Rain Catchment & Water Discipline (Urban & Field)
Objective
Collect clean rainwater and stretch every liter with safe treatment, storage, and a ruthless usage plan.
Scenario (Example)
Example: 48–72 hour storm with intermittent showers. City outage: taps unreliable; rooftop access to a clean gutter; you have trash bags, cord, and a few food‑grade jugs.
Catchment Options
- Gutter diverter: Line a clean tote with a new contractor bag; weight corners with stones; rig a spout from cut bottle to reduce splash.
- Tarp funnel: Tarp tied to four points with a low center over a pot. Keep the pitch steep to shed debris.
- Drip line: Clean rope tied to roof edge into container; water follows the rope into the jug.
Pre‑Filter & Treatment
- First 10–15 minutes of rain = roof rinse. Discard this first flush.
- Strain with cloth; then treat: boil, chemical (per dosing), or filter + UV. Treat cap threads.
Water Discipline (72h Plan)
- 2–3 L/person/day drinking target; separate “drink” and “utility” jugs.
- Hand wash with a slow‑flow spigot jug over a basin; reuse grey water for toilet bucket cleaning (not for food).
- Food: favor no‑cook/low‑cook meals; soak grains to cut fuel and water.
Storage & Labeling
- Opaque or shaded containers reduce algae growth.
- Mark jugs “RAW” vs “TREATED” with date/time.
Real Example
Apartment used a tarp funnel on a balcony; after discarding the first flush they collected ~18 L overnight, enough for drinking+cooking for two days for two adults.
Checklist
- Tarp, cord, contractor bags
- Food‑grade jugs with caps
- Filter/chemicals/UV; pot for boil
Contingencies
- Dirty roof → prioritize tarp funnels and free‑hanging drip lines away from surfaces.
- Bird droppings season → boil or UV after filtering; don’t skip treatment.
After‑Action
Record yield per hour of rain by setup so you know which rig to deploy next time.
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