Domestic Civil Defence -
No Water !

The writer has experienced loss of supply during a strike, during industrial contamination and during booster pump failures - whilst living at home. The Water Strike involved him in setting up a scheme to deliver 30-litre loads of water to elderly clients and single-parent families with young children in his neighbourhood.

Water is so reliable that people in countries with water mains forget that water is absolutely essential for life. Water supply failure can be caused by drought, by flood damage, by mains failure in a water strike, by supply contamination and by act of war. Less dramatically, a sustained power-failure can cut off pumped water supplies and shut down pumps removing sewage in low-lying areas.

On three occasions, the writer has been cut off from drinking water by pollution of the public supply, twice by chemicals, the third time by cattle slurry. On each occasion, having a stock of drinking water in containers in black plastic bags turned out to be a godsend.

Under normal circumstances you use the following amounts of water :-

• Drinking and Cooking - Between 2 and 4 litres per person per day.
• Personal Washing - Handbasin, up to 4 litres; Shower, up to 20 litres; Bath, up to 100 litres.
• Domestic Washing-Up and Cleaning - Washing-up bowl, up to 4 litres, but can be 10 litres if rinsing under a tap. Mop and Bucket, up to 4 litres.
• Clothes Washing / Dish Washing Machines - May use up to 50 litres per cycle.
• Toilet Flushing - Generally use 5 litres per flush.

Water Solutions :

In a crisis, stick to the essentials and be ready to improvise.

Key Supplies :Obtain the following :-

• Water Sterilising Tablets - One pack per person in your family.
• Water containers - Can be re-used water carriers for bottled water - Rinse, refill, store in the dark, replace water each month.
• Pack of Black Heavy-Duty Waterproof Bin Bags - to store water in a crisis for washing, e.g as filled bags in a bath.
• 1-Litre Pack of Milton Solution - For soaking dirty dishes to sterilise them and for water purification for washing.

Drinking and Cooking - You will need water to drink and to cook - store 4 litres per person per day for this purpose, preferably for a week, but at least for three days. Re-used 5-litre bottled water containers are ideal - they only cost around £ 1 to buy and can be rinsed out with a dilute solution of Milton.

All Other Uses - If you can use the water, do so. Otherwise, turn off the water at the mains after filling the bath and other containers, covering the bath with planks and black bin-bags to keep out light and dust.

In a crisis, the water in your house header tank and pipework will be fit to drink, unless left for more than a few days or the roof or floor overhead is damaged. Consider the whole system a source of water, drawing it down by taps at the lowest point (usually the kitchen) and telling the household not to open any other taps.

Central and local government will normally arrange water delivery by tanker, if the mains system as a whole is out of order. If this doesn't occur, then be prepared to collect rainwater or find other water sources - BUT PURIFY THE WATER BEFORE USING IT FOR DRINKING, COOKING, CLEANING YOUR TEETH OR HANDS AND FACE WASHING.

Improvised Equipment and Emergency Information :-

Water Storage & Purification : [Cisterns] [Clay Filter] [Water Sterilisation]
Water Sources : [Springs and Infiltration Wells] [Rain Collection] [Solar Stills] [Improvised Pumps]

Links :-
Aquabox Project : A plastic emergency kit storage box doubling up as a crisis water batch-chlorination unit and filtered supply. Incredible and simple.

HomeLandDefence.Com - Water : Remarkably good brief on how to find and purify water simply.