Having a backup water supply is becoming more important every day. Water outage and shortage headlines are more frequent as climate conditions impact wider swaths of our country. Areas in the western U.S. have been under drought conditions for years. Many in the eastern half of the country are seeing the water levels in their wells drop and flow rates decrease. Earthquakes and other disaster events do not come with warnings. How do you prepare?
Jackson MS and Others—Aging Infrastructure
Many of the water shortages are due to changes in weather conditions. But aging water infrastructures also cause problems, and many cities across the country are replacing aging water pipe infrastructure. Recently, Jackson MS experienced severe flooding that both damaged the existing water system and contaminated the water supply.
Jackson residents were recently told they may experience water outages for the next 10 years. Often, repair activity on one part of a city’s water system will cause failures on other sections of the water system. While community officials will do their very best to warn residents of the outages, they simply cannot predict where and when the failures will occur. Homes without backup water supplies may be at risk of health and sanitation issues during water-out events.
In addition to the Jackson MS projects, there are Flint, MI, Baltimore, MD, and Houston, TX, to name a few. In all of these major cities, there are years-long projects where infrastructure is replaced section-by-section after failure. But, these years-long efforts often cause water main breaks which leave residents on the public water systems without water during repairs.
Federal grants are available that could make backup water supplies available to those community members that are at the greatest risk during a water-out event.
California City At Risk of Running Out of Water
- Constant Water systems:
- eliminate the need to fill sinks and tubs
- provide backup water throughout your home
- are environmentally friendly
- qualify for Medical Home Improvement tax deduction
- qualify for Department of VA grants for veterans with a disability rating
Drought conditions and reduced water allocations from a federally managed aqueduct threaten the water supply of Coalinga CA. Experts predict Coalinga will be out of water in 2-3 months. Some residents are stockpiling 5-gallon water jugs for their backup water supply. But many can’t store water in large jugs because the weight of the jugs is too much for them to manage.
Recent torrential rains in California may reduce the drought conditions in the near term. Lake Mead rose almost 3 feet, but still remains at only 26% of normal capacity for this time of the year.
Some experts believe only a change in water policy can contribute to saving the lake. Dr. Joellen Russell is a climate scientist and professor at the University of Arizona. Dr. Russell, also a member of the group Science Moms, told Newsweek: “Lake Mead is more than 180 feet below its “full level” and hasn’t been close to full since 1999. It would take several years of much-above average snowpack (unlikely given the warming temperatures), combined with drastically less water usage to let Lake Mead begin to fill again.”
Many Homes Experiencing Water Loss or Reduced Water Flow
We regularly speak with families from across the country. Many fear loss of water due to major weather events (hurricanes, floods, storms, etc.), but many already experience reduced flow in their water wells, or reduced pressures in their public water systems. For them, whole-house backup water systems make all the difference.
Many homes are at the end of the public water lines. They see water pressure fall dramatically in the morning and in the evening during the high water demand times. Often, they operate on backup water systems during these high demand times so they can take very short showers before work/school or before bed. The backup water supply tanks then refill at night when demand is lower and pressure is higher.
Water well users also feel the need for backup water systems. Drought conditions can impact underground aquifers from which water well users draw their water. Many are starting to see static levels drop which means there is less water in the well. We encourage families on water wells to monitor the “static level” (the level of water in the well, under normal conditions, while at rest) of water in their well.
Many also see reduced flow rates in their wells. This means that the well is not refilling as quickly as it did in the past. Much like those homes at the end of a water main, many customers operate whole-house backup water systems during high demand times and allow them to refill during low demand times.
About Constant Water
Constant Water systems are whole-house, battery-powered, backup water supply systems for homes on water wells or on at-risk public water systems. They provide a reliable source of backup water, under pressure, during water-out events or for very low water pressure from a public utility. Across the country, homes on private/community water wells and in homes on public water use Constant Water systems.
Constant Water backup water supply tanks are plumbed “in line” to your existing water lines so the tank is always full and the water is always fresh. When the water goes out, you have emergency water in place. Constant Water systems are activated to provide pressurized potable water throughout the home—to every sink, shower, tub and toilet.
This is not an endless supply of backup water. But Constant Water systems eliminate the need to fill sinks and tubs, buy bottled water, or flush toilets with buckets.
Many find it more and more difficult to carry water to flush the toilet or for cooking. Carrying water in buckets or pans also creates the risk of falling on a slippery floor. With 40-gallon, 80-gallon, or 120-gallon tanks, Constant Water systems can meet the needs of small and large families. Additional tanks can be added to increase the emergency water capacity in your home.
When the water returns, Constant Water tanks refill automatically and are ready for the next time the water goes out.
Constant Water systems are environmentally friendly; even our smallest backup water supply eliminates up to 240 plastic water bottles with every use. Our largest system eliminates 720 plastic water bottles!
