Replenishing Your Water Storage

While frequently helping individuals and families set up their emergency drinking water storage, one of the most repeated tips that surfaces is that their water storage should be routinely rotated or replenished within a six to twelve-month period. For many, this comes as an unwelcomed surprise, as if water should just be able to set there for 20 years without any problems!

This brief article offers three points for routinely replenishing existing emergency drinking water storage. It was written for those who already have a basic understanding of sound practices in storing drinking water.

55 Gallon Tamper Proof Lid

Security & Quality

Replenishing your water storage within a six to twelve month period ensures that the integrity of that water remains complete and that no unwanted influences have compromised the container or the immediate storage environment.

Some authors recommend accessing the water itself and simply closing it back up if all appears alright, but I disagree. The second that the stored water is re-introduced to an outside environment such as air, tools, or hands, the potential for contamination is a done-deal. Sterile technique outside of a lab is impossible which is why I recommend using tamper-proof caps after each replenishing session. This ensures a quick visual evaluation of tampering and compromise. Rest assured, if your technique was appropriate while putting the water into storage, routine replenishing and repeated form will ensure continued success. I also recommend writing the date of storage on each tamper-proof cap as a universal reference point.

The quality of the water is always affected by appropriate storage conditions:

• Using appropriate sources of water (U.S. tap water approved for drinking is a minimum)
• Using virgin (new & unused) containers approved for water storage
• Appropriate water preservative considering container & environment
• Proper filling & sealing techniques
• Out of direct sunlight
• Away from exposure to extreme temperatures

For those individuals who would rather add more preservative to the water within the replenishing time-frame, I suggest that you do the following (at your own risk of course):

1. Minimize access to outside environments and factors such as winds, dust, chemicals, tools, etc.
2. Operate in a clean environment:
   1. Clean hands, tools, sanitizing solution appropriate for contact with drinking water storage
   2. Perform a visual inspection of critical areas:
      1. Caps, gaskets, access points, container, storage location, supports, covers, etc.
      2. Once you’ve determined that you wanna take a shortcut, clean each critical area before re-storing your water.

Optimize Resources

Replenishing your water storage within a six to twelve month period also ensures that your water, container(s), and tools, are kept in optimum operating conditions. Successful bakers, chefs, mechanics, soldiers, and healthcare practitioners function best when their tools are in ideal shape…the same is true for you and for me.

Optimizing the lifespan of our resources is valuable because it saves us money long-term. I am consistently surprised at would-be home economists who brag about their ability to “prep on the cheap.” I agree that frugality should be practiced but not at the expense of becoming CHEAP! By cheap, I mean the practice spending a little money to buy as many products of inferior quality as possible than in spending more money to buy better or best quality products which likely will not need to be replaced. Those who act cheap cannot appreciate terms such as craftsmanship, lifetime manufacturer warranty, or even conduct real cost analyses! How to conduct a practical cost analysis will be the subject of a separate post.

In order to make the most of your resources, pursue these practices:

• Read the instructions & owner’s manual!
• Understand how to appropriately use your product
• Understand your product’s limitations
• Learn how to maintain your product in ideal operating condition
• Gather information and feedback from others who parallel you & your use of the product
• Contact the dealer/manufacturer for product support
• Establish a routine to maintain your product

Routine of Integrity

Properly maintaining your resources is a fundamental behavior that optimizes the life span of your tools (in this case water), refreshes your operating knowledge base (where & when to access it), and promotes improvisation when access to familiar resources is cut-off (alternative access to water & water filtration/purification). Habit is a synonym for the word routine, and denotes behaviors or customs that develop with repeated application. In this case, the habit or routine of integrity is a function of reviewing your water storage and making adjustments to ensure its optimum availability.

Within the context of establishing a routine, here are some personal steps that I take in my routine:

• Monthly visual inspection
• Routine cleaning of storage area
• Routinely adding to the water storage where possible
• For the last couple of months leading up to replenishment, I use the remaining water or place it into smaller containers for use within an appropriate time-frame.

