Self Sufficient Homesteading
For self-sufficient homesteading, what resource is the most necessary? Water is a must for hydrating and bathing yourself, watering your plants, preparing food, cleaning, and feeding your animals. For those living off the grid, using a water pump - hand- or solar-powered - is the most efficient method, but what factors should you consider in storing and using water?
A backup supply is a necessity for self-sufficient homesteading, and a water storage tank is one of the more efficient approaches for building one. Such a container is made out of high-density food-grade polyethylene and is blue in color to prevent algae buildup inside. Over time, you can add water to the tank, either from your pump or gathered in a rain barrel.
A water storage tank should not be kept near sunlight and needs to be placed on top of a non-porous barrier. Because water expands in winter, only 90 percent of the tank should be filled in colder months to prevent cracking.
Water in a storage tank, however, is still in a raw, or undrinkable, state. Essentially, the water contains microorganisms, debris, and pollutants that may be harmful. To be drinkable, the water needs to be purified and filtered. In non-emergencies, the water can be boiled for three minutes and then cooled before it is usable. This approach for purification, on the other hand, requires cooking equipment and fuel. The water can be purified with chemicals, such as chlorine and iodine, but this method poses a significant hazard. If too much chlorine is added, the water becomes poisonous.
Water can also be purified with ultraviolet light. A portable option, ultraviolet light purification involves adding the water to a chamber, where it swirls around a high-output, low-pressure mercury vapor lamp. The light sterilizes any microorganisms and prevents them from reproducing.
Purification only removes microorganisms, and pollutants and other debris still remain in the water. To remove them, a filter - preferably a two-part device - needs to be used. Ceramic, glass fibers, and hard-block carbon are all options for removing pollutants and chemicals. Because of small pore size, ceramic is best for long-term effective filtration, while glass fibers can be used short term. Hard-block carbon makes an ideal secondary filter to fully remove dirt, chemicals, and other substances.
