PLANNING STANDARD: FEMA minimum = 1 gal/person/day. Jones standard (Provident Prepper) = 2 gal/person/day โ realistic for drinking, food prep, and basic hygiene combined. In hot weather or with physical labor, Lundin (When All Hell Breaks Loose) recommends 3 gal/person/day minimum for arid or high-exertion conditions. This module uses 2 gal/person/day as baseline; adjust upward for climate and workload. Document every source: type, location by bearing and distance from reference (not GPS), yield, seasonal reliability, contamination risks, and treatment required.
SOURCE HIERARCHY (Rawles, TEOTWAWKI): Identify primary, secondary, AND tertiary sources before a crisis โ grid-down water will be contested. Priority ranking: (1) Gravity-fed springwater โ no power required, low maintenance, lowest contamination risk; (2) Well water with hand pump or bucket โ grid-powered pumps fail with the grid; (3) Surface water (stream, river, pond) โ requires treatment; (4) Rainwater harvest; (5) Open water of last resort. A well with a grid-powered pump and no backup hand pump or torpedo bucket is NOT a reliable resource in a long-term grid-down event.
WELL TORPEDO / BULLET BUCKET (Rawles): For modern small-diameter wells (4โ6" casing) more than 20 ft deep. Construct from PVC pipe (3" pipe for 4" casing; 4" pipe for 6" casing), 4โ5 ft length. Top cap: drill center hole, insert threaded eyebolt with lock nut, attach sturdy nylon rope. Bottom cap: drill center hole, install foot valve (flapper opens when floating, closes when raised โ verify orientation). Use PVC cement on caps. Lower, fill, raise โ valve seals water in tube. NOTE: remove existing pump, wiring, and draw pipe before use. Commercial versions available at ReadyMadeResources.com and Lehmans.com. Source: Rawles, TEOTWAWKI.
SOURCE INDICATORS (FM 3-05.70): Animal trails converge on water; birds fly fast and low at dawn/dusk toward water holes; dew collects on grass before sunrise; green vegetation in arid terrain marks subsurface moisture.
BODY WATER PHYSIOLOGY (Lundin, WAHBL): Water is ~65% of a young adult's body weight, dropping with age: infants 73%, young adults 65%, ages 40โ60 = 47โ55%, after 60 = 45โ50%. A person at rest loses 2โ2.5 quarts of water per day through respiration, insensible perspiration, urine, and digestion. In extreme heat, sweat rate can exceed 1 gallon per hour โ making the standard 1 gal/day recommendation dangerously inadequate in hot climates. Every quart of sweat lost raises heart rate ~8 beats/min and stresses the cardiovascular system. Losing just 2% of body weight in water degrades judgment by 25%; at 100ยฐF, add another 25% โ totaling half normal capacity before severe symptoms appear.
THIRST IS NEVER A VALID HYDRATION INDICATOR. Thirst appears only when the body is already 1โ1.5 quarts low, and eventually the thirst mechanism stops working entirely. Primary indicator: urine color. Maximally hydrated urine is clear. Secondary indicators: frequency and volume. B vitamins and some medications will color urine regardless of hydration status.
INVOLUNTARY DEHYDRATION (Lundin): Military studies confirm that even when abundant water is available, personnel operating in hot conditions will NOT drink enough to stay hydrated unless forced to. Assign someone the explicit job of monitoring and enforcing drinking schedules. Watch elderly, children, and infants โ they are highest risk and least likely to self-report.
DEHYDRATION SIGNS โ EARLY/MILD: Headache ยท irritability ยท dizziness ยท excessive thirst ยท nausea ยท dry mouth/cracked lips ยท mild confusion ยท fatigue ยท decreased/dark urine ยท muscle weakness ยท flushed dry skin. SEVERE: Extreme thirst ยท very dry mouth and skin ยท severe confusion/disorientation ยท muscle cramping (arms, legs, back, stomach) ยท lack of sweating ยท convulsions ยท fainting ยท bloated stomach ยท heart failure ยท sunken eyes ยท rapid/deep breathing ยท low blood pressure ยท rapid/weak pulse ยท delirium, unconsciousness, death.
ORAL REHYDRATION SOLUTION (Lundin) โ for sick patients, severe dehydration, vomiting/diarrhea: ยฝ tsp salt + ยฝ tsp baking soda + 3 tbsp sugar per 1 quart of potable water. Measure accurately โ wrong ratios can worsen condition. For routine hydration, plain water is always preferred first.
