold water valve leading to hot water tank to prevent inflow of contaminated water. Thank you! I never thought about this.

Individual_Run8841@reddit

Canned Soup’s and Canned Stew‘s are good to have, they are easily to bolster with adding a Can or half a Can of Corned Beef…

Poppins101@reddit

Great ideas!

We have a Water Bob tub liner for potable water. If you do not have a bath you can put it in a large Agriculture oval metal tank (such as the ones used for raised gardens. We have used it twice now and we drain it and hang line dry it out.

Unscented generic baby wipes are great and far less expensive than the medical grade post surgery wipes.

User_225846@reddit

You can boil things without wasting the boil water by putting the food in a plastic baggie, and put the whole thing into the boiling water. Like rice and some water in a ziploc, thrown into a pot of boiling water. Reuse the boil water.

Adorable_Dust3799@reddit

Part of my prep is low sodium broth

Traditional-Leader54@reddit

Microwave rice and pasta packets are good to stock a few of as well.

AskMrScience@reddit (OP)

Good suggestion! Any specific brand recommendations?

-zero-below-@reddit

Costco sells boxes of microwave sticky rice in single serving sizes. We do them for quick snacks with our kid. I suspect they’d be edible cold too, but haven’t tried.

RootsRockRebel66@reddit

These noodles are really good and about $3 for a pack of (2) 320 calorie pouches. Add some chicken and veg from the freezer and a little teriyaki sauce and you got yourself a meal, no water required!

I always go with Ben’s Original for the microwave rice. The microwave pasta I have is Wegmans store brand.

ommnian@reddit

That's why we have a hand pump. It's not as convenient as running water, but it's FAR better than nothing!!!

PawsomeFarms@reddit

Until something happens that contaminates the water source.

Chemical spill, sewage break, ect...

matchstick64@reddit

Bathing: We do "burns." (Burning Man regional events) we’ve used sprayers you get in the garden section of Home Depot for this. Doc Bronners & this sprayer work well enough. I do still keep large wipes.

Cookware Cleaning: I have precooked several meal I don’t mind eating cold at burns. This would work for climate events that are coming in a few days. I also just watched a couple who live in an RV who have spray bottles of soapy water & another one to rinse.

foxtrot90210@reddit

Any tips on a hand pump? I’ve never used one

Mountain-Froyo-3565@reddit

i clean the pans with sand [ scraped off the top 1/4 inch from a sunny spot ] it cleans well and is mainly sterile due to all the UV rays it gets, then rinse out with water and done

OdesDominator800@reddit

We're next to a lake right down the road, sit on "the hill," and have a well with solar power. If we get flooded, there is no Houston, nor any adjacent cities. If the ocean rose up like they say, we'd be an island as would most of North America and Mexico. Gotta love the elites buying up shoreline mansions all the while spouting the world's gonna flooded and burn to the ground. We also have a hot tub and several horse troughs.

Nemo_Shadows@reddit

With or without electricity, paper plates and bowls work well for cooking some things in a microwave.

SOUP however is NOT recommended in paper bowls; they may say microwave safe but don't hold up to hot water at all and soups are basically hot water.

Open fire or gas use cast iron just wipe out no need for water and paper towels or clothe to wipe it out work great in a pinch, pre-heat cast-iron to kill most bacteria prior to use.

N. S

Install septic backflow device.

Other-Ad3086@reddit

My friend in NC where the water processing plants were wiped out goes to a nearby creek to get water to flush her toilets. Not great but works for her.

darobk@reddit

A bathtub tank is great - as long as you have heads up of the earthquake and fill it up with clean water before hand.

Toilet tanks have at least 1 gallon of fresh water (some arent so fresh..)

Hot water tanks can be tapped in a pinch

you should Have a few gallons in a central closet, rotate them every so often

MrHmuriy@reddit

Remembering the beginning of our war, when we had no tap water, we used foil rolls (usually used for roasting meat in the oven) to cover the plates and save water needed for washing them. We roasted the meat in a gas oven in a roasting bag, and then threw them in the trash. Unfortunately, we still had to wash the pots, but on the first day we managed to collect enough tap water - a whole bathtub, about 10 five-liter plastic water bottles and about 20 plastic 2.4-liter beer bottles - this was enough for a month. To flush the toilet, I had to go to the river every day and collect a bucket of water there. In addition, I had a Katadyn Pocket Filter, which I managed to buy on the first day, fortunately I almost never used it. But its presence was reassuring, since I knew that in any case we would not be left without drinking water.

burningbun@reddit

get water filters..lifestraw and sawyer for portability you can filter rain water. wont filter chemicals and salt.

dont expect well water if you live in the cities.

torturedDaisy@reddit

Thank you!