Rainfall Collection Techniques Website

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If Y2K takes out water-processing plants via their embedded chips, or if electricity fails leaving pumping stations idle, thirst will rapidly become an issue for anyone without a nearby well. With an appropriate filter most groundwater sources, such as rivers, lakes and streams, can be utilized. However, transporting all the water needed may become problematic for any of a number of reasons. If you live in an area that gets at least thirty inches of rainfall, spread more or less evenly over the course of a year, getting needed water from runoff may be practical, and won't require leaving home on a regular basis to obtain it.

Here's an excellent site run by the Montana U. on rainwater collection: Rainwater Harvesting Systems

Note that most roofs covered with composite shingles do deteriorate over time, and can contribute particulates of fiberglass and other undesirable material. Bird droppings are also a hazard. For these reasons consider any roof runoof as an unknown, and treat/filter accordingly.

Best of luck.

P.S. Hope this post passes muster with the forum cops better than my first post a few days ago did. I've already decided that I'm never again going to reply to flames of any kind, it's a waste of time and we don't have that much time left.

-- belief (b@,.,), March 07, 1999

Answers

Good site..Thanks

-- Mike Lang (webflier@erols.com), March 07, 1999.

Oooh! thanks Belief. Scanned over the site and it looks pretty thorough and good.

"If Y2K takes out water-processing plants via their embedded chips, or if electricity fails leaving pumping stations idle, thirst will rapidly become an issue for anyone without a nearby well."

It's not so much that I'm afraid that my water will stop running out of my faucet, but what will be in the water coming out of it.

I'm worried that Y2K glitches will cause dumpings of chemicals in excess, such as fluoride, chlorine etc., and sewage run offs etc. I've just learned this week that fluoride will not be filtered out from charcoal filters.

I figure that with rainwater I'll be safer, at least during the first month or so, until we can determine with certainty that the water from public utilities is safe.

BTW, I'm thinking that I should also add a water testing kit to my prep tool kit.

-- Chris (catsy@pond.com), March 07, 1999.


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