I don't know if this has been said before but a toilet holds some considerable amounts of water, just take the lid off the top and there will be about 5 gallons of water there inside.

Just thought I'd bring this up

what tells you that in the event there would be no water left i would be also alive to drink it?

s+f i think its a brilliant idea for a post, streams are good too, and one can also distill sea water. if you cant get hold of iodine tablets then I would personally use 3 drops of bleach per litre of water to purify it, im not a doctor so research it yourself but that is what i was taught years ago

Might want to add that if you have used chemical cleaners on your toilet recently, this may not be a good idea.

Another good idea, if you live in an area that gets dew, is to set a tarp out on the lawn or patio overnight, and collect the dew that forms on it.

Once water service is shut off, its not a great idea to drink the water that is stagnant inside of the pipes without purifying it first.

Additionally there are reverse osmosis water systems that suck humidity out of the air and convert to drinkable water. The systems can be ran off solar power. You will be the hero in your neighborhood if you have one of these.

Im going to guess this thread is targeted at those in more urban areas?

Buy your 5 or 50 gallons drums, fill, treat with a little bleach, and you have a reserve. Doesnt cost a whole lot, and if you own a home or even if you rent, you should have a basement, spare closet, etc.... to store. Not very expensive and doesnt take all that long. A whole lot simplier than cutting into a hot water heater.

If you are in the burbs or rural areas, drive a well and put in a generator. Drilling companies can be expensive, but if you wanted to do it yourself, only would take about a weekend. (For subberbia, might want to check local codes, rest of the world isnt where I live) then if/when the public system is compromised, youre still boiling your rice and beans.

Granted, not everyone has access to lakes and rivers, thats just a fact. May want to try your hand a water witching or dousing. Yes, some people say it doesnt work, others say its the work of the devil, whatever. Try it if you dont have any other alternative water sources. (good to practice ahead of disasters)

Also, no matter where your water comes from, have a quality water filter and know how to use it. And remember, while water does sustain life, it can get boring after awhile. Have some tea or powdered enhancers on hand as well.

Supermarkets have isles of water, just an idea.

Originally posted by zaiger
Supermarkets have isles of water, just an idea.

Um, yeah, in an emergency, thats no good.

Even if you are able to GET to a store, good luck with anything being left on the shelf in that type of situation.

Hmm...

If I find myself sucking on a radiator or spooning out toilet water to live, then I think I might just kill myself. What shape would the world be in if that was the senario...and why even bother living if that is what existance will hold for the rest of your life...

Dig a well :-)