Well, for the second time in 2 weeks the mid-size town I live just outside of has issued a "Boil All Water" alert.  Seems they found E-coli bacteria in the system....again.  They issued the warning at about 3pm yesterday, and by 4:30 every Walmart, Sam's Club, HEB, convenience store and gas station was totally cleaned out of bottled water.  The top story on the 6 o'clock news was the mad rush for water and the pushing, shoving and in-store rationing (the rationing just made folks panic even more).  Tearful shoppers were crying on camera about how they just didn' know what they were going to do now that there was no water for their babies.  Other folks were pointing fingers at local politicians screaming about how the city government should have been more prepared with stocks of bottled water to hand out to the masses in an event like this.  Heaven forbid that they should actually take responsibility for this themselves!

Then there was the next item on the newscast...a tropical storm due to hit Thursday.  With the existing water issue, combined with recent flooding, and now joined by the imminent tropical storm (provided it doesn't spool up to a CAT1 hurricane or more), their piss-poor city government is really stretched to handle the problem...and the sheeple are stuck with boiling their tap water (even their bathing water) and praying that the storm doesn't knock out the power and make even boiling their water more difficult.  Hmm, the city is on the coast, and no-one thought that they might need a few extra supplies during hurricane season.  What are the odds that any of them will use a little foresight and boil as much water as they can now, just in case they DO lose power?  Yep, slim to none.  Oh, and there is another storm out in the Atlantic headed this way too.  Historical tracks for storms located where Hurricane Dean is take THAT storm right into this same area sometime next week.  What do you want to bet that there will be "Top Story" news casts next week about another run on bottled water....and plywood, and batteries, and canned goods, etc.

In the mean time, I sat in my living room watching all this on TV with wife, smug in the knowledge that I had enough bottled water in my emergency pantry (a large converted walk-in closet) to last my entire family plus a few close neighbors at least 4 weeks, and enough non-perishable food to last at least three times that long.  I then started grinning about the 25 6 gallon containers I had stacked out in the garage (right next to my pre-cut plywood hurricane panels, generator, and fuel stocks), and patted myself on the back about the 300 gallon water tank I also thought to fill and stabilize at the begining of hurricane season.  Then I looked out onto my back patio at the decorative-but-functional rain barrels I have out there and figured that my Katadyn filters ought to be able to clean that up for drinking if I needed it to.  As I thought about all of this, I looked over to my wife and, remembering all the times she called me crazy because of all the preps I have, I said, "So, who's crazy now?"  You know, I think she FINALLY got it!

As the mighty Underdog would say, "here I come to save the day!"  Good going.  You turn what could have been a disaster into a minor inconvenience.  It helps to be ahead of the curve, because you really don't know.

Cool, but...

Slightly off topic...but how do you stack those 6 gallon cubes?  I made a 3 deep stack and the bottom one started to bulge like Santa Clause in spandex tights.  I was afraid the bottom one was going to rupture.

Allmost had to draw down at the HEB this AM. People were in a panic mode. All I wanted were some doughnuts.

My Preps

Generator with Nat Gas adapter
50 Gallons fuel
200 Gallons of water
Two spare Gas bottles for grill
6 months of salty ass Mountain House chow

Flour Bluff CCTX

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Quoted: Slightly off topic...but how do you stack those 6 gallon cubes?  I made a 3 deep stack and the bottom one started to bulge like Santa Clause in spandex tights.  I was afraid the bottom one was going to rupture.

I have a work bench that goes along one side of my garage.  There is enough room underneath it for me to stand the bottles up underneath the lowest shelf two deep.  I am also able to store my gas cans in a similiar manner.  I did this to protect them in the unikely case the garage collapsed.  I guess "stacked" is not really the appropriate way to describe how they are stored....."stuffed" might be more accurate.

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Quoted: Allmost had to draw down at the HEB this AM. People were in a panic mode. All I wanted were some doughnuts. My Preps Generator with Nat Gas adapter 50 Gallons fuel 200 Gallons of water Two spare Gas bottles for grill 6 months of salty ass Mountain House chow Flour Bluff CCTX

So, you be a "Bluff Rat" huh?ht
Anyway, congrats on being ready.  Hope you guys ride out this storm OK.  And be on the lookout for hurricane Dean, because I suspect we just may get a piece of that one too.  Hope I'm wrong, but it's got my attention.  There I go bein' paranoid again...

