Thanks for your informative articles. Water knowledge is seriously lacking for most people. Rescue operations for scouts, with injury and even death, have occurred as recently as last year in the West, due to lack of preparedness and water knowledge.
I would respectfully differ with you on a couple of points. In warm climates rationing water to two cups per day will not save you. In temperatures above 90 degrees, while hiking or with activity, an average man can lose 32 ounces of water in an hour, but can only absorb 24 ounces per hour even if ample water supplies are being consumed. People with two 20 ounce bottles of water have died within a matter of hours in the desert on a hot day. So your water needs depend greatly upon the climate and activity.
The prohibition of storing water in containers on cement floors is an urban myth as far as my research reveals. I have yet to find a scientist who has an accurate assessment of any such problem. If in doubt, place a wooden board on the bottom.
Empty two liter pop bottles are an excellent container to store water in, but only if the original content was sugar-free. Otherwise the sugars that penetrate the plastic can foster bacteria over time. Do not use re-purposed juice bottles, since they also have sugar in the bottle walls. Tap water is best to store, since it is treated.
The best plan is to make sure that you never are without sufficient water, and to understand that the common thinking on water needs is often grossly inadequate, and can result in heat exhaustion, heat stroke and death, as was the case for an LDS scout leader last year in the Lake Mead area.
Also, know the signs of dehydration so that injury can be avoided.
Thanks again for increasing people's awareness on this important subject. As an outdoor skills instructor I applaud your efforts.
wtfMay 7, 2014
Well crap. All these years and I've been storing my water barrels directly on concrete. Oh well. Too late to turn back now I guess.
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Jim JenkinsMay 21, 2014
Thanks for your informative articles. Water knowledge is seriously lacking for most people. Rescue operations for scouts, with injury and even death, have occurred as recently as last year in the West, due to lack of preparedness and water knowledge. I would respectfully differ with you on a couple of points. In warm climates rationing water to two cups per day will not save you. In temperatures above 90 degrees, while hiking or with activity, an average man can lose 32 ounces of water in an hour, but can only absorb 24 ounces per hour even if ample water supplies are being consumed. People with two 20 ounce bottles of water have died within a matter of hours in the desert on a hot day. So your water needs depend greatly upon the climate and activity. The prohibition of storing water in containers on cement floors is an urban myth as far as my research reveals. I have yet to find a scientist who has an accurate assessment of any such problem. If in doubt, place a wooden board on the bottom. Empty two liter pop bottles are an excellent container to store water in, but only if the original content was sugar-free. Otherwise the sugars that penetrate the plastic can foster bacteria over time. Do not use re-purposed juice bottles, since they also have sugar in the bottle walls. Tap water is best to store, since it is treated. The best plan is to make sure that you never are without sufficient water, and to understand that the common thinking on water needs is often grossly inadequate, and can result in heat exhaustion, heat stroke and death, as was the case for an LDS scout leader last year in the Lake Mead area. Also, know the signs of dehydration so that injury can be avoided. Thanks again for increasing people's awareness on this important subject. As an outdoor skills instructor I applaud your efforts.
wtfMay 7, 2014
Well crap. All these years and I've been storing my water barrels directly on concrete. Oh well. Too late to turn back now I guess.
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