Cold Times — How to Prepare for the Mini Ice Age

by Dr. Anita Bailey

  Filter elements are easy to take out and put in. Each element consists of a ceramic outer layer surrounding carbon and other filtration components. Water passes slowly through the outer ceramic, then through the inner carbon combination, and out of the filter elements into the holding tank. There are two types of filters, white and black; both remove bacteria and unpleasant flavors. The black one also filters out other chemicals and metals (read their literature to see if it meets your needs). Filter elements are moderately fragile and may shatter if dropped. Get extras.

  Similar gravity fed countertop systems include the Swiss-made Katadyn and Alexa Pure. Prices and filtration capacity is similar to the Berkey. These are all currently available online – just search by the names. None of these are the same as the big box store “pitcher filter,” which does NOT remove bacteria; it merely removes unpleasant chemical flavors.

  You can put together a lower cost homemade version of these gravity fed filter systems You still need to buy the filter elements and rubberized gaskets as well as a spigot. The homemade gravity filter consists of a 5-gallon bucket mounted atop another 5-gallon bucket. The filter elements are set into holes drilled through the bottom of the top bucket, and the spigot is set into a hole drilled in the side of the lower bucket. Water is poured into the top bucket to pass through the filter elements and collect in the bottom one. Voila! Keep in mind that even food grade plastic will get micro scratches in it over time that can harbor bacteria, so you may need to change out your buckets from time to time. Otherwise, it’s as good as any of the table-top models.

  Obviously, none of these gravity filters “work” if you are putting snow into the top, unless you are in an environment where the snow will melt quickly. Even so, you’d risk shattering or damaging the filter elements if they are packed with snow or ice. Don’t leave your filter system outdoors in the cold, for the same reason. Better to fill a large multi-gallon kettle with snow and ice, and place it near or on your wood heating stove. Melt the snow first – melt, NOT boil - then pass it through your water filter system.

  Sand Filter

  This Third World approach is ideal for any long term low cost application for improving the potable quality (drinkability) of your water. Healthy sand filters develop a “biolayer” at the top surface of the sand, that is rather like a living filter system. This is what makes the sand filter able to remove virtually all but 0.02% of the protozoa, almost 99% of the bacteria, over 80% of the E. coli, and many viruses and reducing diarrheal disorders by half. This design was developed for use in Third World countries to help keep their water clean.

  The design is straightforward. All you need is some kind of stable container such as a plastic rain barrel or a concrete “barrel” shaped holder, builder’s sand, and a length of hose or plastic pipe. An on/off faucet arrangement is optional.

  Here is the design in a nutshell. The top area is where water is poured in by bucket. The diffuser plate is just a flat punctured sieve, like the basket in an old coffee percolator. This is used so that the water poured into the top doesn’t disturb and damage the biolayer. Below that, a gap for the biolayer and liquids, which is at the same height as your outflow spigot. Next, fine sand, then a couple inches of coarse sand, and then at the bottom some clean gravel. The outlet hose or pipe takes the water from the very bottom, after it has filtered through all that sand. Because of water’s response to atmospheric pressure, the water in your filter will start coming out of the spigot when the water you pour in fills to the same level. If you want water to keep coming out the spigot, you keep pouring water in the top. So, there will always be some water sitting in your filter, waiting for you to activate the flow by adding more water.

  The filter will develop a healthy mature biolayer – growing things -over time. When your filter is fresh and new, it won’t be quite as efficient at filtering bacteria and protozoa, so be sure you treat the water that you drink, by boiling or adding bleach. Keep a lid on your sand filter, and don’t pipe rainwater directly into it. The sudden inflow will disturb the biolayer.

  The sand filter begins to outflow almost as soon as you put water in it. Remember, this filter won’t remove heavy metals or chemicals.

  Key points: use a separate bucket to fill the filter tank, and a fresh clean one to collect the output. Otherwise, you risk contaminating your fresh water by collecting it in a dirty bucket. Pass dirty water through a cheesecloth or t-shirt before putting it into the filter. You may need to clean your filter annually by digging out all the sand and either sun drying it or replacing it entirely. Leave in the hot sun for a day or two, turning once or twice, then return to the filter.

  Even though this is a very workable and effective filter, if you have any doubts about your water’s bacteria level, boil it before use.

  The sand filter is an ideal long-term type of filtration system –

  a Zen-slap and beyond solution.

  Protect this filter from freezing.

  A greenhouse is the perfect permanent location.

  Collecting Water

  Water comes from only two sources: the sky and the ground, and what is in and on the ground came first from the sky. The intermittent water from the sky eventually enters the ground, so in a non-desert region, ground water is usually the most predictable and consistent source. It is also the more challenging source to utilize. So, we will look at rain collection first.

  How much water do you need?

  The current recommendation from the federal preparedness website ready.gov and the Red Cross is that you should store 1 gallon of water per day per person for emergency use. That works out to 7 gallons for one week; 30 gallons per month for one person. If there’s four people in your family, that’s 120 gallons for one month. Hang onto that number for a few moments.

