I admire your spending such time and energy setting up these contraptions and then teaching readers in such detail how to set them up themselves, without sacrificing your sense of reality about what might happen if the water supply does become apocalyptically low.
I’d be interested to hear your take on prepping for those who live in mid to large cities where apartment buildings are the norm instead of houses and where most people live (that’s not at all to imply that suburban prepping is of limited usefulness). It’s daunting, to say the least, for us urbanians.
Jessica, an idea occurred to me as I replied to Pat Browne's comment to your Post. One way to kill bacteria is with ultraviolet light. I think you have solved the problem, but I thought I'd mention it. You can see the story in my reply to Pat. Of course, it takes electrical power to generate UV light. We get some from the Sun, but maybe not enough.
Also, glass and water both absorb UV light, so a sample has to be hit hard. A benchmark we used to use was that one microscope slide would block 25% of incoming UV from a "black light."
I started on your journey in 2003 after hearing from water officials that SoCal was in dire straits if in the event of our American aquaduct destruction (most likely from earthquake).
Here we would have to store over 20K gallon per person due to our very short winter rain season of only a couple of months. Your own capacity would go dry in a week with human use, let alone my critters. too. Now I could ameliorate using the distillate from the air conditioner, but that is not a predictable source and used much too quickly again.
I'm a follower of the Su-Johnson belief there is a microbe chemical 'factory' capable of breaking down every chemical and sequestering every metal out there. Hopefully they are all in my backyard soil.
So I compensate with a mostly IBC (and a single 2,500 g tank) 11K g system to support the 3.5k g aquaponic where a baseline of uneaten plants and fish act as my sponge, leaving water that can be simply filtered and cooked in a solar cooking device.
I'm a little too infirm and restricted on $ to do more.
Pat, I can't comment on how your water filtration system works, but regarding microbes, here is a story from my time doing graduate research in analytical chemistry.
A group had developed a test for part per billion detection of toxic organic molecules in water. As they tried to calibrate their new instrument, they found that the same sealed flask of sample gave a lower reading of organics each passing day.
Eventually, they found that bacteria in the sample water were consuming the organics and turning them into harmless byproducts. They started using UV light to treat the samples and kill the bacteria, and they then got steady readings of the organics each day.
It's sad that many HOAs actually block metal roofs. 😞 And in some places, harvesting rainwater is illegal, such as Washington state—which baffled me because I lived on the rainforest side of the state, but apparently it's of great concern on the dry side of the state and therefore prohibited to all.
Thank you, Jessica. You have done a great public service. It must be satisfying to be largely at the end of the project.
It's a pretty good feeling. :)
I admire your spending such time and energy setting up these contraptions and then teaching readers in such detail how to set them up themselves, without sacrificing your sense of reality about what might happen if the water supply does become apocalyptically low.
I’d be interested to hear your take on prepping for those who live in mid to large cities where apartment buildings are the norm instead of houses and where most people live (that’s not at all to imply that suburban prepping is of limited usefulness). It’s daunting, to say the least, for us urbanians.
I also am impressed with the clarity of Jessica's documentation, writing and teaching skill.
Jessica, an idea occurred to me as I replied to Pat Browne's comment to your Post. One way to kill bacteria is with ultraviolet light. I think you have solved the problem, but I thought I'd mention it. You can see the story in my reply to Pat. Of course, it takes electrical power to generate UV light. We get some from the Sun, but maybe not enough.
Also, glass and water both absorb UV light, so a sample has to be hit hard. A benchmark we used to use was that one microscope slide would block 25% of incoming UV from a "black light."
Beautifully done, and saving this post.
I started on your journey in 2003 after hearing from water officials that SoCal was in dire straits if in the event of our American aquaduct destruction (most likely from earthquake).
Here we would have to store over 20K gallon per person due to our very short winter rain season of only a couple of months. Your own capacity would go dry in a week with human use, let alone my critters. too. Now I could ameliorate using the distillate from the air conditioner, but that is not a predictable source and used much too quickly again.
I'm a follower of the Su-Johnson belief there is a microbe chemical 'factory' capable of breaking down every chemical and sequestering every metal out there. Hopefully they are all in my backyard soil.
So I compensate with a mostly IBC (and a single 2,500 g tank) 11K g system to support the 3.5k g aquaponic where a baseline of uneaten plants and fish act as my sponge, leaving water that can be simply filtered and cooked in a solar cooking device.
I'm a little too infirm and restricted on $ to do more.
Hope it helps.
Pat, I can't comment on how your water filtration system works, but regarding microbes, here is a story from my time doing graduate research in analytical chemistry.
A group had developed a test for part per billion detection of toxic organic molecules in water. As they tried to calibrate their new instrument, they found that the same sealed flask of sample gave a lower reading of organics each passing day.
Eventually, they found that bacteria in the sample water were consuming the organics and turning them into harmless byproducts. They started using UV light to treat the samples and kill the bacteria, and they then got steady readings of the organics each day.
We are surrounded by marvel every day. Thank you for this!
It's sad that many HOAs actually block metal roofs. 😞 And in some places, harvesting rainwater is illegal, such as Washington state—which baffled me because I lived on the rainforest side of the state, but apparently it's of great concern on the dry side of the state and therefore prohibited to all.