Collection & Transportation

Pollution is the main factor concerning water sources in the city, but unfortunately this problem is widespread. Drilling wells in the city is not an option due to the major network of underground sewage, electrical and subway systems. With a lack of functional plumbing and running water, it will need to be collected using various methods and then purified in a 2-step process, first with a communal filtration and then boiling in smaller batches.

2:a:i) COLLECTING RAINWATER

Every building with eavestroughs should have barrels under the gutter downspouts to collect rainwater. The barrel should have a mesh covering to filter out leaves and keep out rodents, and should always be covered with a lid when it’s not raining.

For larger systems of collecting rain water, several barrels can be connected together with hoses or pcv pipes near the bottom of each barrel. To easily drain the water for use, either attach a small pump at the top of one of the barrels, or afix an open hose to the bottom of one, with a mechanism to open and close the flow.

FILTRATION
Collected rainwater will have various contaminants, including silt, debris, bird droppings, dust, insects, and other natural materials. If the water collected is to be used for irrigation, no filtration is required and in fact natural materials add to the richness of this soft water for soil and plants.

To filter the larger particles, build a filter at the end of the barrel hose or at the pump, consisting of fine mesh at the bottom of a funnel topped with a thick layer of clean gravel. See section 2:2 below for details on further purifying water for human consumption.

SAFETY AND MAINTENANCE
Barrels or containers for collecting water must always be covered to prevent children and small animals from drowning in the water. A fine mesh covering in addition to a solid lid will help prevent drownings as well as keep out mosquitoes which breed in standing water. Water should be either used up or drained and stored within 10 days of collecting to prevent development of mosquito larvae.

In winter months when temperatures reach freezing or below, drain and disconnect the system to avoid damaging the equipment. Store the barrels upside-down and clean thoroughly before reusing.

2:a:ii) TRANSPORTING WATER
Wherever possible, water collection systems such as rain barrels should be established at every home or group of homes. This will make water easily available for boiling and individual consumption. Rain barrels should also be set up as close to farmland as possible for irrigation during dry spells.

Water will need to be transported cumbersome and long distances when collecting from a larger purification system that is not practical to have set up at each home (see 2:b:ii), as it will purify large quantities of water to be used by a greater number of people and homes. Water transportation will also be required during dry spells or the winter season when rain is not available and lake, river and creek water is the only source, which is many kilometers away from most homes.

To transport water over short distances, jugs and water bags carried by wheelbarrow or bicycle trailer will work adequately. To transport over long distances, it is more efficient to carry large amounts of water to minimize the number of trips, but must still be light enough to be carried safely. For this, the best system is by bicycle, with a trailer built specifically to hold large water bins or barrels, according to what containers are available. Carrying 1 to 2 barrels per trailer would be the limit, depending on the carrier’s ability and also the distance and hills needed to travel.

To build the trailer, use found materials like wood slats or plywood to build the base, 3 walls and a hinged door with latches. Follow the guide below to build an all-purpose trailer base out of wood.

Read the next section, Water Purification...

Water Pollution & Purification

Water sources become contaminated from decades of acid rain and from industrial and agricultural runoff and sewage contamination during rainy seasons and snow meltoff. Fortunately the past few years have seen a decrease in pollution of all kinds due to the slowing down of industry, decreased use of petroleum-based materials, such as gasoline, motor oils, pesticides, etc., and most recently the complete halting of the domestic sewage system, reducing E. coli contamination in the lake. As well, thanks to the efforts of organizations such as the Lakewide Management Plan for the Great Leakes, plus the Environmental Protection Agency, phosphorous and mercury contamination since the end of the last century dwindled to nearly negligible levels. Despite these facts and the recent cessation of local sources of water contamination, the effects of pollution from this and the previous century will continue to contaminate rain and water bodies for countless years to come.

As of 2040 the waters of Lake Ontario, the Don, Rouge and Humber rivers, and the Etobicoke and Mimco creeks, are acidic but have been deemed safe for bathing, washing and irrigation. However their water must be treated before human consumption (see section 2:b:ii).

2:b:i) TESTING WATER

The safest and most effective ways to test for potentially harmful water impurities is by using a chemical test kit. These test kits contain materials and chemicals found in science labs. Check the Community section of this guide to source chemists kits necessary for checking for nitrates, iron, phospates and pH.

