[G29Reload]

Originally Posted by volsbear

That's more of what I was asking - how long can I keep the water around. So about six months?

Six months. I hear that's the recommended, sounds about right.

[RWBlue]

Originally Posted by G29Reload

I'm more concerned with refilling them every 6 months or so to keep bacteria or mold from forming, mildew, mold whatever.

Assuming you are starting out with good water and a clean container that is sealed, water can be stored forever.

There are some caveats:
Water will go flat and taste funny. It is not bad, but it tastes funny.

You should keep Chlorine around and a water purifier. That way if your water doesn't smell good or taste good.....

[DoctaGlockta]

We had 11 extra people stay over last night. Interesting exercise in food/water/toilet paper/other items consumption.

Just hygiene alone is going to be a challenge.

Too cold to be outside so everyone stayed inside. Good look at what one would have to have to take care of those people who might show up on your doorstep if the SHTF.

I've got a lot of work to do.

[Warp]

Originally Posted by G29Reload

Gallon water jugs. Building the kitchen stash first, about 20 gallons in the cupboard, then loading up a rack in the basement.

I know, I should probably load up the basement first incase something happens. But I have immediate need for minor power failures, flushing the toilets, etc.

[B]I use hosed out gallon orange juice mainly.

Piece of advice: Just don't use milk cartons.

Originally Posted by RWBlue

Assuming you are starting out with good water and a clean container that is sealed, water can be stored forever.

There are some caveats:
Water will go flat and taste funny. It is not bad, but it tastes funny.

You should keep Chlorine around and a water purifier. That way if your water doesn't smell good or taste good.....

This.

A little bit of bleach (use a medicine dropper, I forget how much to use, do a search) mixed in when you bottle it up is not a bad idea either. If you get too much chorine taste when it comes time to drink let it sit out for awhile. Also, if it tastes flat, poor it back and forth between contaienrs.

[G29Reload]

Originally Posted by Warp

Piece of advice: Just don't use milk cartons.



This.

A little bit of bleach (use a medicine dropper, I forget how much to use, do a search) mixed in when you bottle it up is not a bad idea either. If you get too much chorine taste when it comes time to drink let it sit out for awhile. Also, if it tastes flat, poor it back and forth between contaienrs.

Yep and yep.

I have nothing against using the 2L soda bottles either.

Not only sloshing from container to container, but I can also run it thru one of the pitcher filters I have.

Not a single one of the problems listed is a downside in comparison to filthy, unhygenic water from any of a number of sources you could end up forced to use. Mandatory boiling type of sources.

[Warp]

2L soda bottles work very well.

[Cajunmudman]

Planted the following in my greenhouse:
20 Better Boys
28 Bell Peppers
17 Zuchchini

Gonna be a good spring.

[G29Reload]

Gotta be LA. It's too cold up here, even for a green house!

[crimsonaudio]

Built a 30A pigtail set for the generator, insulated the garage door.

[G29Reload]

Completely rearranged the pantry, rotated stocks, pulled out some past due for immediate use, audited for my next shopping run.

Have been building the pantry with increasing seriousness and duration for more than two years now.

Recall first doing it when there was talk of a worldwide rice shortage with famine cropping up in SE Asia and parts of Africa, but fortunately it stopped there, a couple years back. Price of rice did go up, especially the good jasmine rice, but I found 40lbs of it at good prices and have been keeping that level for awhile.

Now approaching a year at over 1100 calories per day. Coronal mass ejections and EMP attacks be damned. The rest of the world will starve but I will be hanging out.

[Cajunmudman]

Originally Posted by G29Reload

Gotta be LA. It's too cold up here, even for a green house!

Debated if I even needed one.
Our problem is that if you plant too early you will get hit by a late frost. But, by May, we have 90 degree days and tomatoes shut down.
It can be tricky, so, in the greenhouse they go.

[wrenrj1]

Originally Posted by Warp

2L soda bottles work very well.

If nothing else, keeping 2L bottles of water are good for non-potable water uses, i.e. flushing the toilet for several days. No need to rotate if that is the identified use.

[Warp]

Originally Posted by wrenrj1

If nothing else, keeping 2L bottles of water are good for non-potable water uses, i.e. flushing the toilet for several days. No need to rotate if that is the identified use.

I personally do not keep any non-potable water. I do not currently have any intention to do so either.

I know of no reason not to have 2L bottles of drinking water.

And as mentioned previously water does not have to be rotated. I havn't rotated mine for over a year. I really don't feel like doing it either, so I probably won't.

[G29Reload]

Agreed...if I'm going thru all the trouble to store water, it better be
potable.

