No Water? Concern #2

So...there's a lot of great puns that could go with this post, but I will try to contain myself.  

Since we've been talking about water and what to do when we need it and don't have it, this seemed like an appropriate time to bring up concern #2.  (Sorry, I couldn't help myself.)  We talk about giant disasters like earthquakes or a pandemic, but what happens if it's something as simple as your plumbing in your own house going out?  I shudder to think about it...but sadly, it's a possibility.

Several years ago many of us bought the portable toilets, but many of you may not have them yet.  My family laughed at me when I bought it but all I really had to say to them is "One day you will thank me."  For those that didn't get the chance to buy them at that time, Chris is working on a system for her ward and I'm hoping to ride her coattails and be able to offer them to our ward as well, so I'll keep you posted.  But in the meantime, she let me know about these little beauties.  These are the bags she is planning to get to go with the portable toilet system and she doubts she will be able to get them for the price she found on Amazon today, so that is the main reason for this post.

If you already have the toilet, you may have just the black plastic bags that came with that kit.  These used to be the recommended item for use with the portable toilets, but times and opinions have changed.  After talking with Tami at Prepare My Life, she has let me know all the hazards of using those bags in the portable toilet (and she, personally, takes it as a curse word when she hears someone is going to use them).  Here are the basic problems as she points them out:

1. The bags are very weak.  Once they are filled and then covered in cat litter, which will harden instantly when the liquid is absorbed, the bag is likely to break.  I'm sure I don't need to paint a very graphic picture of what happens when you try to remove the bag from the toilet.  Let your imagination go wild on this one.
2. Each bag is meant to be used only once.  Think about how many times a day your family uses the bathroom and then calculate how many little nasty broken black plastic bags that adds up to and imagine for a moment how you are going to dispose of them.  The recommendation is that you be prepared for at least two weeks, so that's an awful lot of bags.
3. These bags are meant to be used with the portable toilets.  That means if you are taking the toilet and leaving your home, these would work.  However, if you're holed up at home, you may want to be able to use the toilets in your house even with the plumbing not working.  You can't do it with the black trash bags because there is really no way to hook them to the toilet.

Enter the  Reliance Products Double Doodie Plus Large Toilet Waste Bags (6-Pack).  Chris posted this link to Amazon this morning to let people know the price was great.  I, being new to the preparedness game, decided to do a little research myself so I could let you know what I learned. Please know that I have not used these bags myself, so what I am passing on is only what I have read. However, based on what I have read, I intend to order some for myself.  That being said, here is what I learned:

1. This six pack is meant to last two people two weeks.  They are not meant to be changed out every time someone uses the toilet but are instead good for approximately half a dozen #2s (less, of course, if you have a "large producer" in your midst).
2. The bags are biodegradable, so all you do is zip them closed and it is safe and legal to throw them in the trash.
3. They can fit into your regular toilet bowl at home, so even if you don't have the bucket system yet, these would be handy to have.
4. These work well in RV toilets.
5. It may be helpful to purchase an extra packet of bio-gel that you can sprinkle in a teaspoon at a time when used to help with odor (but the bags already have bio-gel in them to help with this, so it's not completely necessary).

I'm not going to do any kind of a ward purchase for these bags (right now--possibly later with a toilet system if we can get them for a good price, but Chris is fairly certain this price of $13.95 is about as good as we will see) so if you're interested in getting them, you might want to consider doing so now. Here is the Amazon link again: (They are $13.95 at the time I posted this.)

Reliance Products Double Doodie Plus Large Toilet Waste Bags (6-Pack)

Water You Waiting For?

"For many of us, clean water is so plentiful and readily available that we rarely, if ever, pause to consider what life would be like without it." --Marcus Samuelsson

As I stated in church recently, I've been thinking about water lately and how important it is.  Maybe that's because of the incident with the secondary water being shut off and all the lawns starting to die. It led me to the important question...

What if it was the culinary water and suddenly it was gone?

When a disaster is eminent or occurring, water is the first thing to disappear off the shelves of every store in town and many times it runs out completely.  We've all seen those images on TV when a hurricane is coming and the store gets cleaned out of everything.  I'm not sure about you, but I'm pretty sure I don't want to be the one scrambling to find what I need at the last second.
  

Based on the results of the recent survey that I posted, it seems there is a LOT of need in our ward for water storage!  So (even though I'm a little late and the month is mostly over) I thought it would be a good idea to focus this month on WATER STORAGE.

Many people, it seems, have the barrels for water storage, which is a really good start.  But what happens when you need to leave your home?!  Those barrels aren't going anywhere...  If you have yet to start on your water storage (or even if you have but still don't have adequate amounts), here are some basics to get to started:

• You should be storing 14 gallons of water per person.  This is just for drinking, and should last for two weeks.  You will want to store more for food prep and hygiene.  Also, plan to store extra for infants or the elderly.  And don't forget your pets!
• Use only food grade containers.  You can clean out any plastic bottle with a #1, 2 or 4 on the bottom, such as 2-liter soda bottles or juice bottles.  Never use milk jugs!  The plastic will go brittle and break, and there is always the chance that residue from the milk will get left behind in the cleaning process and contaminate the water.
• Water does not expire.  Water that has been sitting can have a stale taste, but it doesn't "go bad".  You can eliminate the stale taste with a water purifier or by pouring it back and forth between containers to aerate it.  If you see anything growing in the water, chances are good it is contaminated, but that doesn't happen just from sitting too long.
• Boiling water is the safest method for treating water.  Bring it to a full rolling boil and allow to boil for 3-5 minutes.  Remove from the heat and cool.
• Water should be stored in a cool, dark place away from direct sunlight.  Never store water bottles or jugs directly on cement--raise them off the ground with wood.  Also avoid storing water near toxic chemicals like solvents, paint thinners or other cleaners.  When deciding where to store your water consider the ramifications to your home if the containers were to leak or break.
• Consider the three stages of preparedness--walking away, driving away, or staying home.  Prepare to walk away first, because the water you store for walking away can be used if you're staying home but the same is not true vice versa.

I am working on a possible group offering for water storage and hoping to hear back in a few days, so I will let you know!  In the meantime, remember that water storage is really an easy thing to do and if you choose to use bottles you already have, it's practically free!  The important part is to think about it before you throw those bottles away.

Here are some links with more water storage information in case you'd like to check them out:

LDS.org: Drinking Water Guidelines

Prepared LDS Family: Emergency Drinking Water

Hydration for the Apocalypse: How to Store Water for Long-Term Emergencies

Emergency Essentials: Water Storage Options

Also, if you didn't get a chance to pick up the Water Storage Newsletter that I passed out in church a few weeks ago, feel free to download it here:

Water You Waiting For Newsletter

AND...last but not least...if you didn't get a chance to take the survey about your family's level of preparedness, it's not too late.  I'm using the results to determine how best to help as many people in the ward work on their preparedness as possible, so the more participation I have, the better.  Here is the link:

What is Your Level of Preparedness Survey