-David SafeWater

SOS: Thoughts on Italy’s Costa Concordia’s Capsizing

The tragedy in Italy this weekend has definitely shaken many individuals who will be traveling on cruise ships, no doubt. While we are awaiting the causative details of this tragedy, we already know that Captain Francesco Schettino had deviated from the ship’s charted course. Five fatalities are the current count as of this writing, with many more injured amongst the 4,000 passengers and crew. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of those whose hearts are grief-stricken from this event.

I, for one, have been curious since the unfolding of this accident, as to how one might be prepared for having to abandon ship? What should I consider in such an event and what kinds of unique supplies would enhance my EDC on a cruise? Here are the main points of what I have found, but please continue your studies to fit other potential situations:

1. Be sure to have the appropriate PFD (Personal Flotation Device) secured & worn properly.
2. Be sure to have an EPIRB (Emergency Positioning Indicator Radio Beacon) with you whenever you’re out on open waters, and activate it immediately when abandoning ship is imminent.
3. Grab the “ditch-bag” if possible, as well as any other flotsam (potentially useful objects) before evacuating, if possible…i.e. fresh water/filter/purifier
4. Secure a safe distance from the sinking vessel within a life-raft/dinghy.
5. Assist other victims as possible.
6. Maintain calm & gather available resources. This includes provisions & means of shelter to reduce exposure to the elements.
7. If with others, establish clear communication & priorities.
8. Assess & continually reassess provisions, situation, & opportunities.
9. Don’t lose hope, maintain morale.

• Abandoning Ship Procedural Recommendations
• Advice for your “Abandon Ship Bag”
• Distress Signals
• How to Abandon Ship
• What to do if your ship capsizes?

navcen.uscg.gov

-TBG

Cleaning the Waters of Information

Recently, I read an article on a blogger’s site that mentioned the Berkey® Water Purification and Seychelle® filtration systems, as well as another filtration system. Some points in that article that need clarification, especially since such generalities as stated in that article are lacking in reason and practicality. It is vital for individuals to offer information that is clear and practical, especially to the communities whose interests we share. When critics publicly address the Berkey®  Systems, it is only fair to respond in a similar fashion. We hold a vested interest in providing correct information, especially when implications murky the water, directly/indirectly. The bullet points are direct quotes from the article. Our responses follow the bullet points.

• Having an abundance of water available for future challenges is meaningless without having reliable methods of water filtration for any of that water you’d use…

Personally, I have quite a bit of emergency water on-hand and this statement is a generality that is simply untrue. Having lots of water is not meaningless. Even if you only had pool water available (which should not be used for drinking water), that amount of water is absolutely useful and valuable for other applications such as washing clothes, dishes, rinsing surfaces, etc.

I store my drinking water in 55 gallon containers that are unused. I purchased them new from a wholesaler who buys directly from the manufacturer, Contico. Although I pre-treat the stored water, I know that the water will be safe to drink even if I am unable to use my Berkey® systems to optimize the water.

• Test results need to identify the initial baseline of invaders before its results can be relied on.

Let’s address bacteria as the author makes specific reference to this in her example. A common misconception held by many individuals is that all bacteria are “bad”. Pathogenic (illness-causing) bacteria and microorganisms are the “invaders” that you want to avoid in your water, food, and simple day-to-day living. The presence of coliform bacteria in your water source is not a fail-safe indicator of pathogens.

Routine testing methods emphasize the testing for indicator rather than pathogenic microbes. In fact, lab testing generally relies on the presence of indicator organisms (organisms whose presence might indicate the presence of pathogenic bacteria as well) to suggest the presence of pathogens. Even so, if the counts of indicator organisms are low, that indicates a low to non-present likelihood of disease-causing bacteria in the sample. By the way, bacteria are usually on the scale of millions and not hundreds.

The author then references her experience with a Berkey® representative and states that he kept referring to the red food coloring test. The manufacturer New Millennium Concepts, Ltd., specifically uses the red food coloring test because of the unique ability of their systems to remove the red color from the water, whereas no other system that compares itself directly with the Berkey® is able to do the same. The red food coloring also assists users to determine whether their Black Berkey® Elements are functioning properly or need replacement.

