One of the most essential needs of a human being is the need to access clean water, which means that you should have the access to water as a top priority in your life, especially if you decide to venture into living off the grid. When trying to adjust to this type of off the grid lifestyle, you must have a plan for accessing clean water, as it will definitely ease the stressful process and significantly enhances your chances of survival. In this article, we will highlight some proven methods used by other homesteaders that have been successful in collecting their own water, without the dependence on state-regulated water supplies.
Harvesting Rainwater
Harvesting rainwater is somewhat of a simple way to collect water that can be altered dependent on your capabilities and requirements. There are many systems that can be utilized to aid in the collection of rainwater, which include tarp and underwater cistern collection as well as the plastic barrel collection and storage. The most effective option is the plastic barrel, and it is the simplest way to catch rainwater safely. Barrels are available in numerous sizes and shapes which can suit your requirements, also they can be available in food-grade plastic, an option for those that may have to consume the water that they collect.
The barrels are attached to the current guttering system so that they can easily collect the rainwater in an efficient way. The average barrel can hold 55 gallons of water and can be sealed off completely to eliminate the likelihood of contamination from external sources, which makes this method an outstanding option for the homesteaders that have plans to completely and entirely depend on the collection system for water to meet their everyday needs.
Tarps are not the most convenient or are they the most effective option, however, in a pinch, they will get the job done. For example, if by chance you live in an area that is in a dry region and a storm is on the horizon, you can take advantage of this situation and erect a tarp with a pocket of some sort for the rainwater to settle in. Once the rain stops, it will be a necessity to transfer the water that was collected to an alternate storage method in order to reduce the chances of contamination.
The advantage of opting for the harvesting of rainwater are: the system is practically free as the only things that require purchase are the collection tanks and the tarp; there is little to no construction for this rainwater collection system; under the assumption that there is already a guttering system installed on your roof, all you need to do is redirect the system to a storage container; there are states in America that provide funding and incentives for utilizing rainwater collection in an attempt to boost eco-friendly water usage.
The disadvantages on the other hand are that there are also some states that have placed a ban on the collection of rainwater, so it is recommended that individuals investigate this with the local authorities for any limitations or restrictions; To be successful with this method, means that you need to be in an area that the rain falls frequently, so for persons that live in regions that have severe drought, this is not a viable option.
