Regarding low volume "spare emergency water" that needs no maintenance or purification:



Consider the hot water heater- a sealed unit that allows new water in as "old" water is removed- and, of course it is heated. Remove the heating component, leaving a sealed unit (read: tank). I have a large poly tank with an input pressure regulator connected to the water supply. Output is household water. As water is removed, new water enters (just like a hot water tank)

This provides 500 gallons of constantly "refreshed" water that requires no treatment and should city water cease (or the well go dry), provides a 500 gallon reserve. Input pressure provides output pressure (sealed tank).

Quick disconnects allow me to sever input and output ...and did I mention the tank is mobile?

-carl

Kind of like the old saying in geology: "One man's basement is another man's overburden." Similarly, I know some USGS guys working down on the Kenai were ecstatic about how the very recent retreat of a glacier had perfectly exposed some bedrock, and because the glacier retreated so fast and so recently, all that green vegetation crap hadn't yet grown in to obsure the outcrop.

Picking up the LA Times this morning, the lead article discusses the intent of a major party to make an issue of the current drought, charging all kinds of crimes and high misdemeanors to the policies of the group currently in power. how sad! (It's not even worth posting a link...)

I must say that one of the most attractive features of ETS is its prohibition of politically tinged discussion. This gives me time to perfect the tactical embellishments I will need for the survival ice chest Californians will take to Alaska to return home with ice. I am working on the most effective camouflage pattern and the best tread pattern for the wheels. Any thoughts?

"green vegetation crap"?? - Please refine your language. We refer to that material as "biofouling."(a term I done larned in schul) Whatever you call it, it definitely hides the good stuff.

I once took a walk with one of the park biologists. We were both on point, looking for, and commenting upon, our respective sphere of interest. It was quite interesting, because, although we were walking side by side, we might as well have been on different planets. Both of us were disregarding the trivial junk to check on important things.

Alaska Airlines allows you to check a case of wine flying from Santa Rosa Calf. You need them to flight approve your ice chest idea, one per passenger ��

Actually, Alaska Airlines is quite accomodating to folks bringing frozen goods back from Alaska. Fishermen, hunters, and other tourists come up here all summer, and take back frozen fish and game. Down in Seward or Homer, there are business that will vacume seal and freeze your fresh caught salmon or halibut. You can buy a wax cardboard frozen food box and check it as baggage. I'm sure a box of plain old ice would be just fine.

I love Alaska's baggage policies, you'll need something special to get a Coleman full of water past TSA though. Wine is bottled and stands a chance of clearing security in cases - who knows what they'll make of 160 lbs of Bristol Bay's Finest Crystal spring water.

The water heater tank is a pretty good idea, but you need a way to seal it off in case of a boil water order. Maybe put in a bypass and only run water through the tank one day a week to reduce exposure. The big problems with rain collection and desalinsation is there isn't anywhere near enough rain and there's no electricity to spare here. The only viable solution is water rationing for residential, businesses, and agriculture. customers

The costs are going to be significant. It's going to drive out most of the desert agriculture, and pretty much going to kill whats left of the lawns after the last time. I have no idea what xeriscaping costs for a house, but the alternative for a typical single family home to put in artificial grass is around $8k.

Good point!

Actually in my case the water comes from a well, electric, into a 5000 gallon tank. From there, a pressure pump responds to demand and supplies the house. I added to this the (portable) 500 gallon tank and will soon add another. In addition, because my particular issue is power, I will add 2 more 5000 gallon tanks up the hill from me for gravity flow (I am rural).

Clearly a generator could power the wells but I may not want to draw attention to myself with the noise of a generator...

-carl

Carl, that's quite the set up. I assume that you're describing a set up for daily use, and not purely for storage of personal emergency water? With a 5,000 gallon tank or two uphill from your house, I'm not sure there's much need for a 50 gallon water heater-type storage inside the house.

Whenever people mention the water heater type set up, which keeps circulating water through the tank to keep it "fresh," I also try to bring up the point, like Mark, that your supply could be contaminated by the time anyone gets word out that the water supply could be contaminated. The recent West Virginia chemical spill is a recent example. Who knows how much of the chemical people had been drinking before it became noticeable or the word went out to not drink it? But since you're on a well, you're probably better insulated from that kind of event.