Berkey® Water Purification Systems have been a well-known brand within this category for more than a decade and have used the term “non-detectable levels” since their start. Lab data has been referenced by the manufacturer for many years now, although many newcomers are just now becoming informed.

• Avoid any water filtration unit which uses the term “up to” as a part of its marketing and technology content.

Again, an inaccurate reference is made here. Berkey® Systems make specific mention to “pathogenic bacteria, cysts, and parasites” and do so specifically: >99.9999%. The bundling of the Berkey® Systems in with statements of other manufacturers is inaccurate, misrepresentative, and misleading. And for those who have suffered a “miserable recovery from a digestive illness,” please research Louis Pasteur’s words in context to your illness: “Bernard avait raison. Le germ n’est rien, c’est le terrain qui est tout.” Translation from French: “Bernard was correct. The germ is nothing; the terrain is everything.”

• The filtration and treatment tests must take into consideration the SIZE of the invaders they are attempting to eliminate.

Personally, I like New Millennium’s statement (link paragraph titled “What is the Micron Rating of the Black Berkey^® purification elements?”) on this particular point, made a few years ago:

With respect to the micron rating, we do not use or publish a micron rating for the Black Berkey^® elements for the following reasons:

There is much confusion with respect to nominal and absolute micron ratings. An absolute micron rating is one that states the maximum pore size expected within an element.  The nominal micron rating is the average pore size within the element. This means that if 90% of the pores are .02 microns and ten percent are 2.0 microns, one could claim the nominal micron rating as 0.2 microns, which would imply that pathogenic bacteria and parasites would be totally removed.  But in reality the bulk of the water would channel through the larger 2-micron pores and thereby allow both bacteria and parasites to pass through. Therefore a nominal micron-rating claim can be very misleading.

With respect to the absolute micron rating, there is also confusion because there are two different standards to determine absolute; in the US the standard is 99.9% removal, but the international standard in 99.99% removal or 10 times greater removal.

Clever marketers of products can use the confusion over the above differences to make product “A” appear to be better than product “B” when product B may be far superior in reality. For example, we used to report an absolute rating using the international standard because we have a large international customer base.  Several years ago we published a rating on our ceramic filters.  A particular company began to publish that our elements were .9 microns whereas theirs were .2 microns. However, our micron rating was based on absolute (international) while theirs was based on a nominal (US) rating.  When tested at Spectrum Labs, it was found that at the 0.2 to 0.3 microns range our filter removed more particulate than the other brand. Unfortunately, many people make their purchasing decisions based on a micron rating that can be legitimately distorted and to a significant degree.

We soon became weary of trying to explain the above to our customers and so we decided not to participate any longer in publishing a micron rating.  Rather, we think an absolute pathogenic bacteria removal rate is a far better gauge because it is far more difficult to abuse.  Based on that criterion, the Black Berkey^® elements remove greater than 99.9999999% of pathogenic bacteria such as E.coli. To our knowledge, no other personal filtration element can match that capability. In fact, the Black Berkey^® elements are so powerful, they are unique in their ability to mechanically remove red food coloring from water.

• Sure it cleans the water, but how long do I have to wait?! It’s all about the contact time.

It is no revelation that contact time is one of the key operating principles behind the success of the Black Berkey® Purification Elements! Of course, the proprietary media which is impregnated into the coconut-shell carbon of the Black Elements is also at work in addressing the contaminants, as well as the amount of carbon used in the elements themselves.

We’re definitely looking forward to reading the second part of that author’s post.

-TBG

Featured Post: “EPA Study: Ground Water Contamination “Consistent With” Fracking”

West Virginia’s The State Journal published a story today that you should read and share with others. You might be familiar with news articles discussing the debate on hydraulic fracturing or “fracking.” Fracking is controversial because of the risk it poses to supplies of water. The issue is really that simple.

