@ Todd: pls take no offense, I didn't want the thread to jump. I realize now that my comment was a bit curt. I appreciated your input and hope to get more.

@ Lon: I was going to ask for book recommendations but felt it would make the question harder. Thanks for the input, I will look for those.

Impetus:

I searched the archives of ETS and there is no real "101" primer or direction for setting up several basic (realistic) systems in a Bug In/Out location off grid. There are several threads on what people have done or come across but not real basic training.

I would like to continue this thread on water supply, retrieval more so than containment, though that is important. Then branch out into wind, solar, 12v, hygiene, etc. The Victory garden thread is where I really started thinking about this.