Quick take
Build redundancy. Rain capture + pre-filtration + distillation gives you workable water even from questionable sources. Distillation is slow but highly reliable—treat it as your “last-mile” step after basic screening/filtration.In this series
Two focused articles that go deeper than this overview.
Water Resilience Overview
Rain capture (cleanest starting point)
Barrels: Use food-grade containers; fit gutter screens and a first-flush diverter to keep roof debris out.
Placement: Keep barrels shaded to reduce algae; raise on sturdy blocks for easy gravity transfer.
Sanitation: Rinse and sanitize barrels before first use and at regular intervals (unscented bleach: ~1 tsp per gallon for sanitizing containers—rinse thoroughly afterwards).
Storage & rotation (don’t skip this)
Short term: Clean, opaque containers with tight lids. Label “date filled.” Keep out of sun.
Medium term: Aim for a simple rotation rhythm (e.g., refresh every 3–6 months). Use older water for plants/cleaning and refill.
Transport: If you must haul lake/pond water, use dedicated containers. Keep “dirty” and “clean” containers separate.
Pre-filtration (protects your primary method)
Goal: Remove sediments, organic bits, and turbidity before fine filtration or distillation.
How: Pour through a clean cloth or a simple sediment filter (e.g., 5–20 micron) into a staging bucket.
Why: Reduces clogging of fine filters and keeps stills heating water, not mud.
Distillation (highly robust “last mile”)
Distillation heats water to produce steam and then condenses it back to liquid, leaving most contaminants behind.
Pros: Very effective against microbes, sediments, and most dissolved solids; works even when source water is sketchy.
Cons: Slow; requires energy. Plan for batch cycles (e.g., ~1 gallon per cycle on countertop units).
Workflow: Pre-filter → load still → collect distillate into a clean container → store sealed.
Alternatives & complements
Boiling: Great for biological safety; does not remove dissolved solids or many chemicals.
Gravity filters: Ceramic + activated carbon are low-maintenance and good for daily use. Keep spare elements.
Chemical methods: Useful for microbes; be mindful of taste and proper dosing.
Safety notes (practical reality)
Containers: Only store finished water in clean, food-safe containers. Avoid reusing old chemical jugs.
Cross-contamination: Keep “dirty side” tools (lake buckets, pre-filters) separate from “clean side” containers.
After storage: If stored water looks/smells off, re-filter and bring to a rolling boil—or re-distill—before drinking.
This week: 3 steps to get real
Capture: Set up (or inspect) rain barrel + screen + first-flush; label a clean transfer container.
Pre-filter: Assemble a simple sediment stage (cloth + funnel or a 5–20 micron inline filter).
Distill: Run one full batch from your most likely emergency source; bottle and label. Note cycle time and power use.
Your optimal setup depends on house layout, local water sources, and power options. For a tailored plan, reach out at sales@tevesconsulting.com.