[M1A Shooter]

i am setting up rain barrels on my garage. that will be my non-potable water source for flushing toilets and watering the garden.

[ML Roak]

looking at putting in a 150 or 200 gallon tank in the basement with a booster pump, part of a plan to increase water pressure to the rest of the house, but also keeps a couple hundred gallons of fresh water handy (+ a 50 gal water heater). Looking seriously at a cistern as well. Picked-up some more canned goods & a couple cases of bottled water, ordered a few books from amazon, and almost have my AR back into fighting shape. (the free-float handguard unscrewed while shooting, putting in a lock screw to prevent that from EVER happening again.) Wife thinks I'm nuts, but she has thought that before

[G29Reload]

does anyone make a rain barrel with an overflow that goes into a downspout?

If I'm not paying attention, I don't want an rainbarrel overflowing and hitting my foundation.

[jdavionic]

I haven't done preps this week. Instead, I've been using them this week. Been snowed / iced in for 2 days now and it looks like it could possibly be the end of the week before we get back to normal.

Before the storm, I was running usual errands and folks were frantically looking for ice melt, milk, etc. I bought a bunch of ice melt some time ago. We have plenty of food. I was at Home Depot before the storm and it was insane. The guy asked if I needed help and I told him 'no, just looking for some wood to build a bird house'. He laughed hysterically and said 'you must be the only one here that is not in a panic'. I just thought the wood would be nice for a little project in case I got bored.

I also bought paint from Sherwin Williams so I could do some odd jobs around the house.

No preps, but sitting comfortably at home.

Warp...you holding up well? I believe you live in my neck of the woods.

[G29Reload]

Snow is inbound here, but not a lot. I am so prepped I don't even have to go out.

Great feeling!

[jdavionic]

Originally Posted by G29Reload

Great feeling!

It really is a great feeling. The people that frequent the S&P are well aware that preps go well beyond a stockpile of ammo & guns. It includes the idea that you could endure a wide variety of scenarios for some time or indefinitely (depending upon how well you've done) without relying on someone to come to your rescue.

Many years ago, we went through an ice storm where we lost power for days. We had to stay in one room for the most part (room with the fireplace), but we were fine. Just spent time mostly playing with the kids to keep them entertained.

[volsbear]

Originally Posted by jdavionic

It really is a great feeling. The people that frequent the S&P are well aware that preps go well beyond a stockpile of ammo & guns. It includes the idea that you could endure a wide variety of scenarios for some time or indefinitely (depending upon how well you've done) without relying on someone to come to your rescue.

Many years ago, we went through an ice storm where we lost power for days. We had to stay in one room for the most part (room with the fireplace), but we were fine. Just spent time mostly playing with the kids to keep them entertained.

When you think about it, preparing to be "snowed-in" for a few days takes very little. A couple of loafs of bread, some soup, a protein source, maintaining power to the core components of the house, some entertainment, water, a heat source - that's it. When peopel run around in a panic, you know they've done NOTHING.

S&P fanatics aside - I honestly believe that even an average household should be able to endure a five-day snow-in. That's not asking a lot.

[G29Reload]

Originally Posted by volsbear

an average household should be able to endure a five-day snow-in. That's not asking a lot.

Key word there. Most can't last 3, I'll bet.

I've actually gone out pre-snow for entertainment purposes. Nver needed more than a few ffresh veggies, but grab a cart and stroll the aisles. the LOOK in people's eyes! I'd snicker out loud if it wasn't so sad, really.

[Warp]

Originally Posted by volsbear

When you think about it, preparing to be "snowed-in" for a few days takes very little. A couple of loafs of bread, some soup, a protein source, maintaining power to the core components of the house, some entertainment, water, a heat source - that's it. When peopel run around in a panic, you know they've done NOTHING.

S&P fanatics aside - I honestly believe that even an average household should be able to endure a five-day snow-in. That's not asking a lot.

5 days of snow-in, with functional utilities, shouldn't take anything you don't already have...preppr or not.

Even without utilities it takes a few days to reall be an issue. Back in northern Indiana in 1998 we went 6.5 days without power. Late in day 3 we got our hands on a generator. It would have been pretty cold inside by day 4 if not for that, but otherwise it was fine.

[Mack Donald]

..when storing water..

..why do I never see anyone here mention..

..hmmm..

..5 gallon water containers..

..ya know..

..like the..

ahem

drinking water companies do????????????????????????????

[Warp]

Originally Posted by Mack Donald

..when storing water..

..why do I never see anyone here mention..

..hmmm..

..5 gallon water containers..

..ya know..

..like the..

ahem

drinking water companies do????????????????????????????

Where do you get your 5 gallon containers?