CRITICAL: Cryptosporidium is resistant to chemical disinfectants (chlorine, iodine, permanganate). Effective methods: boiling, WAPI/Pasteurization (149ยฐF/65ยฐC), UV SteriPen/UV-C, or a microfilter (0.1โ0.2 micron). Do not rely on chemical treatment alone if Crypto is suspected. After chemical treatment, water should smell faintly of chlorine โ if not, re-treat. Source: FM 3-05.70, Murdock, Lundin (WAHBL), EPA NSF/ANSI Std 55.
| Filter Type | Pore Size | Protozoa (Crypto, Giardia) | Bacteria | Viruses | Chemicals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Microfiltration | 0.1 micron | Very High | Very High | Not Effective | Not Effective |
| Ultrafiltration | 0.01 micron | Very High | Very High | Moderate | Low |
| Nanofiltration | 0.001 micron | Very High | Very High | Very High | Moderate |
| Reverse Osmosis | <0.001 micron | Very High | Very High | Very High | High |
Know what you're defending against. Source identification is the first step โ match pathogen risk to treatment method. Crypto resistance to chemicals is the most common fatal assumption in field water treatment. Source: FM 3-05.70 Ch.6.
WATER TRANSPORT PLANNING (Rawles, TEOTWAWKI): Plan for hauling water without vehicle fuel. A 2-wheel garden cart or bicycle cargo trailer with foam-filled or Slimed (flat-proof) tires provides the most practical solution. Load 5- or 6-gallon food-grade buckets โ each filled bucket weighs approximately 42 lbs. Minimum cart/trailer capacity: 200 lbs (4โ5 buckets). On flat terrain, two healthy adults can push or pull a loaded cart ~1/4 to 1/2 mile before significant fatigue. Plan for a security detail on water runs in degraded environments โ water sources will be contested. Pre-position containers and haul routes before crisis. Store jerry cans, 5-gal buckets, and rope at each cache point.
The leading cause of illness and death after disasters is inadequate sanitation, poor hygiene, and contaminated water โ more people die post-disaster from poor sanitation than during the initial event. Cholera, typhoid, and dysentery are direct results. (Haiti 2010: 8,200 killed and 370,000 hospitalized from cholera alone.) Fixed installations must be downhill and downwind from all water sources and sleeping areas. Minimum field standard: cat holes 200+ ft from any water source, 6โ8 inches deep, covered immediately. Pit latrines (anaerobic pit, NOT composting): site 100+ ft from any water source; relocate when 2/3 full; abandoned pit requires 2+ years before any soil reuse โ never use pit latrine soil for food gardens (anaerobic decomposition does not reliably kill pathogens; deep-rooted non-food trees only after extended rest). Source: Jones (Provident Prepper), CDC/WHO field sanitation guidelines.
Thermophilic composting is the only low-tech method that reliably destroys all human pathogens โ including Giardia, Cryptosporidium, Salmonella, cholera, typhoid, and intestinal parasites. The microbes do the work; your job is to feed them correctly. Source: Jenkins, Humanure Handbook 4th Ed.
| Temperature | Duration Required | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 149ยฐF (65ยฐC) | Minutes | All pathogens destroyed โ no exceptions |
| 143.6ยฐF (62ยฐC) | 1 hour | Complete pathogen destruction |
| 131ยฐF (55ยฐC) | 3 days (EPA Class A, aerated pile) | EPA Class A โ safe for food gardens |
| 122ยฐF (50ยฐC) | 1 day / 24 hours | All pathogens destroyed per research consensus |
| 114.8ยฐF (46ยฐC) | 1 week | Effective but slower โ thermometer required |
| 109.4ยฐF (43ยฐC) | 1 month | Marginal โ use only if higher temps not achievable |
| Below 104ยฐF (40ยฐC) | 1+ year curing | Non-thermophilic โ rely on 1-year aging + microbial competition only |
Toilet interior: Fine, moist sawdust (from tree cutting, not kiln-dried shavings). If dry, wet it and let it biologically reactivate before use.
Bin cover: Straw, hay, leaves, grasses, weeds โ any clean plant-source material. Must be 100% covering all deposits. If you smell anything, add more cover.
Do not cover bins with completely waterproof material โ some moisture exchange is needed.
