Lessons Learned West Virgina Chemcial Spill Jan 2014

[runco]

This is a good example and one that I need to take heed to and prepare for.  What are the lessons learned from this sudden caught by surprise chemical spill that has poisoned the water supply to a major metropolitan area, and there is no more drinkable water on the shelves?  

 

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2014/01/10/west-virginia-chemical-spill-gov-declares-emergency/

[RED333]

Makes ya want to go out and buy some water, dont it?

[runco]

I am not a prepper (yet), but I do know the value in being prepared.    I still have yet had to cry for 22LR ammo, or any ammo for that matter, I was prepared. 

 

I thought at one time of buying one of those bladder bags for the bathtub, but now after this incident that would not work for that type of situation!  So I may over time try to have 30 days of drinkable water on hand, but I understand that some plastic containers like the gallon jugs don't keep for a long time without seepage.  Storage for 30 days of water is a challenge.  Food I am not so worried about.   I have stored already in a 98.6 environment about 180 days of stored energy if not a little more.  :pleased:

[Clod Stomper]

I am not a prepper (yet), but I do know the value in being prepared.    I still have yet had to cry for 22LR ammo, or any ammo for that matter, I was prepared. 

 

I thought at one time of buying one of those bladder bags for the bathtub, but now after this incident that would not work for that type of situation!  So I may over time try to have 30 days of drinkable water on hand, but I understand that some plastic containers like the gallon jugs don't keep for a long time without seepage.  Storage for 30 days of water is a challenge.  Food I am not so worried about.   I have stored already in a 98.6 environment about 180 days of stored energy if not a little more.  :pleased:

 

That's true of many (ahem...) of us.  But it won't seem like that when we go for several days at a time without eating.  My Dad is obese, but when he has to fast overnight for a blood test or something like that, he acts like he's starving to death.  I've sort of gotten myself accustomed to intermittent fasting, but it is still a challenge sometimes.  It's much easier to cut down on calories gradually and get used to it.  For that, we need food stores.

 

Will

[peejman]

Makes ya want to go out and buy some water, dont it?

 

 

Or have some sort of purification system available, or know how to make something like a solar still.  I have no idea if the common backpacking type filter systems would have done anything for the the chemical that was in the water. 

 

It seems like there was a fairly simple solution...   Just go to point upstream of the chemical ingress point, fill some containers from the river, take them home and boil the water as needed.  I don't have any large containers for the sole purpose of holding drinking water, but I do have 20-25 gallons worth of 5 gallon buckets with lids that would serve the immediate purpose.  We've always got plenty of food.  We'd run out of milk for the kids, but that's an inconvenience more than anything.

 

Given that the chemical is still in the water and travelling down stream, we make have to think about it sooner rather than later.   I just read that the chemical is in the Ohio river and the Cincinnati water utility has closed their river water intake to prevent system contamination. 

Edited January 17, 2014 by peejman

[Dennis1209]

There's so many possibilities that could effect the local or regional water supply, from rail road tankers derailing toxic chemicals to industrial accidents, flooding, earthquake, terrorism, or unusual acts of nature.

 

As been quoted so many times, "you don't realize how much you need and use clean water until you are rationed or have none". It would be great if a person had some prior warning to fill up all their containers that can hold water but, how often does that happen? Even if people had a few hours prior warning before something like a dangerous toxic chemical spill was headed their way. If it was a major spill and / or something extremely deadly / toxic with a very long clean up time. What's your alternative's?

 

There's no way the government is going to be able to haul in enough water for flushing toilets, supplying your washing machine and your bathing needs, even in the long term. It's a miserable experience to get caught off guard and think I'll make some preparations maybe next week.

[2.ooohhh]

Rain buckets at the downspouts do great as additional water storage for possible use in a disaster. and they can save  a little on your water bills in the summer as you water plants with them to help refresh the supply in the bucket.

[gjohnsoniv]

Or have some sort of purification system available, or know how to make something like a solar still.  I have no idea if the common backpacking type filter systems would have done anything for the the chemical that was in the water. 

 

It seems like there was a fairly simple solution...   Just go to point upstream of the chemical ingress point, fill some containers from the river, take them home and boil the water as needed.  I don't have any large containers for the sole purpose of holding drinking water, but I do have 20-25 gallons worth of 5 gallon buckets with lids that would serve the immediate purpose.  We've always got plenty of food.  We'd run out of milk for the kids, but that's an inconvenience more than anything.

