In the movie of Cormac McCarthy’s The Road, right after the nuclear explosion (or whatever it was) Viggo Mortenson runs to the bath tub and fills it up. He knows that the public water system will be down soon and an extra bathtub full of water is incredibly important. That’s a great idea and something I plan on doing in any emergency situation with enough prior warning. The WaterBOB is a great way to do just that, but more sanitary.
The WaterBOB
The WaterBOB is simple enough. It is a heavy duty plastic water storage container that you place in your bathtub and fill up. The bathtub itself supports the bag. The bag has a tube that you place over the faucet for filling.
- Holds up to 100 Gallons
- FDA Food Grade 10 mil plastic bag
- Siphon Pump for Dispensing.
Advantages
Some people might think this is a waste of money when you could just fill your bathtub up with water without the bladder. That’s a good point, and what I would do if I had to, but there are a couple of things you might want to consider about the WaterBOB
1. Cleanliness – sure you clean your bathtub, but you still bathe your dirty self in it everyday. I’d rather have my drinking water in a food grade container.
2. Longevity - Hopefully this 100 of so gallons of water will be enough to last you for a few weeks at least (depending on the number of people). Water left standing in your bathtub for several weeks, possibly without having had a chance to clean the tub before hand, is going to get dirty and moldy pretty quick.
3. Every Drop – Even if your tub is cleaner than a surgeons table it still has a drain. Even if you have a heavy duty drain you are going to lose some, and that is unacceptable in a survival situation. The WaterBOB isn’t going to lose a drop.
4. The End – What happens when you get to the very end of the supply? I would rather have my last gallon or two in a plastic container I can pickup, move, or drain instead of a 1/2 inch of three week old water in the bottom of my bathtub.
5. Cheaper – You’re first reaction may be that $40 is too much for a WaterBOB, but if you look at that price of 55 gallon barrels that are food grade, you will likely pay $50+ for those, plus buy lids, and still only get roughly half the storage capacity. Update: CheaperThanDirt.com has the WaterBob for only $20.
Video
It sounds like an infomercial, but you get to see the thing work better than pictures.
What Do You Think?
I really can’t think of an easier way to quickly gather and store 100 gallons of clean water in an emergency. Would you use this system or stick with more traditional methods?
More on Water Containers:
SuperTanker Water Storage (250 days of water)
7 Great Uses for A Backpacking Bucket
The Platypus Collapsible Water Bottle
Visit Our New Survival Gear Store - Forge Survival Supply
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Great call on the CTD website – I've had the waterbob on my Amazon wish list for a while now – $20 is hard to beat. Just ordered it from CTD.
Dustin,
Glad I could help. CTD usually comes through.
Good post, I mentioned this product awhile back and it is far and wide the easiest way to quickly store water. The toilet bowl works sure but it seems a lot cleaner in the Water Bob.
SurvivalSpot,
Haha yea the toilet bowl is one I wouldn't be going for unless I was extremely desperate. I have heard though that the water in the toilet tank is relatively clean, but I would still be boiling it.
Nothing wrong with toilet reservoir water (tank above the bowl) I won't drink from the toilet bowl either. However, if one uses any toilet reservoir additive like blue bowl cleaner or any other chemical that is hung or disperesed in the reservoir, forget that water. But, there is about 20 gallons of potable water in the water heater. Since there may not be any elctricity to heat it or water pressure to push it to a fauchet, and if you turn off the hot and cold lines so that the water doesn't siphon back out, in-its-self it's a stored emergency water container.
Survival Spot,
Thanks. I agree it seems to be the best bet, I really don't want to drink out of the toilet at all if I can help it.
Received mine today and it's now in the linen closet next to one of the bathrooms.
For those w/o a bathtub, you might consider, in an emergency situation, taking to large plastic storage containers, cutting the ends off one side of them, and duct taping them together to form something like a large tub. Then use the Water Bob in that.
