Well (sorry -- no pun intended), seems that in clearing away a giant ant hill from the well site, somehow an electrical cord was shorted out and just like that we had no power to the well and no water to the house. To complicate matters, the pressure tank and well pipes have not been protected from the elements for about 2 years now and the internal bladder of the tank had torn (from the freezing and ice shards breaking up apparently).
No water for flushing.
No water for cooking or cleaning up.
No water for drinking.
We're so used to water just flowing from city source or well source through our pipes and into our service that NO WATER manifests itself in the human mind as confusion, disbelief, frustration, and (if we're smart) MOTIVATION.
We were handed a one gallon water bottle (filled) and told to use it if we REALLY had to flush the toilet. My hubby and I already keep a gallon in the room to make our coffee every morning. But there was little water for anything else -- and my serious urge to 'go' quickly disappeared.
The well guys arrived quickly, located the problem, installed a new a pressure tank, fixed the wires and got the pump up and running in less than an hour. Hubby and I watched the process and as we stood there I turned to him and said: "we really need to think about getting a solar pump or hand pump or something in case this happens to us!" Hubby -- being the smart wonderful man that he is -- totally agreed. The well guys overheard our conversation and began talking about options for our well (soon to be a reality) and mentioned a SimplePump (www.simplepump.com) set up added to our well at the time of installation. You can set these up anytime apparently, but always easiest when putting the well in initially. The younger of the two knew a bit more about it, but not enough he admitted. But, they said they would do the research and order us the one we'd need and install it when they came out to do the well. We will have water even if the power goes out, even if we don't have the cash on hand to fix the well immediately.
I have visions of me on a stationary bicycle hooked to the pump handle to make it work ... but hey, I could alway use a little exercise.
This would be a wonderful storybook ending to my story ... but we arrived home just a few days later after a shopping expedition and found that we were again waterless. When the well crew was here, they used the old PVC fittings to connect the new pressure tank and the main piece leading from the tank to the pump was spewing water like an open fire hydrant.
The water was again "out of service".
Why is it I always have to pee when the water is off?
My father in law had already been to the hardware store and back to get the required parts and he and hubby worked into the dark to get everything re-fitted. Under the circumstances and with servicable (but not the actual) tools necessary, we were back in business before the end of Jeopardy with only a minor leak to mar what was a brilliant repair.
During the wait, I was informed by my mother in law that she had several water containers in the 'back room' (a daunting expedition as 50 years worth of "EVERYTHING" is in that 'back room'). I nodded happily -- after the first event Hubby and I filled up our 5 gallon container 'just in case' something happened in the future. "Are they filled with water?" I asked my mother in law expectantly. "Well, no, but I DO have them -- but, you know, water goes bad after a while." I sighed internally and thought about all the containers of water we had collected at our old house before moving here. I know my son thought we were a little nuts about 'storing water' ... but this was just the scenario we were trying to avoid.
Water is a valuable commodity -- I'm sure many of you reading are already nodding your heads at the obvious. But so few of us really pay attention to putting aside a few gallons of water for emergencies -- and even in the South we get our water emergencies: busted pipes in the city knocking out water for several residential miles around, a freak ice storm and frozen pipes, too much rain and sewage runnoff into the public water system. Very few of my friends think about this as a possibility and it does make me worry about them.
How many of you have any kind of water saving system in place at your home?
In looking at sustainability and self-reliance (preparation??), I read many articles about how even in the crowded cities people CAN do things to grow their own food, albiet at smaller scale. But I rarely read any reminders to stock up on water; its usually just mentioned as an afterthought.
I encourage everyone to make this a priority thought. A few bottled gallons of water per person in your household can mean a big difference between total discomfort and just a minor disruption in lifestyle. A water catchement system can mean a big difference in your summer water bill and a healthy, thriving garden. Even a roof mounted solar water system can mean a nice warm shower in the middle of winter if the water goes out. There's so much one can do to insure that they have enough potable water to cook and drink, and enough non-potable water to use in toilets and gardens.
But to begin: KISS -- Keep it simple sweetie! Put aside one gallon of water per person per day for about 7 days. This is just a 'survival' amount -- FEMA only recommends 3 days in an emergency situation; two weeks for long term events. This supply does not incude water for flushing toilets or bathing, this is for drinking and cooking use. Your own water supply amount may vary according to your family's needs and personal preference.
If you choose to use your own containers, consider using soda containers and -- following Red Cross instructions -- about 1/8 teaspoon of bleach per gallon (don't get squeamish! there's already clorine in your tap water!). Keep it out of sunshine, rotate your supply every six (6) months (you can use it in your garden or add to your outside water catchement set-up), and know that you're doing something that will benefit you and your family in an emergency.
There is a lot of great information on the web, particularly the CDC (remember their "How to survive a Zombie Apocalypse" campaign a few years ago -- a hoot, but practical information none the less for any natural disaster). You can access them at www.emergency.cdc.gov. There is also the Red Cross website (www.redcross.org) and they have a lot of good preparedness information, too, including info for pet owners (you listening JoJo?)
None of this is meant to alarm anyone -- just to bring awareness. This obviously wasn't a 'doomsday' scenario for us: I knew the well guys would get the problem worked out. But there we were, without water and business to take care of...if you know what I mean.
You just never know when you might not be able to flush the toilet.
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