The trickiest parts for us to decipher in all of these arguments, are tainted by both sides of the spectrum of this debate. On one hand, you have companies such as Chesapeake Energy who promote the practice because of their for-profit existence, citing safe practices and employing subtle and persuasive language. Even

On the opposing hand, you have public organizations and governmental departments such as New York’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). I commend them for issuing the following statement on their website, in specific regard to fracking in the Catskill and Delaware watersheds:

This area [Catskill and Delaware watersheds] is also underlain by relatively thick sections of the Marcellus shale that is targeted for natural gas development. Natural gas development at the rates and densities observed in comparable formations will be accompanied by a level of industrial activity and heightened risk of water quality contamination that is inconsistent with the goals and expectations for an unfiltered water supply system. While DEP is mindful of the potential economic opportunity that this represents for the State, hydraulic fracturing poses an unacceptable threat to the unfiltered water supply of nine million New Yorkers and cannot safely be permitted with the New York City watershed.

I strongly urge anyone interested in exploring the issue further to watch the movie by Josh Fox, titled Gasland. (Link will take you to watch the movie trailer).

Do not get lost in the debate that the Executive Director, Nicholas “Corky” DeMarco, of West Virginia Oil and Natural Gas Association offers on the matter. He follows in the same pattern that other execs display in representing their companies. They seek to divert attention and distract from the primary issues which are evident in the data presented against them. For example, DeMarco defers to a colleague’s comments in order to cast doubt on the credibility of contamination:

“He said they don’t have aquifers, they have pockets where water collects…Here in the Kanawha Valley, everybody’s well is generally in the same aquifer.  His explanation to me was that there, water pools up in pockets rather than in one formation that might go on for miles and miles and miles. Wells could be in totally different pockets.”

Furthermore, similar statements calculated to discredit the EPA’s findings were mentioned by Encana Oil and Gas. Please take the time to visit and read Pam Kasey’s article, available by clicking HERE.

-TBG

Welcome to Subscribers of KeeperoftheHome.org!

We are pleased to support Stephanie @ Keeperofthehome.org in spreading the word about Berkey Water Purification Systems, such as the Sport Berkey Portable Water Purification System. She’s giving (2) Sport Berkey Portable Water Purification Bottles away (they’ve got filters inside) to the (2) lucky winners that she chooses. Click HERE for more details.

All too often, clean drinking water is taken for granted. The water flowing from your tap may not be the ideal for your health or the health of your loved ones.

I always recommend knowing what is in your water supply. This is public information and unfortunately, most residents are unaware that water quality reports are available to the public which it serves.

Did you know that water utilities must test their water processes and facilities several times an hour? Even so, boil alerts are constantly occurring throughout the U.S. alone!

Be sure to ensure that your emergency drinking water supply is:

• replenished every 6-12 months
• strategically placed, and
• readily accessible

Minimum daily requirements to maintain adequate hydration levels for an adult is approximately 64 ounces or 1/2 gallon of water a day. In general, an adult should be consuming 1/2 gallon of water a day. A portion of the daily water content can be consumed via fruits and vegetables, as well as juice and other foods. Individual requirements may vary, so please consult your local healthcare practitioner for specific advice.

Stephanie has great resources available on her site…for FREE! Access them HERE.

-The Berkey Guy

Floridians Still Dealing with Toxic Algae

Similer Toxic Algae was found in Northern California.

Apparently, clean drinking water is not as readily available as many assume. You know, we regularly receive orders and phone calls from Florida residents because their water is less than desirable. The image to the left is an example of toxic algae that was found in the water at the Iron Gate Reservoir, about 5 miles south of the Oregon-California border.

If you get a chance, please read the article posted today an attorney at Earthjustice. The original article can be found here: Nauseating Toxica Algae Outbreak a Grim Reminder.

It might surprise many Americans to know that even within our great nation clean water is not enjoyed by all, even within established cities and towns. It is very, very disappointing. It is readily assumed that all the taxes that we pay would naturally support infrastructure to secure WATER!

So, aside from the fact that a Berkey System would come in handy here, we all have a vested interest to be informed of our local water supplies and the quality of the water they produce for our consumption. I am not suggesting that you need to become a regular at town/city hall meetings, but what would it hurt to get involved?