Suburban,
That's a good idea. I've been looking for some type of system like that because my house doesn't have any real bathtubs.
I thought of making a wood frame but your idea seems much easier.
One thing I'll have to remember, have to put it exactly where I want it before filling, it will weigh about 800 pounds when full and won't be going anywhere
I went directly to the waterbob website,http://www.waterbob.com/ & the shipping was $3 cheaper for me. $7.95 @ CTD & $4.95 @ their site!
Oh, $3 cheaper AND the price was still the same
Cayenne_andy,
Thanks for the heads up. I really never considered for a second that buying directly from the company would be cheaper because most gear sites are usually cheaper.
Thanks for the share, I will have to update the article to reflect the best price.
Were you simply shipping to the continental U.S.?
New to forum. I'm no expert, but of the two, I prefer 9mm for survival. 1-Easier for the women and adolescents to shoot, 2-Greater availabilty of ammunition 3-Can shoot 9mm, 38Sp and 357 in Ruger Blackhawk with the 9mm cylinder, 4-For reloading (if you have primers) it needs less lead to cast bullets and less powder per cartridge.
All told, I really prefer 357 mag (revolvers and lever actions) for survival.
Amy,
I guess that's really going to come down to your discretion.
For example, I would fill it before any foreseeable local emergency like a tornado or hurricane. You can see that coming and well have plenty of time.
If it is something more immediate and unexpected then honestly filling that thing might be my VERY FIRST move. Water is the number one thing you're going to need.
I am think (and hope) there is a pretty good chance if something happens and you immediately begin filling you will get a good amount of water. Most people will still be sitting around in shock, or trying to run to the grocery for milk and bread.
The water BOB is a great idea. In north Arkansas we have been getting ice storms that shut off the power,sewage etc., for up to a week at a time depending on how rural you are.Your water heater, whether electric or gas is a clean supply of water ( 30-40 gallons) just remember to disconnect the power until it is full of water again as it wil burn out the elements.
Add vinegar to the list – VERY useful stuff!
Cooking, cleaning, makes your reloading brass shiny.
Sugar. Wheat, oats, other grains in their whole form. They store a LOT longer than processed foods.
Feminie products make great bandages…….
Basic hand tools. After TSHTF, the Handyman will be in great demand!
Definitely going to get one. I think I'll put together the material to support the sides so it could be placed under a downspout for water collection and come up with some kind of cover.
aj52,
Just be sure you make the container strong enough to support the system. It's going to be extremely heavy when completely full.
I like you collection idea. I might want to find some way to do at least an initial filter before putting it in from the downspout. Debris in the closed container will make bacteria quickly
Thinking of something like a water bed frame with a bottom to prevent puncture. Would go to the downspout after using it as intended and it is empty. I am thinking a nylon mesh similar to a pot and pan scrubber to filter debris. After that, through my Berkey for contaminant removal.
very cool,
If you do the project be sure to send me some pictures I'd love to see how it turns out.
I've got a Berkey Sport Bottle coming sometime this week. (My first test with a berkey product) and I'm pretty excited about that.
Since last post I did the buy 4 get 1 free Water Bob deal at their website. 1 for tub and 2 for downspouts on back of house. 1 for parents and 1 for in-laws. Takes a little pressure off knowing they have safe water. Regarding the Berkey products. I went with the Berkey Light. They are currently running a deal where you get 2 Sport Bottles free. These are going in GHBs for my wife and myself. Will be using Camel Bak clones so the bottles add a bit of extra protection if water foraging is necessary. I was impressed that Berkey actually showed the lab results. Many products brag about independent lab tests but somehow forget to show the results. Let the buyer beware!
