Living Simply Can Kill You

emdeengee · #41 08/22/12, 06:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Usingmyrights

Streams, creeks, etc are not considered to be stagnant. Only standing water is. So lakes, puddles, rainbarrels, etc woukd be considered stagnant. A lake with a good consistant wind is better than one without.

Thanks for the heads up. I actually know this but just wrote the wrong description so will change the wording.

blufford · #42 08/22/12, 07:00 PM

Wasn't Rooselvelt's polio blamed on a impure water source at a scout camp?

Usingmyrights · #43 08/22/12, 07:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by emdeengee

Thanks for the heads up. I actually know this but just wrote the wrong description so will change the wording.

No problem. We all have brain farts sometimes.

HermitJohn · #44 08/22/12, 07:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bearfootfarm

Really?

They had an average lifespan of less than 50 years up until the early 1900's

Thats an average of the entire population. Many more then died as babies or small children as whatever disease of the week made its way through the community. Also many more women died in childbirth than in more modern times.

So those dead babies and mothers kinda lower the average lifespan. You as a male made it past 25 or female that made it through all her childrens births, and had enough to eat and not worked to death, you probably lived about as long as anybody today.

silverseeds · #45 08/22/12, 07:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Forerunner

Good well water is far superior to roof catchment, no doubt.

This is somewhat debatable. First water is water. If you know how to clean it, there is no real difference.

Ive known dozens on wells over the years, and two among those who had perfectly fine well water for decades, that became contaminated without them realizing it. They kept assuming it was good, but it wasnt all of the sudden without their knowledge.

If they had been relying on water they clean as a matter of course they never would have had a problem.

My well could fail, especially if the grid goes down. Im switching over to solar here soon, but it still could fail. With roof water there is much less that can go wrong being that I know how to clean it...

Im certainly a huge fan of well water dont get me wrong. I absolutely love having it, best water Ive ever had. Mine is rather unlikely to ever turn on me. But a wisely built roof catchment system is nothing to shrug at. (not that you did)

Forerunner · #46 08/22/12, 07:57 PM

I did say good well water...... and I might should have said, raw rain catchment.

All other things being equal, what isn't debatable in this forum.

Answer me this, though......

Earthquake swallows your home, turns your property inside out, and turns all available water for 50 miles into mud soup..... whatcha gunna do ?

I ask this because I have honestly been considering this scenario, of late.

I've also been watching a lot of desert westerns and pondering water logistics on that front.

Water is a pretty simple concept, after all. Without it, we simply die.

Yvonne's hubby · #47 08/22/12, 07:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nostawmama

But building an immunity has to start with exposure and that takes courage.

Yep, with a little courage and a good supply of charmin immunities can be developed in less than a week.

(usually about 3 days has been my experience)

Yvonne's hubby · #48 08/22/12, 08:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Forerunner

Water is a pretty simple concept, after all. Without it, we simply die.

Got a little news flash for ya.... we die with it too. Pure drinking water just prolongs the inevitable.

Forerunner · #49 08/22/12, 08:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yvonne's hubby

Got a little news flash for ya.... we die with it too. Pure drinking water just prolongs the inevitable.

What was I just saying about anything being debatable in here ?

:

silverseeds · #50 08/22/12, 08:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Forerunner

I did say good well water...... and I might should have said, raw rain catchment.

All other things being equal, what isn't debatable in this forum.

Answer me this, though......

Earthquake swallows your home, turns your property inside out, and turns all available water for 50 miles into mud soup..... whatcha gunna do ?

I ask this because I have honestly been considering this scenario, of late.

I've also been watching a lot of desert westerns and pondering water logistics on that front.

Water is a pretty simple concept, after all. Without it, we simply die.

mud? SO there is water, its just really dirty and contaminated? Id do the same things I listed for the roof catchment. It works for most issues.

Id run it through some clothe, then..
Id use a basic charcoal (charcoal is simple to make) filter if I couldnt built a sand one and get it up and running. then Id boil it. actually boiling it first is probably better so as not to contaminate the charcoal right off. A contaminated charcoal filter can be an issue also...

As for the other stuff, my only point was good wells can sometimes go bad and you dont realize it. Some areas this is more of an issue then others. Id probably never use rain catchment for drinking without treating it first.

As for the desert.. you pretty much have to know where it is. Have it stored etc. there are a few tricks but none of them are real long term solutions besides having a source. Ive been contemplating using an old indian method (india not native americans) and digging down into seasonal streams, DEEP. then refilling with stones. then when you come back later you have a water source few will realize is there. Lots of heavy clay in the soil, this works well here in my area of the high desert.

silverseeds · #51 08/22/12, 08:14 PM

@ forerunner

actually an alternative answer to both the desert and contaminated water questions involves plastic. You can build a solar still. super easy to do if you haave plastic and a bit of sun. you can use about any water in them, dig down to where their is soil water or pee in there if you want, add non poison plant mass etc... you end up with distilled water...

