I suspect most of us take clean water for granted. If, like most, you are on a municipal water system without a backup water well, your water source is vulnerable to disruption. I'm not a water expert, but I've seen how the delivery system works in our area, and if our area loses electrical power for a prolonged period of time, the storage tanks we see dotting the landscape will probably be empty in a relatively short time. The systems I've seen use electrically powered motor-driven pumps to move the treated water from the source to the storage tanks. From the tank the flow works with gravity. None of the pumping facilities I've seen have backup power for the pumps. Perhaps your municipal water system is different.
With the above in mind, water resiliency is our weak point. For us, we need water for personal needs, as well as for eliminating human waste--we're on a septic tank waste disposal system. We have 90 gallons of stored water: 40 gallons in 5-gallon containers, and 50 gallons in the water heater. So what do we do when the municipal tank goes dry?
In a prolonged water emergency, I would hope the local and state government, in conjunction with the state's National Guard, would be able to provide at least minimal drinking water. But I'm not counting on it.
Actually, before the municipal tank runs dry from a power outage, 3 bathtubs and a deep sink get filled--that's our short-term sanitation water. After the stored 90 gallons is consumed, assuming the municipal water system is still down, we resort to scavenging for water. Where's the water? If you aren't sure where the nearest bodies of water are to you, Google Earth may be your friend. A topographical map of your area may also reveal water sources—creeks, etc. that are not known to you. A map of our area shows a spring about one mile from the house that is only accessible via hiking or ATV (not yet verified). The nearest bodies of water to our house are private ponds serving livestock.
Obviously, one does not want to drink untreated water. For me, the best way to solve this treatment issue is with quality water filters. In our case, a countertop Big Berky filter (with a store of extra filters) and a high-end Katadyn backpacker's water filter that is good for about 13,000 gallons. So, back to scavenging: a couple of 5-gallon jugs, the Katadyn filter, and a short hike should work for us.
So you've been prepping and increasing your resilience for some time. Perhaps since you stumbled upon the Crash Course, or maybe even longer than that. Maybe it was recently or maybe it was several years (or decades) ago. We've talked in various threads, forums, and groups about how far we have come, individually and within our communities. Perhaps you took the self-assessment long ago or examined your life in light of the frameworks Chris discusses in Chapter 20; revisiting those things now might help you see how far you've come and construct a list to get you even further in your preps.
This time of year (December in Vermont, for me personally) I'm feeling the natural urge to slow down, contemplate my life and needs, and provision my family for the winter and beyond. Winter is a great time for hibernation and contemplation. (With apologies to our friends down under, who are enjoying summer right now!)
Personally, I'd like to soon increase my skills (and habits) around food growing and preservation. I have a lot of "equipment" but don't put it into use nearly as often as I feel I should. I would also like to make a plan for water collection with rain barrels -- tricky as my new house has virtually no gutters and my home-improvement budget has been depleted (only temporarily, I hope). I'd like to explore more small-budget options for emergency backup power. And I'm eager to get to know the neighbors better and see if we can knit ourselves more closely together with regard to resource-sharing and emotional support -- without disturbing the regional expectation of privacy and personal space.
I'd really like to hear what all of you are currently prioritizing in your "preps" -- are there purchases you're planning to make, home improvements you're looking to implement, personal improvements you're seeking to adopt (in areas of health, exercise, eating habits, whathaveyou)?
Your ideas may inspire others who hadn't thought of the things you have. And it's good to check in and make a list every now and then. So, what's next on your Increasing Resiliency list?