2:b:ii) PURIFYING WATE WITH FILTRATION AND BOILING

SLOW SAND FILTER
Begin by digging a pit 3 to 5 feet deep. Line the ditch with plastic sheeting leaving an overhang around the top edge of the pit. At the bottom of the lined pit, set up a series of perforated drain pipes connected to a small tank for a hose to rise to ground level ending at a hand pump. Place a layer of gravel and rocks over th drain pipes and then fill the pit with clean sand. (To wash sand, place a few buckets of sand in a wheelbarrow and fill with water; swirl the sand-water mixture around, then pour off the muddy water.) To use the sand filter, feed water to the sand pit until topped with water or water runs out. Wait for the water to filter down to the pipes before pumping. Boil water after filtering.

After some time, a gelatinous layer forms on the upper layer of the sand filter. Although this layer is composed mostly of friendly bacteria, it must be cleaned off and replaced with clean sand regularly.

BOILING
Each household must boil their sand-filtered water before using. Boiling kills such microorganisms as protozoa, bacteria and viruses, but cannot remove chemical or radioactive pollutants.

Bring water to a rolling boil for at least 1 minute to purify. Cool and store in clean closed containers for up to one week. If freezing, allow enough room at the tops of the containers for water to expand without bursting. Never drink directly from containers, to prevent contamination of germs or dirt into the containers.

Read the next section, Water Conservation, Storage & Heating...

Conservation, Storage & Heating

Now that water has been collected and purified it needs to be conserved and stored properly.

2:c:i) ESSENTIAL vs. NON-ESSENTIAL USES OF WATER

Water use can be divided into these two categories. In periods of drought, in dry seasons, winter, and areas farthest from water sources, conservation of water is imperative.

ESSENTIAL USES OF WATER
-drinking (minimum of 2 quarts per person per day)
-cooking
-treating the sick and infirm
-livestock
-washing food containers and canning equipment
-crop irrigation in dry spells using greywater (see 2:c:iii)

NON-ESSENTIAL (OPTIONAL) USES OF WATER
-bathing (opt for sponge bathing, swimming in lake, creeks, ponds)
-laundering (limit to a minimum)
-irrigation in dry days during the rainy seasons

2:c:ii) STORING WATER

Potable water must be purified before storing (see section 2:2:ii). Store in glass or plastic containers that have been sterilized by boiling, much like when canning food (section 1:10:iii). Store containers in the coolest possible conditions out of direct sunlight. If freezing water, allow room within the container for expansion to prevent ice from expanding to the point of bursting the container. Use water up within 1 to 2 months.

Larger amounts of water for washing, irrigation, etc, can be stored in large plastic containers that have been well washed with soap. Keep covered; if no cover is available, top with cloth to prevent dirt and materials from falling in.


2:c:iii) GREYWATER RECYCLING SYSTEMS

Greywater is the term used to describe water which has already been used once, as in washing, but can be used again in another purpose, such as irrigation. In household settings, collect greywater by pouring through a filter (like a straw mat or rag) into large containers, and use promptly. Water from laundering or bathing are safe to use in fields where food is grown as the soap, which is made with natural ingredients, may actually aid in deterring pests. Water used for washing produce may be re-used by feeding livestock, or for wiping cookware or washing garments, at which point this reused water becomes greywater and can be used yet again. Filtering while collecting keeps food, hair and other particles out of the greywater, but is not essential if using as irrigation.

Because water is a precious and limited commodity, there should be no such thing as waste water. All water is either used primarily for human and animal consumption, or secondarily as irrigation and washing water.


2:c:iv) HEATING WATER

Water requires heating to a boiling point for sterilization, canning, and cooking. Any of the methods for cooking with fire or sunlight, as detailed in section 3:2, will function perfectly for boiling water. When using fire for heating water, it is preferable to save certain functions (as sterilizing containers, purifying water, canning, etc) for colder weather when the fire doubles as heating for homes. In hot weather, fire could be prepared outdoors and doubled with a smokehouse for preserving meats (see section 1:10:iv). However, in any season with steady bright sunlight, the best method for heating water is using a solar cooking setup, which saves wood supplies and prevents waste of heat sources needlessly in hot weather (see section 3:2:v for cooking with sunlight).

Read the next section, Building A Fire...

Heating Water

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