Power interruptions
Looking at Tehran, Iran (population 17 million), one of the major impacts of electrical power outages will be a huge degradation to the volume and quality of water delivered to customers.
Source vary, but it is estimated that approximately 70% of Tehran's water comes from reservoirs that are at higher elevation than Tehran and are therefore self-pressurizing while the remaining 30% is pumped from wells which requires electricity.
That makes it sound like they shouldn't have any water issues in the event of power interruptions except for the fact that very little rain and snow fell on the mountains that feed water to the reservoirs. As-of March, 2025 it was estimated that the reservoirs were only 15% of full capacity.
Another issue that exacerbates the problem is that the water distribution system is very leaky. Loss of positive pressure allows contaminated water to infiltrate the pipes carrying (nominally clean) water. Boiling water to kill bacteria is a non-starter if a family's only source of cooking heat is an electric hot-plate or stove.
Tehran's issues are very common in third-world, mega-cities: Unbridled development and willful neglect of infrastructure. Lack of A/C might make you uncomfortable but bad water or no water will make you dead.
Back home
It would not be wasted effort to catalog your plans to obtain and conserve water in the event of a prolonged, local power-outage.
In our house we have three toilets with about 2 gallons of potable water in their tanks. We have a 40 gallon water-heater filled with potable water. We have a 55 gallon barrel in the pantry filled with water as well as five, 5-gallon "camping jugs" filled with water. Outside, we have two IBCs with water.
We also have about 1200 square feet of roof with gutters that can be jiggered to refill the IBCs if we were facing a months-long outage. I am not saying we are in great shape because we would have issues in the winter-time but I think we have some breathing room to figure things out.
Regarding conservation
When we are camping in the summer and are near a lake, we budget 5 gallons of potable water per person per day.
Water is one of the most commonly overlooked preparations. A single day's worth of basic calories might weigh a pound-and-a-quarter whereas five gallons of water weighs 40 pounds. Water also requires specialized containers while food can be stored in inexpensive, snap-top plastic containers.
Rain
The five-gallon bucket I left in the middle of the garden tells me that we got exactly 1" of rain last night.
Checking weather stations near The Property suggests that received about the same amount.
I don't have to worry about hauling water until Thursday of next week.
I wonder if modern health codes for well depth are obscuring the fact that usable aquifers often exist much shallower. My garden well hit water at 6 feet down. An unusual gift, makes for lots of options.
ReplyDeleteI like it here,
A little East of Paris
There is much packed into your comments.
DeleteThe standard pump in my part of the country is a 1/2hp, 4" diameter pump with a nominal output of 11 gallons a minute at 40 psi (give or take a little bit). If the well cannot sustain 11 gallons a minute draw-down, then the pump starts sucking air which can cause cavitation issues and potentially cause pitting of the blades. The pump also counts on the water passing by the motor for cooling.
Most commercial well drillers will not consider stopping before they hit a porous layer (gravel or sandstone) that will supply more than the magic 11gpm AND has a static water level that is significantly above where the pump will be suspended within the casing.
All of those complications go out of the window if you use a hand-pump or a windmill.
They get less restrictive if you use a low-volume, DC pump such as you might power with solar panels.
Hand stabbed steel drop pipe and screen (salvaged!) and a 1/2 hp shallow well pump. Draws 6ish amps, could easily run on an extension cord. Just to see if I could, ran off a deep cycle battery and a solar power rated inverter. Did fine ...
DeleteAloP
That 5 gallons is WAY more than needed.
ReplyDeleteYou can get by on about a liter and a half per day where you and I live, if push come to shove. All you REALLY need is enogh water to keep your body going, the rest is for washing/sanitary issues, which are mostly optional if things go pear shaped.
But you NEED that 1.5 liters to be clean and sanitary, which can get difficult if the grid collapses.
I figure in a place like Tehran, the water supply is good for about 4 days, then you have to start to worry if the electricity isn't restored....when the water mains are infiltrated by ground water and the sewers start to back up...then disease becomes an issue
My baseline water budget for walking during the summer is 0.6 liters per hour. I am endowed with genetics that makes me a profuse producer of sweat.
DeleteDepending on the time of year and activity level, 1.5L might be enough or it might be woefully inadequate.
Yeah, but do you really NEED that much water? Even in Desert Storm they didn't drink that much...the recommended intake was about 4 liters per day. . You are in a much more humid climate, cooler (although evaporative cooling/ sweating is less efficient where you are due to the humidity).
DeletePond for me. The oilfield has contaminated the ground water around here to the point that shallow wells aren't really safe without treatment.
ReplyDeleteIf you've got a few acres and a slope (it doesn't take much) you can make a small pond with a tractor and a box blade. Lots of small farmers and ranchers handle it themselves.
In a dense city (like Tehran), lack of running water (and good pressure to reach highrise buildings) will produce a nightmare sanitation scenario in 3 days. Or less.
ReplyDeleteThe north side of Tehran is at least 200 meters higher in elevation than the south side. Highrises not required.
Delete3/4 acre pond about 90 ft from the house. If I had to drink it, I could filter and boil. Certainly adequate for flushing toilets... which was de riguer at the lake cabin of my youth.
ReplyDeleteThere is a bored well, with 6" casing,not currently in use, between house and pond... about 28 ft down to water. In preparation for the Y2K thing that never materialized, I bought a PVC 'well bucket' that can be lowered down to retrieve a couple of gallons per dip. You can purchase a stainless-steel one from Lehman's for upwards of $170, or make your own from PVC, like this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bxKVDjKgYyw
My options for water are 1. a canal with stagnant water about 1/2 mile south of me, not a pleasant thought. 2. River water I would have to travel thru a farmers fields to get to about 1 mile south of me. 3. Hand drill a well about 400 feet, not doable. For me sh** not hitting the fan is the best option.
ReplyDeleteIn the spirit of Keep It Simple Stupid, I'm a big proponent of storing water mostly in gallon jugs for several reasons:
ReplyDelete* they are just plain practical.
* the very old and very young can carry them.
* the average person can grab two in each hand and carry them
much easier than a 5 gallon bucket.
* they can be bought everywhere for about $1 and refilled.
* the gallon size is an instant shower apparatus.
* if you get some milk-crates (college dorm shelves), you can stack
them infinitely.
* you could more easily barter a sealed and labeled jug.
* it's a built in gauge for watering plants.
* they're inconspicuous compared to camping containers.
* Cheap, Easy, Safe, Inconspicuous and Available Everywhere!
Most people take the availability of water for granted...and it's a commodity easily interrupted. I live in the Great Basin desert...water is a big deal here. Such a big deal that I spent more than $80K to put in solar, batteries and a soft start well pump so I can have water when the power is out. Something that is happening more and more frequently. Without water I cannot live in my house. With it I can survive for months.
ReplyDeleteERJ, add to this the fact that with modern technology, there are many cities built in regions that are traditionally deserts or low rainfall areas.
ReplyDeleteAn added benefit to our enforced relocation is that water is far more available all of the year.