Seriously, one of the biggest motivating factors to change comes from us: regular tax-paying citizens who won’t accept sub-par performance from elected officials and public service providers. Our political persuasions do not matter. Our views on the 2nd amendment don’t come into play when we-as communities-collaborate to ensure we have clean, readily-accessible water from our water utilities.

Please do your part. For yourself. For the Future.

-The Berkey Guy

Bullets and Beans: Consideration of Priority & Being Practical

Facts & motives are powerful catalysts to action and must be weighted in moderation.

Over the years, customers call in and ask some interesting questions. An infrequent question recently surfaced when I had a conversation with an individual who decided to pick my brain about almost all-things-preparation. To paraphrase her question, she asked, “I have a 72 hour kit and because I live in [in a densely populated U.S. metropolis] I think I really need a gun…what do you recommend?” Here are some of our thoughts with respect to setting priority in steps toward greater self-reliance. My recommendations can be summed up in one word: Practicality.

It is too easy to get side-tracked in our preps when there are so many areas that seem appealing and meritorious of highest priority status. Newbies and old-timers alike can easily find themselves concentrating in many areas of detail such as:

• Should I raise a Barnevelder or Brahma variety of chickens?
• Should I start off with a handgun, rifle, or shotgun?
• What are the criteria I should employ in choosing a brand of colloidal silver?

To avoid this analysis-paralysis one must remain focused and concentrate on building the basics. There is the idea of utilitarianism which essentially declares: do the greatest amount of good for the greatest amount of people. In the particular case of the individual I spoke with, what was most practical for her and that which would accomplish the greatest good was working on her food and water storages. She, like many, was lacking in her practical preps. In her mind, she was most concerned about the first 72 hours post-incident. She anticipated that those 72 hours might require the use of a firearm for protection from looters and vandals. Indeed, I don’t discredit the manifest potential of her scenario, but ultimately, bullets aren’t beans. In other words, hydration, energy, & nutrition are life-sustaining priorities that will provide the stability and foundation, upon which she can progress to personal/group safety considerations.

I know an individual who is intent upon improving his marksmanship in close-quarter combat as well as “reaching out to touch someone.” No problem. Range time is fun. However,he has no medical preparations, horrible social skills, and lives in a crowded apartment building. For him, one practical need is to become more sociable and learn to interact with others, so he can create & strengthen his support network. The support network is the second-point of emphasis that I shared with my friend during our conversation. It is completely do-able and necessary for individuals to strengthen ties & relationships with trusted & like-minded individuals whose interests are shared. While you are building your supplies and hardware inventories and learning self-reliant skills, specialization in interpersonal communication and conflict resolution/negotiations is an ability that is priceless. It can be learned and improved upon no matter your degree of experience and comfort level. Individuals who develop these skills are able to understand human behavior much better and are in a powerful position to act appropriately with/without weapons training & availability.

Beans represent food.

In the interest of time & to keep this post short, I offer this summary. Bullets (security measures) prove valuable in hunting, defense, and offense. Beans (food) sustain life and are the fuel to simple survival and being able to weather the storm during a sustained power outage. Get your beans & then your bullets, or get them both together.

-The Berkey Guy

Please share your thoughts & feedback in our comments section below. Also, feel free to Like Us on Facebook, Follow Us on Twitter, and share your thoughts on the blog.

Water Purification Systems

It seems natural disasters are commanding the headlines more and more these days, and one message comes through loud and clear: it is critical for your family’s safety and well being that you are prepared in the event of flood, fire, earthquake, or any of the other challenges Mother Nature likes to throw our way.  While the importance of clean water is generally understood, many people don’t realize how hard it can be to get access to potable water in the wake of a disaster.  Water purification systems such as those from Directive21 can provide a source of clean, safe drinking water, even when water pressure and electricity are not available.

To be effective in an emergency, a water purification system should be compact, rugged, and easy to use.  A system meant for emergency use should be scaled according to your needs – one that can provide enough drinking water for your entire family is important.  At Directive21.com, we have water purification systems with 2 and 4 elements.  A 2 element system can process over 4 gallons of water per hour, providing clean safe water for everyone in your household.

