Sovereignty Module: Command the Waters
Command the Waters
Complete Water Systems: From Source to Tap
Complete Water Systems: From Source to Tap
Clean water is life. This campaign covers finding, collecting, purifying, storing, and distributing water for drinking, irrigation, and sanitation.
Chapter 1: Water Sources
| Source | Reliability | Quality | Volume | Access Method | Treatment Needed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring (gravity) | Very high | Often excellent | Low-moderate | Capture at source | Minimal (test first) |
| Deep well (50+ ft) | Very high | Usually good | Moderate-high | Drill or dig | Usually minimal |
| Shallow well (<50 ft) | High | Variable (contamination risk) | Low-moderate | Dig, line with stone/pipe | Filter + disinfect |
| River/stream | High (seasonal) | Variable (surface contamination) | High | Pump or gravity diversion | Full treatment required |
| Rainwater | Seasonal (climate dependent) | Good (if clean collection) | Variable | Roof + gutters + tank | Filter + disinfect |
| Lake/pond | High | Variable (algae, bacteria) | Very high | Pump or gravity | Full treatment required |
| Fog/dew collection | Low (arid coastal only) | Good | Very low | Mesh collectors | Minimal |
Chapter 2: Well Construction
| Type | Depth | Diameter | Method | Lining | Yield | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hand-dug well | 10-60 ft | 3-6 ft | Dig with shovel, bucket | Stone, brick, or concrete rings | 1-10 gal/min | Low (labor) |
| Driven well (sand point) | 15-50 ft | 1.25-2 inch | Drive pipe with hammer | Steel pipe + screen | 1-5 gal/min | Low |
| Drilled well (hand auger) | 20-100 ft | 4-6 inch | Hand auger or percussion | PVC or steel casing | 2-20 gal/min | Moderate |
| Drilled well (machine) | 50-500+ ft | 4-8 inch | Rotary or cable tool drill | Steel casing + screen | 5-50+ gal/min | High |
| Spring box | Surface | 3x3x3 ft | Excavate, box spring eye | Concrete or stone box | 0.5-5 gal/min | Low |
Hand-dug well procedure: 1) Select site (uphill from contamination, 100+ ft from latrine). 2) Dig 3-4 ft diameter hole. 3) Line walls as you go (stone, brick, or pre-cast rings). 4) Continue until water table reached + 3-5 ft into water. 5) Install gravel filter at bottom. 6) Cap top (prevent contamination). 7) Install hand pump or windlass. 8) Test water quality.
Chapter 3: Water Purification
| Method | Removes | Effectiveness | Volume | Cost | Energy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boiling (1 min rolling) | Bacteria, viruses, parasites | 99.9%+ pathogens | Any | Free (fuel) | High (fire) |
| Sand filter (biosand) | Bacteria, turbidity, some viruses | 90-99% bacteria | 1-5 gal/hour | Low (build once) | None (gravity) |
| Ceramic filter | Bacteria, parasites, turbidity | 99%+ bacteria | 1-3 gal/hour | Moderate | None (gravity) |
| Charcoal filter | Chemicals, taste, some bacteria | Good for chemicals, moderate bacteria | Variable | Low (make charcoal) | None (gravity) |
| Solar disinfection (SODIS) | Bacteria, viruses | 99.9% (6+ hours sun) | 1-2 liters/bottle | Free | Solar |
| Chlorination (bleach) | Bacteria, viruses | 99.9%+ | Any volume | Very low | None |
| UV light | Bacteria, viruses | 99.9%+ | Variable | Moderate (equipment) | Electrical |
| Distillation | Everything (produces pure water) | 100% | Slow (1 gal/hour) | Moderate | High (fire) |
| Slow sand filter (community) | Bacteria, turbidity, parasites | 99%+ | 50-500 gal/hour | Moderate (build) | None (gravity) |
Biosand filter construction: 1) Container (concrete box, barrel, or bucket — 2-5 gallon minimum). 2) Layers from bottom: gravel (3 inches), coarse sand (3 inches), fine sand (18-24 inches), standing water (2 inches above sand). 3) Diffuser plate (prevents disturbing sand). 4) Outlet pipe at bottom. 5) Allow 2-3 weeks for biological layer to develop. 6) Never let sand dry out. Flow rate: 0.5-1 gal/hour per square foot of sand surface.