Quoted: Quoted: Allmost had to draw down at the HEB this AM. People were in a panic mode. All I wanted were some doughnuts. My Preps Generator with Nat Gas adapter 50 Gallons fuel 200 Gallons of water Two spare Gas bottles for grill 6 months of salty ass Mountain House chow Flour Bluff CCTX So, you be a "Bluff Rat" huh?  You're right in the middle of all the controversy then.  The tainted samples were taken just north of you around King's Crossing, and just south of you on the island.  Since the system is connected, you gotta guess that some of those bugs passed your way.  Comforting thought, huh?  Only took the city what, 4 days to fess up while folks were drinking feces in their tap water.  MMmmmm!  At least you were ready once they finally got the word out (and probably after they got THEIR water socked away).  I'm out in Quail Valley, so as it turns out we're unaffected....or at least they aren't admitting to it yet.  I use filters on the 'fridge and kitchen sink water anway, but my next big investment will be an RO system for my well and then I won't have to worry.  I'd been putting it off because of the expense, but now I'm convinced.  The water we get from our well is very slightly brackish right now.  It's within drinkable limits,  but it tastes like crap (you know, kinda like Corpus water) and I wouldn't want to drink it long-term without additional treatment. Anyway, congrats on being ready.  Hope you guys ride out this storm OK.  And be on the lookout for hurricane Dean, because I suspect we just may get a piece of that one too.  Hope I'm wrong, but it's got my attention.  There I go bein' paranoid again...

Just because everything is working against you does not mean you are paranoid . I got 15000 gallon pool in the back so I can always drink it if it gets bad enough it is bound to be better than the PooPoo water.. Anyway I am in Tropic Isles and actually higher in elevation at 18 feet than 90% of CC. I am squared away except I still have to crank the boat higher in the lift and make sure nothing is going to plug my drain holes. Estimate first light squall at 1530.

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Quoted: As the mighty Underdog would say, "here I come to save the day!"

That was Mighty Mouse. Underdog said "There's no need to fear, Underdog is here!"

Quoted: Quoted: Slightly off topic...but how do you stack those 6 gallon cubes?  I made a 3 deep stack and the bottom one started to bulge like Santa Clause in spandex tights.  I was afraid the bottom one was going to rupture. I have a work bench that goes along one side of my garage.  There is enough room underneath it for me to stand the bottles up underneath the lowest shelf two deep.  I am also able to store my gas cans in a similiar manner.  I did this to protect them in the unikely case the garage collapsed.  I guess "stacked" is not really the appropriate way to describe how they are stored....."stuffed" might be more accurate.

Thanks!  Makes sense now.  I thought maybe I was just stoopid...I mean, they are notched so the handles interlace when stacked,  but they sure do not like weight of a full jug on top.  Yep, need to get some industrial shelving!

Tearful shoppers were crying on camera about how they just didn' know what they were going to do now that there was no water for their babies

idiots
it's a boil water advisory, not a "we have no water pressure and the pipes are dry" advisory

Quoted: it's a boil water advisory, not a "we have no water pressure and the pipes are dry" advisory

weird... buddy is a head tech at a dialysis center in a small nearby town.  They had to shut down yesterday because they couldn't get enough water pressure to run their reverse osmosis filters.  

City water company said "We don't have a problem"  

Buddy said "Even with booster pumps all I get is 20psi --static pressure"  

City water said "We don't have a problem"  

Buddy said "If I start drawing water, pressure falls to zero"  

City water said "We don't have a problem"  

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Slightly off topic...but how do you stack those 6 gallon cubes?  I made a 3 deep stack and the bottom one started to bulge like Santa Clause in spandex tights.  I was afraid the bottom one was going to rupture. I have a work bench that goes along one side of my garage.  There is enough room underneath it for me to stand the bottles up underneath the lowest shelf two deep.  I am also able to store my gas cans in a similiar manner.  I did this to protect them in the unikely case the garage collapsed.  I guess "stacked" is not really the appropriate way to describe how they are stored....."stuffed" might be more accurate. Thanks!  Makes sense now.  I thought maybe I was just stoopid...I mean, they are notched so the handles interlace when stacked,  but they sure do not like weight of a full jug on top.  Yep, need to get some industrial shelving!

Hey fellas. We covered this a while back and this question comes up all of the time. If you are talking about the Aqua-Tainers, they are NOT designed to be stacked when FULL. The interlocking handles are there so you can stack these jugs up in a corner somewhere when EMPTY.

Quoted: Quoted: As the mighty Underdog would say, "here I come to save the day!"   That was Mighty Mouse. Underdog said "There's no need to fear, Underdog is here!"

Thanks for the correction.  I haven't seen either Sat. morning cartoon in years, along the lines like 30-40 years.

If dablues' assessment is correct, they have practically zero water pressure.  The water system needs positive pressure to keep out contaminants because no water system is entirely perfect and may have leaks. This is probably the reason they are advised to boil their water. because zero or near pressure allows contamination to enter the water system.  I would either boil or filter any water used for human consumpton or teeth brushing etc just to be safe.

TwoBravo: You could be correct.  I would get some of those military water containers instead, they are pretty strong.  Or get the 15-55 gallon drums, but the problem it would be difficult to move if you have to leave your house.

Quoted: Quoted: it's a boil water advisory, not a "we have no water pressure and the pipes are dry" advisory weird... buddy is a head tech at a dialysis center in a small nearby town.  They had to shut down yesterday because they couldn't get enough water pressure to run their reverse osmosis filters.   City water company said "We don't have a problem"   Buddy said "Even with booster pumps all I get is 20psi --static pressure"   City water said "We don't have a problem"   Buddy said "If I start drawing water, pressure falls to zero"   City water said "We don't have a problem"

Ha ha, maintain public confidence at all costs!