 

Given that the chemical is still in the water and travelling down stream, we make have to think about it sooner rather than later.   I just read that the chemical is in the Ohio river and the Cincinnati water utility has closed their river water intake to prevent system contamination. 

You can buy filters designed for NBC filtration.  They cost a good bit more, but they are out there if you know where to look.

[Lumber_Jack]

in this situation you would have to have access to uncontaminated water to filter.  This chemical would not be cleared through a filter or boiling.  So it makes me want to have clean water, on hand, and possibly filtration for a backup. 

[peejman]

Rain buckets at the downspouts do great as additional water storage for possible use in a disaster. and they can save  a little on your water bills in the summer as you water plants with them to help refresh the supply in the bucket.

 

 

I have a 50 gallon rain barrel at the house.  The water in that thing gets beyond disgusting.  It's a purpose made rain barrel with a screen on the inlet and it still gets lots of gunk in it.  Every other year or so (when I can't stand the smell) I clean a couple inches of nasty sludge out of the bottom of it. 

 

 

Come to think of it... this happened in WV in the middle of winter.  Surely there was plenty of snow to be had.

[2.ooohhh]

I have a 50 gallon rain barrel at the house.  The water in that thing gets beyond disgusting.  It's a purpose made rain barrel with a screen on the inlet and it still gets lots of gunk in it.  Every other year or so (when I can't stand the smell) I clean a couple inches of nasty sludge out of the bottom of it. 

 

 

Come to think of it... this happened in WV in the middle of winter.  Surely there was plenty of snow to be had.

 

Ours don't get very nasty but that's what the filters are for. I'd much rather filter out some biological(algae) contamination/iodine treat than hope I have a filter for an unknown chemical contamination of the public water supply.

 

 

[whitewolf001]

This is what I posted on another thread, something to consider.

[dawgdoc]

I have two 50 gallon rain barrels, but I made a 5-gallon bucket sand and charcoal filter to clean it if I get to the point of needing to drink it.

 

I have various qualities of water stored.  For a short-term problem like in West Virginia, I have a bunch of 1 gallon sealed distilled water jugs.  I then have a bunch of re-used water and other jugs that I filled with tap water.  I figure these would be for flushing toilets, pet water, washing hands, cleaning, and human consumption after boiling (in case anything was growing because they aren't hermetically sealed).  If I really needed to flush the toilets, but I thought the water would be off for a while, I would use rain barrel water for that and save any of the safer water.  

 

The rain barrels are mainly for the garden, but I think the water could be safe if filtered by the sand filter or a hiking filter and then boiled.  For any long-term disruption, it will either be the rain barrels or a bit of a hike to a nearby creek.

 

The problem I see with those connected barrels is cleaning them.  If the pipes are sealed to the barrels, then its hard to tip them over and clean them each year.  I have one barrel's overflow going into the next barrel so that they share the same downspout but are not physically connected.  It requires that the second barrel be lower than the first, but the grade of the yard allows it.

Edited January 18, 2014 by dawgdoc

[McGarrett]

We just got a Berkey filter and we have several barrels, jugs, etc with water stored inside. The above ground pool should also provide a lot of water if needed. We also have a well but the pump is electric.

 

Clean drinking water is definitely high on the list during one of these scenarios.

[JWKilgore]

That's true of many (ahem...) of us.  But it won't seem like that when we go for several days at a time without eating.  My Dad is obese, but when he has to fast overnight for a blood test or something like that, he acts like he's starving to death.  I've sort of gotten myself accustomed to intermittent fasting, but it is still a challenge sometimes.  It's much easier to cut down on calories gradually and get used to it.  For that, we need food stores.

 

Will

 

This applies to me as well (I'm not skinny), but there's a huge span between not dying of starvation and having enough energy to function in an emergency scenario. I know that if my sugar drops after a period of not eating I have some loss of physical and mental capabilities. Yes, even without food my body will adapt and I will be functional again, but this takes time that I may not have. As CS said, it's much better to slowly taper off than be forced to quit cold. 

 

Yes, if you train for this you should be good, but how many normal (non military) people actually train to handle emergency situations without eating for days? Even if you're in reasonable shape, one sudden burst of adrenaline to use up immediate blood sugar without being able to recharge will leave you in a bad situation. 

 

 

Also, I realize the OP is talking about a simple "sorry, the faucet doesn't work anymore" scenario, but some of the other posts have crossed over into general survival.

Edited January 31, 2014 by JWKilgore