Chapter 4: Water Storage
| Container | Volume | Material | Cost | Durability | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barrel (wood) | 30-55 gal | Oak, cedar | Moderate | 20-50 years | Small household |
| Cistern (concrete) | 500-10,000 gal | Reinforced concrete | High | 50-100 years | Household/community |
| Cistern (ferrocement) | 500-5,000 gal | Cement + wire mesh | Moderate | 30-50 years | Household |
| Plastic tank | 50-10,000 gal | Polyethylene | Moderate-high | 15-25 years | Easy installation |
| Earthen tank (lined) | 1,000-100,000 gal | Earth + clay/plastic liner | Low-moderate | 10-30 years | Irrigation, livestock |
| Stone/brick tank | 500-5,000 gal | Stone/brick + mortar + plaster | Moderate-high | 50-100+ years | Permanent installation |
Chapter 5: Distribution
| Method | Head/Pressure | Distance | Volume | Cost | Maintenance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gravity (pipe from spring) | 1 psi per 2.3 ft elevation | Miles (if elevation available) | High | Moderate (pipe) | Low |
| Hand pump (shallow) | Manual (lift 25 ft max) | At well | 2-5 gal/min | Low-moderate | Moderate (seals, valves) |
| Hand pump (deep) | Manual (lift 200+ ft) | At well | 0.5-2 gal/min | Moderate | Moderate |
| Windmill pump | Wind-powered | At well + tank | 1-10 gal/min (when wind) | Moderate-high | Moderate |
| Ram pump (hydraulic) | Water-powered (no electricity) | Uphill from source | 0.1-1 gal/min | Low-moderate | Low |
| Solar pump | Solar-powered | At well + tank | 1-10 gal/min (when sun) | High | Low |
| Bucket and rope | Manual | At well | 2-5 gal/trip | Very low | Very low |
| Aqueduct (open channel) | Gravity | Miles | Very high | High (construction) | Moderate |
Ram pump: uses energy of falling water to pump small portion uphill. Requires: flowing water source with 3+ ft fall. Delivers: 1/7 of input water to 7x the fall height (approximately). No electricity, no fuel. Runs 24/7 automatically. Build from pipe fittings, check valves, and pressure chamber.
Chapter 6: Irrigation
| Method | Efficiency | Cost | Labor | Best For | Water Use |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flood/furrow | 40-60% | Low | High | Row crops, flat land | High |
| Drip (gravity) | 90-95% | Moderate | Low (after setup) | Gardens, orchards | Very low |
| Sprinkler | 60-75% | Moderate-high | Low | Large areas, lawns | Moderate-high |
| Swales (earthwork) | 80-90% | Low (labor) | Low (after build) | Orchards, slopes | Captures rain |
| Ollas (buried clay pots) | 95%+ | Low | Low | Individual plants, arid | Very low |
| Wicking beds | 90%+ | Moderate | Very low | Raised beds | Low |
| Keyline design | 85-95% | Moderate (earthwork) | Low (after build) | Whole farm | Captures rain |
Reference Card
- Boiling: simplest purification. 1 minute at rolling boil kills everything. If fuel is available, this is the answer. No equipment needed beyond a pot.
- Biosand filter: build once, use for years. Fine sand + gravel + container. Biological layer develops in 2-3 weeks. Removes 99% bacteria. No consumables.
- Gravity: water flows downhill. If your source is above your use point, pipe it. No pump, no fuel, no maintenance. Ideal system.
- Ram pump: if you have flowing water with 3+ ft fall, a ram pump lifts water uphill for free. No electricity. Runs forever. Build from pipe fittings.
- Rainwater: 1 inch of rain on 1,000 sq ft roof = 600 gallons. Collect everything. Size tank for dry season. First flush diverter removes roof debris.
- Well location: 100+ ft from latrine, downhill from contamination. Uphill from septic. Test water annually. Cap well to prevent surface contamination.
- Storage: size for 3 days minimum household use (50 gal/person/day for all uses, 1 gal/person/day survival minimum). Covered, dark, clean.
- Drip irrigation: most efficient method. Gravity-fed from elevated tank. Emitters at each plant. 90-95% efficiency vs 40-60% for flood. Saves water, saves labor.
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