South Florida Irma panic

[2airishuman]

Why does seemingly everyone need bottled water? Do people who live in these areas not have the good sense to own large containers they can fill from the tap?

It is difficult to keep one or several large containers of water sanitary in adverse conditions, especially without practice, and without the right kind of containers. Most people don't have enough camping gear to hold a reasonable water supply to cover a lengthy disruption.

I have a couple of 3-5 gallon pots with lids, and a dipper, and some moller-scepter 6 gallon water jugs with spouts. That's the sort of thing you need to have, and most people don't.

 

[tarponchik]

Unfortunately, tap water in FL is hard, 7-10.5 G/G. Lots of Ca and Mg is good for your health but other organisms also like it. So it can't be kept for long at room temperature w/o algae and bacterial growth.

 

[tarponchik]

I wonder how the coastal high rises will do this time. They keep building more and more of those, don't they?

 

[AdivingBel]

No sorcery. Just a bit of white magic.

My issue is every time my neighbor opens his garage door my trash can opens and my Toto lid goes up. (Definition of a "first world" problem)

Be safe Florida dive buddies.

 

[Rred]

The tap water in Miami Beach (around 1970) used to be a vile thing full of sulfur. Water treatment has gotten way better all over, but I wouldn't say that Florida has "great" water overall, where it hasn't been processed.

"Do people who live in these areas not have the good sense to own large containers they can fill from the tap?" What, they should drink from dirty used containers instead of nice sanitary new ones? (sigh)

These are the same people who say "I have water and flashlights, I' not worried" and totally ignore the fact that this will probably land as a Cat5 or Cat4. The strongest Florida building codes only call for Cat2-3, and even the shelters and hospitals will be damaged by Cat4-5. Possibly worse than Hurricane Andrew was--and NO ONE who got caught by that, is casually sticking around.

Cat4, Cat5? That's a bulldozer 400 miles wide, playing in your backyard for twelve hours or longer. Yes, evacuation up to the mainland is too expensive for many folks. So instead, they'll get soaked, and THEN they'll still have to evacuate. What did it take, 15 years for places to recover from Andrew?

On the bright side, this could soon be a buyer's market for Florida real estate. "Handyman's special".

 

[Lorenzoid]

The tap water in Miami Beach (around 1970) used to be a vile thing full of sulfur. Water treatment has gotten way better all over, but I wouldn't say that Florida has "great" water overall, where it hasn't been processed.

You're right. I forgot there is such a thing as south Florida.

 

[matts1w]

Big gallon sized Ziploc freezer bags. fill with water, seal, stand upright in freezer. Heck, just stand them upright.

 

[Rred]

Ziplocs are great--till you get some leakers. I've had too many of those over the years. On the other hand, two liter pop bottles are built to hold something like 125psi of pressure. Easy enough to squirrel some away.

 

[luscioman]

.

How long will the reefs be jacked up? We plan on coming dow the week of the 24th and was looking to get some diving in? Do you think the reefs will clear up by then?

Hopefully the boats will be there when you get here. I know of 1 operation that put their boat on the bay side in mangroves because they couldn't dry dock it. Thwy hope it will be there after the storm.

I have a waterbob that you put in your bathtub and it can hold 100 gallons. Only cost $25 pre hurricane priced. Saw one today for $200.

 

[J322Y]

I've been in FL since 1978, so I'm familiar with this drill (Andrew, Wilma, and others).

I have about 20 gallons of bottled water that I keep around, but I also have a Big Berkey water filter. I can literally take pond/puddle water and make pure delicious drinking water. I'll have the tub and assorted lined garbage cans filled with water, and just run them through the Berkey if I need water.