  To figure your actual water usage now, you can simply check your water bill for your monthly total. Don’t be surprised if it works out to 80-100 gallons of water per person per day, 3000 gallons per month for one person and up to 12,000 gallons for a family of four….assuming you don’t water the lawn and forget to turn the hose off for a few hours. That does include flushing toilets, taking showers, brushing teeth, washing hands, washing dishes and laundry, and filling the coffee pot. In other words, the “recommended emergency water supply” for four people for 30 days, is about the same as you alone use in one day. Stated another way, the Federal recommendation is about 100 times LESS than you actually use.

  How exactly did the emergency management agencies come up with their “one gallon per person per day” figure? I’ve tried to track that information to its original source. Best I can determine, they just made it up. That tiny quantity of water is supposed to cover drinking, hygiene, and cooking, too. A recent study demonstrated that the actual minimum used in disaster recovery efforts is closer to 4-7 gallons per person per day, more when the inevitable post-disaster diarrhea occurs. And, in hot weather conditions, 10 gallons per person per day is not unreasonable. At 10 gallons per person per day, for a family of four, that’s 40 gallons per day – 1200 gallons per month.

  For now, consider that 10 gallons per person per day an absolute minimum figure – enough to drink, cook, take a “sponge bath”, and maybe wash your socks or flush once.

  If you have to water a garden or provide for livestock, your usage goes up considerably. One cow will drink, on average, 24 gallons of water a day. Clearly, storing that much water requires enormous holding capacity – multiple containers, ponds, or holding tanks, plus a means to clean the water so that you aren’t introducing disease-causing organisms into your system.

  Collecting Water in Quantity

  Any upturned non porous container will collect useable water every time it rains. Using that concept, people have been placing the humble water barrel underneath any dripping water during rain storms. In fact, even in the terrible desert regions of the Middle East, ancient civilizations channeled their infrequent rainfall into water collectors to hold until they needed it.

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sp; The easiest way to quickly collect water is to set a water barrel or clean plastic trash can beneath a downspout from your home’s rain gutters. Next time it rains, water flows to the gutters, into the downspout and into your barrel. This is not clean water. It will contain bits of roof asphalt gravel unless you have a painted metal or tile roof, bird droppings, bits of leaf or tree branches, feathers, insects, city or country road dust, and other unsavory materials. You must filter and purify this water, just as you would for any stream or river water to drink it.

  A typical water barrel, the kind you can get at hardware stores, or a plastic trash can, can hold 40 to 55 gallons of water. This brings up the next issue: how much water can you collect in your barrel during a rainstorm?

  Let’s say you have a typical 1000 square foot roof. Assume you receive an inch of rain – a mild rain. That means that water one inch deep and 12” x 12” falls on every square foot of roof – or 144 cubic inches of rain per square foot. A gallon is 231 cubic inches of water. So, each square foot of roof collects a little more than a half-gallon of water.

  Therefore, that small roof could potentially deliver over 500 gallons of water, in one rainfall. That would be 10 rain barrels, from one roof during one rain. Of course, realistically not all that rain would be collected. Some bounces off, some washes out of the gutters, and some slops out of the barrel. Even so, that’s enough for a family of four to run for a good week, if you’re being conservative with your usage. A bigger rain, longer duration storm, larger collection area, multiple storms, or more seasonal rain could provide greater quantities of usable water.

  With a larger holding tank, such as the large round white plastic ones sold at farm stores, you could potentially hold anywhere from 500 to 2000 gallons. These come in all shapes, sizes, and materials. The plastic ones generally cost about a dollar per gallon new. Squared off tanks with a metal cage around them can be set in place on a trailer and filled for transport, if you need to. Secure it well, because moving water sloshes and tanks can overturn easily. Stainless steel tanks are more expensive, but will last just about forever. Good used “bulk milk tanks” – stainless steel - can be found for sale around farming communities and at farm auctions.

  Plastic tanks must be shielded from the sun: the water will develop algae if warm and exposed to sunlight, and the plastic will degrade over time from the sun’s ultraviolet rays. Plus, during hard frozen weather, the water can freeze, expand, and rupture it, even in a large metal tank.

  Ideally, then, the tank is either underground or covered with a heavy insulating layer that keeps out light and stabilizes the temperature above freezing. A thick layer of cement, worked in over a metal and wire frame (ferro concrete) can also be used over the insulating layer to shield the tank from light and provide physical protection as well. If going this route, don’t plan to ever move the tank again.

  Tanks that are above ground are easier to access than underground ones. A simple faucet drain near the base lets gravity help feed the outgoing water into a hose, then into a bucket to bring indoors. If the holding tank is placed on a slope above your home, you can pipe the water directly into your plumbing system. All pipes should be well insulated and deep enough that they are below frost lines, which will be significantly deeper during the Little Ice Age ahead of us.