An above-ground pile open at bottom to soil has adequate oxygen. Do not compact or compress the pile.
Add food scraps, kitchen waste, and organic matter freely โ the more diverse the feedstock, the richer the microbial community and the better the compost.
Minimum 2-bin system: Fill Bin 1 for one full year, then leave alone while filling Bin 2. After Bin 2 fills, empty Bin 1 โ which has now aged ~1 year minimum. Never rush this cycle. Immature compost produces phytotoxins toxic to plants and may contain surviving worm eggs. Curing period adds safety net beyond thermophilic kill. Standard family bin size: 5 ft ร 5 ft ร 4 ft high. Can be built from 4 wood pallets in 10 minutes. Position on soil, not concrete.
| Group Size | Bin Size | Bin Count | Fill Cycle | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1โ2 persons | 5ร5ร4 ft | 2 minimum | 1 bin per year | 5-gal receptacles emptied monthly or when full |
| Family of 4 | 5ร5ร4 ft | 2โ3 | 1 bin per year | 4โ5 five-gallon receptacles emptied weekly |
| 8โ12 persons | Two pallets wide ร 4 ft deep | 3โ4 | 1 bin per year | Scale receptacle count and collection frequency |
| Community / Group | Custom โ scale to fill in 1 year | 2 minimum + overflow | Annual rotation | 150 people at summer party = 4 five-gal containers |
- โ All urine, feces, toilet paper go in
- โ Vomit goes in โ treat like waste
- โ Food scraps added after lid is on (not inside toilet housing)
- โ No food scraps directly in toilet โ fruit fly risk
- โ No chlorine rinse โ soap and water only
- โ One person can handle 5-gal; two people handle 15-gal
- โ Empty when half-full if needed โ don't overfill
- ๐ชฒ Smell or flies = insufficient cover material
- โ Add more cover โ there is no other answer
- โ Ensure cover is fine, moist, not bone-dry
- โ Cover can be 3 feet deep โ it does no harm
- โ With correct cover, no ventilation pipes needed
- โ If sawdust is dry: wet and let it biologically activate first
- โ A properly managed bin should smell like forest floor
Thermometer is your primary instrument. Insert into center of pile after closing. Monitor temperature โ when pile temperature returns to ambient outdoor air temperature, thermophilic phase is complete. Cure minimum 1 full year from the date the bin was sealed before use โ this is Jenkins's standard and matches the bin tracker countdown. The curing year allows microbial competition, further pathogen suppression, and worm egg die-off regardless of when the thermophilic phase concluded. Germination test: plant a cucumber, squash, or pumpkin seed in a small sample โ unhealthy seedling = immature compost, wait longer. Finished compost is safe for fruit trees, ornamentals, and non-food-contact soil. For food gardens, ensure EPA Class A criteria (131ยฐF for 3 days minimum). Source: Jenkins, Humanure Handbook 4th Ed.
Greywater (sinks, showers, laundry) can be reused for irrigation โ trees, ornamentals, and lawn grass only. Do not apply greywater directly to vegetable root zones or food-contact surfaces. Laundry greywater may contain detergents and pathogens; apply only to soil, not foliage. Kitchen sink water (food particles, fats) should be treated as blackwater. Note on volume: Greywater generation tracks consumption โ at the 2 GPD/person planning standard, actual greywater will be well below normal household figures. Grid-normal household baseline is 25โ40 gal/person/day, but in a conservation scenario expect 0.5โ1 gal/person/day of recoverable greywater at best. Do not overestimate this as a resource. Source: Nash.
Sanitation supply inventory. Prioritize items required for hygiene maintenance regardless of water availability: hand sanitizer, soap, bleach (dual-purpose for water treatment and surface sanitation), toilet paper, feminine hygiene, trash bags, nitrile gloves. One gallon of water per person per day supports basic sanitation. Two gallons supports hygiene. Three gallons supports medical-grade cleanliness.
Full summary document: all sources with location and treatment requirements, storage totals, daily consumption targets, and chain-of-custody protocol. Suitable for group SOP binder.
Compact one-page source list โ bearing, distance, yield, treatment required. Field-use format. Print and laminate for go-bag.
All treatment methods with dosing, wait times, and pathogen effectiveness. Laminate-ready. Includes Crypto warning and FM 3-05.70 improvised filter instructions.
Container inventory with last-filled dates, rotation due dates, bleach dosing, and weight per container. Rotation status flagged by color.