Cyngbaeld · #52 08/22/12, 08:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by silverseeds

mud? SO there is water, its just really dirty and contaminated? Id do the same things I listed for the roof catchment. It works for most issues.

Id run it through some clothe, then..
Id use a basic charcoal (charcoal is simple to make) filter if I couldnt built a sand one and get it up and running. then Id boil it. actually boiling it first is probably better so as not to contaminate the charcoal right off. A contaminated charcoal filter can be an issue also...

As for the other stuff, my only point was good wells can sometimes go bad and you dont realize it. Some areas this is more of an issue then others. Id probably never use rain catchment for drinking without treating it first.

As for the desert.. you pretty much have to know where it is. Have it stored etc. there are a few tricks but none of them are real long term solutions besides having a source. Ive been contemplating using an old indian method (india not native americans) and digging down into seasonal streams, DEEP. then refilling with stones. then when you come back later you have a water source few will realize is there. Lots of heavy clay in the soil, this works well here in my area of the high desert.

Interesting idea. Have you thought to put a pipe or hose down near the bottom of your hole? You would probably want to cap it then put some rocks over the top so you only need to remove one layer and can then tap into the water.

Paquebot · #53 08/22/12, 08:16 PM

Many have said how safe rainwater was in the past and it still is. Nobody has mentioned how it was done. The downspout which led to the cistern had an inverted "Y" connection. It was always set to divert the water to the lawn or away from the house when it wasn't raining. After 5 or 10 minutes of a good rain, the accumulated bird manure and dirt would have been washed off the roof and the flapper switched to allow the water to flow into the cistern. Our old homestead house and the one I presently live in both had such a system.

Martin

silverseeds · #54 08/22/12, 08:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paquebot

Many have said how safe rainwater was in the past and it still is. Nobody has mentioned how it was done. The downspout which led to the cistern had an inverted "Y" connection. It was always set to divert the water to the lawn or away from the house when it wasn't raining. After 5 or 10 minutes of a good rain, the accumulated bird manure and dirt would have been washed off the roof and the flapper switched to allow the water to flow into the cistern. Our old homestead house and the one I presently live in both had such a system.

Martin

Much more common to not risk not catching the water and just use a sand filter. Ive read many old books that cover this. Its perfectly safe as well. the very things this helps evade are exactly what a sand filter targets. So if you have a sand filter this just wastes water. If you dont have a sand filter diverting some is better then not, but wont leave you as high of a quality of water as a sand filter will.

Forerunner · #55 08/22/12, 08:21 PM

Good reminder there, Martin........

Silverseeds, I have all of Tom Brown, Jr.s survival books.

It always bothered me that he suggested using plastic for anything.

silverseeds · #56 08/22/12, 08:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cyngbaeld

Interesting idea. Have you thought to put a pipe or hose down near the bottom of your hole? You would probably want to cap it then put some rocks over the top so you only need to remove one layer and can then tap into the water.

that would definitely make it easier to get to. Thanks.

silverseeds · #57 08/22/12, 08:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Forerunner

Good reminder there, Martin........

Silverseeds, I have all of Tom Brown, Jr.s survival books.

It always bothered me that he suggested using plastic for anything.

yeah thats where I got that one also...

I was never a real fan of the idea either, but being in the desert I do have an extra roll of plastic in case I ever need to use it. Ive played around with the method, it works well, and its easy. the water seemed ok, only issue would be plastic off gassing, and in the event I need it it would be the last of my worries.

silverseeds · #58 08/22/12, 08:30 PM

have you guys ever seen airwells, dew ponds or fog fences???

I just grabbed the first links that I came to.. there are some good sites on them..

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_well_%28condenser%29
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dew_pond
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fog_fence

Air Wells, Dew Ponds and Fog Fences: Methods to Condense Atmospheric Humidity

the last two wont work for me at all, but the airwells have designs that work in deserts to a small degree. wouldnt be cheap to build, but Id love one someday.

jhambley · #59 08/22/12, 08:34 PM

A few videos demonstrating the roof wash concept:

Found another site that has a Youtube channel showing filters and UV systems as well.

Water Filters: Replacement Water Filter Cartridges for Culligan, Everpure, Samsung, Pur, Brita, Pentek, GE, and more

haypoint · #60 08/22/12, 08:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Usingmyrights

Streams, creeks, etc are not considered to be stagnant. Only standing water is. So lakes, puddles, rainbarrels, etc woukd be considered stagnant. A lake with a good consistant wind is better than one without.

I have a couple streams that go through my property. Both are down stream from big swampy, stagnant beaver ponds. So, before you stick your nose in a stream, look up stream. Google Beaver Fever.