Critical Thinking: 4 Food Storage Principles

Well, whatever the reason behind your interest in food storage, make sure to follow these four basic principles for storing food short-term & long-term: S.A.V.E.

1. Store foods that you like & eat regularly.
2. Add fresh fruits, vegetables, meats, if possible.
3. Variety of food choices within your storage enhances the experience of using it.
4. Educate & Evaluate the specific needs you/your family has in terms of nutritional intake needs (calories, carbs, vitamins, essential fats/oils, sugars, etc.), potential dietary restrictions/allergies/intolerances, preferences, and other factors unique to your situation.

#1 Store foods that you like & Eat regularly.

In-N-Out Double Double Animal Style

I wonder if an In-N-Out Double Double could be dehydrated or freeze-dried for long term storage? But seriously, so many families bulk up on wheat, beans, rice, and oatmeal, thinking that they will magically concoct recipes without having previously practiced and perfected cooking from scratch! Do not make this mistake. You should only store those foods that you will enjoy eating and that you are familiar with before having to consume them. This point dove-tails with #3, but onto point #2.

#2 Add fresh fruits, vegetables, meats, if possible.

Another mistake many make is to plan using their dehydrated/freeze-dried food as their primary source of the body’s energy & nutrients. Although high-quality food storage will possess properties of nutrition and taste good, it is crucial that fresh fruits & vegetables be available if at all possible. Fruit & vegetables that have been canned at home or preserved properly can be included in this point. This suggests that possessing gardening/canning skills will benefit all whose friend the gardener/canning expert is. Fresh meat will obviously have to be obtained from hunting…another skill that is not so easy as to “shoot, clean, & cook.”

#3 Variety of food choices…enhances the experience…

There is something to be said about the need for variety, especially if you have a finicky spouse, teenagers, or young children…or if you’re the picky eater! Besides the fact that a variety of foods ensures solid nutritional content, the psychology of a situation where food storage is required can involve mental/emotional stressors that will impact the situation in a tangible way. Also, morale improves when “the same old thing” doesn’t have to be eaten with reluctance and resentment. Because the eating of good food can prove an enjoyable experience to the senses & sociality, the converse is also true: “bad meals” can make people upset, create a psychological barrier to consciously maintaining health, and create unnecessary waste of precious resources.

The best plans are those which are properly made before-hand.

#4 Educate & Evaluate the specific needs you/your family has…

Continually striving to educate yourself & evaluate the specific needs for your particular situation, ensures a personalized plan that will enhance the health and well-being of your family. It is very important to be fully aware of any food allergies or intolerances an individual(s)  may have before preparing food supplies. An individual with allergies to honey might benefit from using Stevia as a sweetener or brown sugar. Perhaps this same individual demonstrates no allergy to baked bread that used honey as an ingredient prior to being baked. The key here is being informed and taking a proactive role in educating and evaluating the specific needs of your situation.

Berkey Light™ Purification for your Well Water

Many people contact us and ask us if the Berkey water purification systems are strong enough to purify water from their wells? One customer from Florida provides that answer herself, check it out:

Hi Jeff,

We have iron-y and sulphur-y well water and I am filtering it with the Berkey. It is pretty ‘dirty’… What do you think?

OMG [my Berkey Light makes] a WOLRD of difference. Before it tastes like iron or sulphurish and after, it is just…pure, clean, crisp,…My mom HATES water, always has, but she loves this and is glad I got it for her.

(I want to cover up the top part, people freak when they see it, lolol).

Thanks! LOVE IT!

D.B. from Florida

Here are the photos-of her Berkey Light™ in action- that she has graciously provided...

Also of note, Providence, Rhode Island will be experiencing some challenges with its public water supply this summer because of old water lines. The effluent water  from the lines will be discolored due to iron and sediment. Cloudiness of the water is known as turbidity. Things are really telling when public water utilities give you a “heads up” of what’s to come. Read the original article here.