  Many country farms still have old holding tanks, cisterns, next to their kitchens or barns. These cisterns are basically huge thousand gallon underground “thermos bottles”, dug by hand, bricked up, and plastered with a thick water-resistant mortar.

  Water entered from the roof through gutters and down spouts, and a drain hole near the top let excess wash out before it overflowed. A simple hand-pump brought the water right to the kitchen sink. Every couple years, the interior needed to be emptied, dried out, and re-mortared – that was the extent of the maintenance. Unfortunately, over the years too many old cisterns were turned into trash containers, or filled with gravel, or covered and forgotten when electricity and water wells became more common.

  There are similar approaches still in use, with modern plastic or composite tanks buried underground. Incoming water passes through sediment filtration, then into the tank. Excess water can be released through an overflow pipe. A simple electric submersion pump is utilized to bring the water up from the tank – but a hand pump could be used just as readily. If you go with a hand pump, be sure to get REAL leathers – the gasket within the pump; plastic and rubber just don’t work as well. Good ideas, like cisterns, can still be very useful and readily duplicated.

  Downspout Diversion

  When water pours off a roof, particularly after a dry spell, the first

  rain washes off the roof – and flushes dust, leaves, bird droppings, dead bugs, whatever has accumulated over time into the collection system. It’s not possible to remove all possible contaminants, which is why filtering your drinking water is essential no matter what the source, as we have already discussed. However, removing as many possible contaminants as you can makes end-filtering just that much easier, and helps your stored water stay clear.

  A downspout diversion is what it sounds like: any method that permits the first gallons of water off a roof or collection system to flow away from the barrel or container, thus flushing the nasties away. After several gallons have been diverted, the system reverts to filling the container.

  The simplest and least expensive method of water diversion is to move the downspout by hand away from the container – let the water flow to the ground for a few minutes – then move it back to position. Naturally, that means walking out into the rain, with all the nuisance associated with that.

  Inverted “Y” shaped diverters do the same thing simply by moving a lever so water travels out of the holding container or into it. The end result is cleaner water in storage. Remember, it still needs to be purified for human consumption. Pets and livestock can drink it as it is, though.

  Accessing the Water

  In the US, from about 100W longitude to the east coast, adequate rain falls to keep crops and fields going without much in the way of additional watering. From that point to the west coast, rainfall is much less reliable. Right now, farming and at-home water use is mostly handled by pumping groundwater from underground water reserves and above ground dam water impounds.

  Adequate water to raise crops…now. That doesn’t mean that there is always sufficient water. There are wet years and dry years, and sometimes crops and homes are inundated and sometimes they are dusty dry. The whole point of holding water in ponds, cisterns, tanks, and pulling it up from underground reservoirs, is to make the water available when and where you want it.

  When the cold arrives in force, what happens to that previously predictable cycle? It’s likely to change. If our coming Age of Ice is like the Maunder Minimum cold, it’s likely that the northeast and upper central US will be markedly colder and snowier; the west coast wetter and stormier; and the deep south drier and colder. Western Europe is likely to be colder and wetter, with thick ice and deep snow. Indian monsoons may not arrive, and snow appears in unexpected places. Equatorial regions will see snow and frosts. Other currently moderate areas will become terribly dry and may experience unpredictable sudden downpours. In fact, all continents will be severely affected. Some areas, like Alaska, will be milder.

  That change in seasonal behavior becomes a major factor in your water storage, one that is going to require adjustments somewhere down the line that simply cannot be predicted right now. At this time, a thousand gallon plastic tank of water can sit on the ground to supply your needs – but a decade in the future, that tank might freeze solid in October and not thaw out until April. A large full tank or series of smaller tanks in a protected basement might not freeze solid – slushy water is still usable water -- especially if heat from the house is ducted there or if your primary heater is located in the basement. Be creative.

  If you run water pipes through the ground, say, from a holding tank to your home, you may have to locate t
hem significantly deeper than the current “frost line” which is now anywhere from 4 to 6 feet deep in the US. If you place your holding tank in-ground, keep in mind the problem with deep cold. Even in the ground, hundreds of gallons of water can freeze and rupture a tank.

  If you are in a region with heavy snow and ice, your water is right there. You just have to break it up and carry it indoors to warmer temperatures so that it can melt. It will take a LOT of snow to melt down to use for drinking and utility water supplies. A snow and ice filled 5 gallon bucket, for example, melts down to only a few inches of water in the bottom.

  By the way, you don’t necessarily need to melt snow to clean clothing. It is possible to “wash” clothing by placing it on snow and agitating it, by walking over it in clean shoes, for example – no, it doesn’t come out nice and white and fluffy. The agitation loosens grime and the cold allows it to work its way out. Odors are reduced a bit, too. However, underwear and socks should be soak-washed in very hot water. Anything that is next to your skin needs to be kept clean to reduce bacterial risks during long cold winters. It will be a different world than we are accustomed to now.