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I do have running water now, but not hot running water. And I've lived on multiple extended occasions without any running water at all. So I'd like to share some of the things I've learned over the years.
Water storage can be managed in many ways, but my favorite is the ordinary 5-gallon jug that you see in most US supermarkets holding high-priced tap water. I don't recommend buying those unless you need additional jugs in a hurry. Empty jugs can be purchased from Amazon and also sometimes from the companies who refill the jugs. That's where I got all but a couple of mine. One often hears concerns about BPA leaching into in the water. No doubt that is a legitimate concern, and for that reason, I've been replacing any that were noticeably worn with BPA-free versions from Amazon.
In addition, unless you have sufficient muscle to lift 40 pounds of jug and water and turn it over on top of a dispenser, I strongly recommend something called a Dolphin pump. It pushes down over the top of 3 and 5-gallon jugs and has a screw collar to adjust to minor variations in diameter. Pushing on the top creates a vacuum and pulls water up from the bottom of the jug. The pipe that goes in the jug is in two pieces, so one can be removed to allow the pump to be used in the smaller jugs. If you do buy one of these, make sure you get the real Dolphin brand pump, not one of the cheaper imitations. I've used these pumps for over five years, and have had zero problems with them.
This post is more about using water than how much to keep on hand, but have as much as you think necessary. I store fifty gallons in the house and fifty more in the root cellar, but I have livestock to water, and in the coldest days of winter I can't count on the rainwater system.
Living without hot running water is easier than it might sound, if you have a non-electric way to heat it. I cook and heat water with propane but I could also heat it with a solar oven or with black water hose. I don't recommend drinking hot water from garden hose, but it can make a good shower. I've seen at least one food-grade hose colored dark blue, so that could possibly be used to heat water for drinking. Getting water into a hose for heating is more of a problem, but there are bilge-type pumps with hose fittings that could be used for that purpose. I haven't used those myself, so I don't want to comment on them. My deep-well manual pump has a hose fitting, and that's how I would fill a hose if I needed to.
Once water is heated, I use three different ways to dispense it (and of course, these are good for dispensing cold water as well). Squirt and spray bottles that you can salvage from commercial preparations, or purchase empty, are indispensable. They allow you to direct a stream of water exactly where you want it with far more accuracy and less waste than pouring. A thermos jug with a push top (like the ones dispensing coffee in many places) keeps water hot for an extended period and can be positioned anywhere that a reliable supply of hot water would be needed, such as for handwashing. For showers, a 3-gallon agricultural sprayer that can be filled with warm water is extremely useful (obviously not one which has previously held chemicals!). I shower outside in the summer from water in a garden hose, but use the pressurized sprayer in the winter. Three gallons is far more than necessary if you're careful. I do have to pump it up a second time in the middle of the shower, but I'd rather do that than depend solely on sponge baths.
Reusing hot water where possible gets you two uses for one heating session. An easy way to do that in the winter is to fill a hot water bottle for each person at night, and then put the still warm water in a thermos bottle in the morning. It's fine for routine handwashing, even if it's not much more than body temperature. Babies will be much happier with face and bottom-washing with that than with cold water, lol.
Finally, I recommend that anyone who may have to manage without running water purchase as large a kettle as they can find. Lehman's sells them online and probably others do too. Mine is 2-plus gallons, and lets me heat water for dishwashing or filling my shower sprayer in one go.
I'd be interested in hearing how others have managed water usage too.
Water storage can be managed in many ways, but my favorite is the ordinary 5-gallon jug that you see in most US supermarkets holding high-priced tap water. I don't recommend buying those unless you need additional jugs in a hurry. Empty jugs can be purchased from Amazon and also sometimes from the companies who refill the jugs. That's where I got all but a couple of mine. One often hears concerns about BPA leaching into in the water. No doubt that is a legitimate concern, and for that reason, I've been replacing any that were noticeably worn with BPA-free versions from Amazon.
In addition, unless you have sufficient muscle to lift 40 pounds of jug and water and turn it over on top of a dispenser, I strongly recommend something called a Dolphin pump. It pushes down over the top of 3 and 5-gallon jugs and has a screw collar to adjust to minor variations in diameter. Pushing on the top creates a vacuum and pulls water up from the bottom of the jug. The pipe that goes in the jug is in two pieces, so one can be removed to allow the pump to be used in the smaller jugs. If you do buy one of these, make sure you get the real Dolphin brand pump, not one of the cheaper imitations. I've used these pumps for over five years, and have had zero problems with them.
This post is more about using water than how much to keep on hand, but have as much as you think necessary. I store fifty gallons in the house and fifty more in the root cellar, but I have livestock to water, and in the coldest days of winter I can't count on the rainwater system.
Living without hot running water is easier than it might sound, if you have a non-electric way to heat it. I cook and heat water with propane but I could also heat it with a solar oven or with black water hose. I don't recommend drinking hot water from garden hose, but it can make a good shower. I've seen at least one food-grade hose colored dark blue, so that could possibly be used to heat water for drinking. Getting water into a hose for heating is more of a problem, but there are bilge-type pumps with hose fittings that could be used for that purpose. I haven't used those myself, so I don't want to comment on them. My deep-well manual pump has a hose fitting, and that's how I would fill a hose if I needed to.
Once water is heated, I use three different ways to dispense it (and of course, these are good for dispensing cold water as well). Squirt and spray bottles that you can salvage from commercial preparations, or purchase empty, are indispensable. They allow you to direct a stream of water exactly where you want it with far more accuracy and less waste than pouring. A thermos jug with a push top (like the ones dispensing coffee in many places) keeps water hot for an extended period and can be positioned anywhere that a reliable supply of hot water would be needed, such as for handwashing. For showers, a 3-gallon agricultural sprayer that can be filled with warm water is extremely useful (obviously not one which has previously held chemicals!). I shower outside in the summer from water in a garden hose, but use the pressurized sprayer in the winter. Three gallons is far more than necessary if you're careful. I do have to pump it up a second time in the middle of the shower, but I'd rather do that than depend solely on sponge baths.
Reusing hot water where possible gets you two uses for one heating session. An easy way to do that in the winter is to fill a hot water bottle for each person at night, and then put the still warm water in a thermos bottle in the morning. It's fine for routine handwashing, even if it's not much more than body temperature. Babies will be much happier with face and bottom-washing with that than with cold water, lol.
Finally, I recommend that anyone who may have to manage without running water purchase as large a kettle as they can find. Lehman's sells them online and probably others do too. Mine is 2-plus gallons, and lets me heat water for dishwashing or filling my shower sprayer in one go.
I'd be interested in hearing how others have managed water usage too.
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