Category: Water Storage & Filters

Letter Re: An Alternative to Waterbricks

Hi Jim,    I saw the recent link in SurvivalBlog to the review of Waterbricks. As a beekeeper I use proprietary 5 gallon 180 degree heat tolerant plastic containers for mixing and feeding sugar syrup to my bees during various times of year when there is no nectar flow.    These containers have a ¾ inch threaded bung in the cap that will accept a plastic valve/faucet which costs $2.75 each (you must ask for them)  and there is a smaller cap and provision for a vent to allow fluids to flow easily.  At $8.75 each they are about half …


How to Get Truly Prepared, by Ryan M.

There is a distinction between being ready and prepared. In my own personal journey I have found myself often in need of guidance. I know what it is to be prepared and what it means when you find out that you should have had or brought this or that. As a former US Marine and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) combat veteran I have done my fair share of getting both myself and others ready. Having lists of what is needed and training to be conducted was an asset that I had overlooked and perhaps even taken for granted. “Higher ups” …


A Real World Test of My Preparations, by Daisy in Canada

Last week my city was taken by surprise by a terrible windstorm.  There were some weather warnings but nothing prepared residents for what would come.  Winds reached 110 km per hour and the damage to property was extensive.  Several people lost their lives due to flying debris and downed power lines.  While some were without power for only a couple of hours, others were without for up to a week.  Although we got our power back after 48 hours, we still suffered sporadic outages for two more days. It was with a completely different attitude that I met this storm.  …


Letter Re: Observations on the Recent Tornadoes

Dear James, As most of your readers know, on Wednesday, April 27, 2011, one of the worst tornado outbreaks in history hit the Tennessee River Valley area of northern Alabama, northern Georgia and south central Tennessee as well as parts of north central Alabama such as Birmingham and Tuscaloosa. Over 140 people were killed in northern Alabama alone and the final death toll from these storms will probably exceed 350. Hundreds of people in these areas lost their homes and are suffering greatly as a result. Please pray for these families as they cope with the loss of property and, …


Three Letters Re: Deep Well Hand Pumps

JWR: In this entry, the idea of having a hand pump for the water well, and wanting to have at least some redundancy regarding the ability to pump water, is mentioned. Since potable water is a primary concern for me, I have been looking into the alternatives to our municipal water supply (which currently depends on the electrical grid to be operational).   Since I sell solar electric equipment, I naturally thought of having a solar powered water pump as a back up. But what if something knocks out my solar array? I ultimately would like to have a manual water pump. At the same time, I …


Letter Re: Deep Well Hand Pumps

Mr. Rawles: Thank you so much for enriching our lives with your knowledge.  My question is: I lost electricity this past week for two days.  I had enough water stored for me and my wife for cooking, drinking and flushing toilets stored and for our dogs, too.  But what would I do in a longer duration power outage? I remember my grandfather having an old hand pump on his well that we used to get a drink from on hot summer days when I was a kid.  My question is, where can I get one of these kinds of hand …


Prepping for Apartment Dwellers, by Anthony S.

Preparing for an uncertain future when living in an apartment or a condominium (“condo”) can be a struggle.  When the Lord has not chosen to give you land to work with, you work with what he has given you, knowing first and foremost that he is your first retreat, and no matter what happens, “All things work together for the Glory of the Lord…”.  There are many limiting factors when you do not have the smallest amount of land.  And if you are reading this, you probably agree that our future has many uncertainties from economic, to natural, to spiritual.  I would like to share a bit …


The Married, But Solo Prepper – A Woman’s Perspective, by M.G.

The Married, But Solo Prepper  – A Woman’s Perspective, by M.G. Waking up to the realization that my safe, comfortable world as I have always known it to be was not the result of watching any “end of the world” movies or documentaries, or from reading something about it or from a friend convincing me.  I feel it was a gift, a freebie wake-up call from the heavenly powers that be.   I can’t help but think that I am supposed to be a survivor…..at least long enough to keep my children alive and healthy until they are grown and can …


Two Letters Re: Update on Pending Berkey Water Filter Price Increase

Captain Rawles,   I have just received the following update on the Berkey water filtration systems. The Stainless Steel Berkey systems are on a serious backorder as they have been grossly oversold.  The Berkey Light Systems are the only ones that are in stock no matter what the “Estimated Shipping Date” or “Quantity in Stock” notices say online.  Also the previously reported 20%-30% price increase has been changed to 10% due to Berkey not wanting make an already bad economic situation worse, but they will not be able to give away the freebies any longer.  They may consider another “Price …


Fully Ready But Not Fully Prepared, by Expat D. in Japan

Where We Were In Kogoshima, in the southern part of Japan, residents know that when the active Sakurajima volcano finally erupts with its full force, they will most likely be killed. Some of them even know that it will be the quaking and the toxic pyroclastic flows that kill them rather than flowing lava. Similarly, living just 15 miles from the heart of Tokyo, we have always been aware that Tokyo is past due for a major earthquake. When it hits, it will cause suffering on a scale that will make Kobe and Mexico City seem as if they got …


Letter Re: Upcoming Berkey Water Filter Price Increases

Captain Rawles,   I recently purchased my Berkey filtration system and when I completed this process I was informed that on April 15, 2011, Berkey will be raising the prices of their systems approximately 25-30% across the board.  They are also going to prohibit their Authorized Dealers from giving away the freebies that they advertise now.  Ever since Hurricane Katrina they have been running about 5-7 days out before they ship, but with the issue in Japan they can be running a month out.  This is because they cannot keep up with demand.  Their stainless steel systems are manufactured in …


Pack Rats and Keeping the Water Running, by Sunflower of Kansas

Background:  You might say to yourself, I have no farm, I have no pump house, and I surely have no rats. My response to this is, “yet.” If and when the Sunflowers hit the fan (SHTF), you surely may have a rodent problem. Rodents can impact whatever integrity you may still have in regard to your utilities. That utility may be communications, electric, or as discussed in this article, water. This is a true account about my dealings and responses to confronting troubles with Pack Rats. The purpose is to provide a few tips, not to dictate any exact method …


Desert Survival, by Amy H.

Every year, a group of my friends go on a week-long camping trip in a Nevada desert.  Sounds silly, right?  No trees, plants or animals, no running water. Not even roads–usually the nearest hospital is well over an hour away, sometimes two, and that’s if you don’t get lost by trying to cut across an impassable part of the desert trying to get to it.  But, it’s a good test to see if we can be self-sufficient for even just a week.  Also, in a bug out situation, some people may just find themselves having to cross through barren desert …


Letter Re: Storing Dry Hypochlorite Bleach

Dear Mr. Rawles – Regarding the recent post on “Forever Preps”…. “Forever Prep #3: “Dry” Bleach This has often been covered by various sources on SurvivalBlog, but so-called “dry” bleach (pure Calcium Hypochlorite) lasts forever. If you go a little crazy and buy two 25 pound boxes of it from a big box store, you can make a solution that can purify about 4 million gallons of water! And, by the way, this Forever Prep is also very cheap (about $45-$50 for 25 pounds) and takes almost no storage space. You must store dry bleach extremely securely if you have …


Letter Re: Off-Grid Living on an Alaskan Island

Hello, Many US military personal who serve on an isolated duty station, in effect live off grid.  For example I was in the U.S. Coast Guard and stationed at Cape Sarichef, Alaska for a year. [It is at the end of Unimak Island.]           We had three large Caterpillar generators.  We got our water from a reservoir that was filled from mountain runoff.  I would go the reservoir when needed and start a small hand pull pump (during the winter could take almost 30 minutes to get started.) This would pump the water along a buried pipe line, with …