On 09/11/2011 05:40 AM, aemeijers wrote:
On 9/10/2011 11:58 PM, Robert Neville wrote:
wrote:

After the last 4-day power outage, I've been looking off and on for some
semi-potable water rated jerry cans, to store 20 or 30 gallons in
basement to bathe and flush toilets with.

We keep a 50 gallon tank in the garage. Screwed a valve in the bottom for
filling smaller containers.

http://www.tank-depot.com/productdet...t=CRMI-50VTFWG


That is a possibility, I guess, but I would have to rig a stand in the
basement, and a way to fill it. (Maybe a tee on cold side of washer fill
hose?) No room in my garage, and while my garage seldom freezes hard
(since so much heat leaks from house and hot engine blocks), it does
sometimes freeze hard enough that the water bottles in the cars get
frozen. No way could I get that down my basement stairs if it was full.
I was looking for portable cans, since I know I can carry five gallons
at a time, and could use one container at a time carried upstairs to
bathroom, and pour directly into toilet or stoppered sink as needed. But
I may have to be more flexible in my plans.


Alternate idea - at my last house the PO's had above ground cisterns on
each of the two downspouts. could you divert rain water into something?
NB: you need good, sealed screens on them or they will turn into a
breeding ground for mosquitoes, and also tree leaves etc. will get in
and steep and turn the water nasty. I don't know that I would drink
rainwater either, although obviously if it is the only thing available...

The primary purpose of those cisterns was to provide water for gardens
in dry periods and also provide water for washing cars etc. but I don't
see why you couldn't use them to fill a bucket to flush a toilet...

nate

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