Putting a small amount of bleach in your water filled containers will keep water "fresh' for a very only time and isn't enough to cause any adverse effects on the drinker (s).
http://www.bae.ncsu.edu/programs/extension/public…
4 drops bleach per quart or liter container of water
8 drops bleach per 2-quart, 2-liter, or ½ gallon container of water
16 drops bleach, or 1/4 teaspoon, per gallon or 4-liter container of water
When treating larger quantities of water, use the following table to convert drops to standard measuring units.
8 drops = 1/8 teaspoon
16 drops = 1/4 teaspoon
32 drops = ½ teaspoon
64 drops = 1 teaspoon
192 drops = 1 Tablespoon
384 drops = 1/8 cup which is equal to 2 Tablespoons
DO NOT USE BLEACH IN METAL CONTAINERS
I am finding varying and conflicting info on the length of shelf life of household bleach . I am not going to give the formula,considering the potential consequences, of using pool chlorine powder as a water treatment. It makes a very powerful concentrate that would be further diluted as needed. Anyone interested could Google this themselves.
yatahey,
Thanks for the info. I'm glad it's from a university site.
aj,
pool chlorine powder: Yikes! I don't think I would want to try that. It just seems too easy to mess up.
my understanding is 6 months shelf life on bleach
Thanks. That is the most common shelf life I am finding ,so I'll plan around that.
Say a weather event that could compromise water service is predicted but there isnt an interruption,how do you plan on draining the Water BOB if its not in your tub? You have to slash it to drain it completely nor is there a way to remove all the water by siphoning which leads to creepy-crawlies. Those of you that are considering using this for water storage(other than emergency) or that dont have tubs might want to think about it. Also it isnt really built for long term or outdoor use IMHO. Im not even sure it could support its own weight without bursting if it wasnt in a tub or other very sturdy construction. I think youre definitely better of with drums for any long term storage or outside collection and the BOB for emergency use only.
Why not always keep it (partially) full in a bathtub/bathroom that gets little use anyway? Rotate the water every now and then by using 'older' water to water your survival garden.
There is no way to thoroughly flush out the BOB, its the nature of its design. Its quite likely that you would end up with mold or bacteria growth. You could use it for pre-treated water storage or collecting although it isnt really built for long term use. It was designed as a single use product. I think that it is a really useful method of emergency storage but wouldnt quite live up to rigorous or extended use. I recommend finding it for as a low a price as possible for this reason. For long term drinking water storage I would recommend food grade plastic 55 gallon barrels. For wash water or water for gardening any plastic drum/barrell will do. These are built for long term use and will last forever.
I am writing this down and putting it in my apocalypse box.
I'm waiting for mine to come in. As far as the pros/cons I've been reading… I think the water bob falls along the lines of the handgun. I'd rather have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it!
I'm going to stay away from the Water BOB personally. I don't know about where you live, but here I can get 24ct 1/2L (3.17 gallons) bottles of distilled water for $4.99. This means that for the same price I can get more than 25 gallons of water. I realize that it's 1/4 of the water, but I don't have to worry about getting home to turn water faucets on, I don't have to worry about whether the water is safe of not, and I don't need to worry about how to transport a giant IV bag around.
Same thing with the 55 gal drum, for the same price I get the storage container, and the water, with no prep needed.
I know this is kind of off subject, but another way to have fast drinkable water is simply take it out of your hot water heater. Most homes have between 30 and 55 gallon tanks, you would want to close off the valave at the top to keep new water from coming in if you believe the public water to be contaminated, but for all intensive purposes. A hot water heater has drinkable water in it, a lot of people overlook this water source. Also I would like to appologize if there is a pst somewhere else regarding this, I haven't had a chance to view all links as of yet.
One thing to keep in mind – the EPA did a study on emergency water storage in bathtubs not too long ago, and actually recommended against it (this was DIRECTLY storing water in the tub, NOT in the WaterBob).
The EPA found that many tubs constructed earlier than the 80's had siginificant percentages of lead construction, and therefore made extended drinking water storage in them unsafe.
One thing to keep in mind – the EPA did a study on emergency water storage in bathtubs not too long ago, and actually recommended against it (this was DIRECTLY storing water in the tub, NOT in the WaterBob).
The EPA found that many tubs constructed earlier than the 80's had siginificant percentages of lead construction, and therefore made extended drinking water storage in them unsafe.
4 weeks! thats crap. i mean do you now exactly when a disaster might hit. it would be gross water by the time a disaster really hit. what if i want to take a shower or bath. nope theres my water bob. the water bob is absolutely a piece of crap!
You're obviously a moron who doesn't read the whole page before commenting.
The waterBOB is meant to be filled after you are notified (or believe) that an emergency situation is going to happen. You don't just buy it, plop it into your tub, and fill it up as soon as you've got it unwrapped.
So what you're saying is I should spend $30 or so on this water bob when I have more than one gallon per person per day in my food storage.
No, he's saying you should wind your neck in and stop being so confrontational. Pup.
Or to put it another way:
So what *you're* saying that that you would turn down an EXTRA 100 gallons of drinking water for the sake of $30?
I have to say all things considerd for the price and the storage amount the water bob is pretty sweet. But I can also see that with that much water in your food storage you might not need the water bob.
I agree with the other replies on this but I would add one comment if I could. YOU CAN NEVER HAVE TO MUCH WATER!!!!! especially if your food stodage consists of freeze dried foods.
okay for those who can afford it. ..4 condoms unlubricate one inside the other held under the tap in a bathtub will fill with a few gallons of water . the biggest we were able to get held about 130 gallons
of water and we used clothes pins carefully to close it and hold it . ..yeah it sounds yucky but it works . you have to be gentle with it. trojans to the rescue
Aquariums. Raise food and lots of drinkable water
The water heater in your home is a great source of water. Tap on the bottom. Just wait for it to cool and as long as the public drinkwater supply isn't contaminated you have many many gallons of fresh drinking water. And you can hook up a hose to the tap. Full of posibilities.
Long term water storage is a good idea in a bug in situation, but in a bug out situation you need a more portable source of water! AS we all agree that water is a #1 priorty I think we need to remember that in the real long term a water purification plan is a better idea than large amounts of stored water. The bleach system is ok, but purification tablets, water filters or purifiers are preferable to bleach! Also a supply of colodial silver is a good idea too, also I keep a supply of iodine on hand.
I do recomend at least 25gls of stored water for imediate use and if you have to bug out you can carry it with you.
you can drain water heater into a bucket it should hold about 35-50 gallons of clean pre boiled water….
I think you have a misconception about the capabilities of your water heater.
A household water heater does not heat water to the boiling point, nor would you want it to. If it did, then you would have near-boiling water coming straight out of your hot water tap, which could be very dangerous.
It would also be needlessly expensive and energy inefficient. Especially as it would have to boil the full contents of your water heater and keep all of it at that temperature 24 hours a day.
I think this is an excellent water sorce for bug in situations. The part of the move that was mentioned is something that the Australian goverment tells the people in the out back to do in the case of brush fires, which I'm taking it is common in that area. As for me, for 20 bucks, I'll buy two. One for my house and one for my BOB if the wieght isn't to much. In the back contry I can dig a hole, put in the bag, and then pack water from a far source. Run the, unknown, water through a gravity filter and into the Water BOB and you now have 100 gals. of water at your bug out site.
aj,
awesome I'm glad to hear you got the WaterBob's. Let me know how the frames for your downspout ones turn out, and how you decide to make them.
I usually hear nothing but good things about Berkey, and also AquaRain. I'm doing a bunch of research on water filtration and purification options right now for a future project.
Also even if the water goes out you should still have (depending on the size) around 40 gal. in your water heater that you can use to fill it.
For your downspout idea, why not just get an old bathtub. You can get one at a second hand store or in the paper for nrxt to nothing and you know it will support the water BOB. Just a thought. Scouts out
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