My personal Y2k shopping adventure...

Just got back from Sam's club in Roseville, CA. I went there to see if I couldn't get a couple of 55 gallon barrels. I cruised the floor and didn't see any - so I screwed up my courage and asked the young lady:

"Pardon me, do you perhaps have any 55 gallon water barrels?"

"I think so, let me check" said she. Looking the item up in the inventory sheet she chirped - "323 of them. They are in the receiving area in the stockroom."

"Well, I only need two", I replied.

I felt a bit like Noah, as I stood in the long line to exit.

"What are you going to put in these?" asked the young checkout clerk.

"Water, it's only enough for a family of four for two weeks" I replied.

There was no SKU number, so he had to check on the price (22.50 each). This was the first time he had run any of these through the line.

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Not bad - $50.00 for two weeks of water. Cheap insurance. What's Sams going to do with over 300???

-- Greg (balzer@lanset.com), August 03, 1999

Answers

They will likely sell all of them within the next few days or a week at the most.

-- smfdoc (smfdoc@aol.com), August 04, 1999.

Iam suddenly filled with a great sadness at the idea of fellow human beings, americans at that, scrounging around over a pitifully few barrels of water. Please don't take offense as none is intended. If I had my way, you would all have all the water you will ever need. I have had negative thoughts about people lined up in our yard drawing "my" water from "my" well. I ask your forgivness.

-- Lumber Jack (johnsellis@webtv.net), August 04, 1999.

30 gallon plastic trash cans with snap on lids at K-Mart for 6.99. There are always alternatives.

-- Bruce (bwblanchard@ems.att.com), August 04, 1999.

In respondse to the plastic trash cans being used for potable water....

BEWARE..you should not use them as they are most likely coated inside with an insecticide. Use only food grade containers

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Shakey~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

-- Shakey (in_a_bunker@forty.feet), August 04, 1999.

I have had negative thoughts about people lined up in our yard drawing "my" water from "my" well. I ask your forgivness.

-- Lumber Jack (johnsellis@webtv.net), August 04, 1999.

That might not be so bad depending on the type of well. An artesian well is under pressure, which forces the water towards the surface. This type of well can usually take more draw. If you have ever had your well run dry from just your own house, that is a bad sign. Talk to the well pump installer to find out what the maximium GPM draw on your well would be.If you can't do that, look on the plaque on the well to find the GPM rating of the pump, this is supposed to be less than the replacement rate. The problem is not wells but pumps. If you have solar power or some other means to recharge batteries, see if you can find a 12 volt deck blasting pump from a marine store. Use stiff PVC pipe (hoses collapse) and you can draw water with it in a pinch. Several families might be able to use your well.

-- Forrest Covington (theforrest@mindspring.com), August 04, 1999.

I am suddenly filled with a great sadness at the idea of fellow human beings, americans at that, scrounging around over a pitifully few barrels of water. Please don't take offense as none is intended.

Lumberjack - would you feel better if I told you that I am trying to gather more water than I believe my family might need in order to share with the neighbors on my cul-de-sac? Hopefully the barrels will cover our needs, the neighbors can borrow the PUR filter and pump from the

-- Gregory (balzer@lanset.com), August 04, 1999.

pool.

-- Gregory (balzer@lanset.com), August 04, 1999.

Anyone seen these at Price Club or BJs?

-- Libby Alexander (libbyalex@aol.com), August 04, 1999.

Costco had 15 gallon barrels for around twelve dollars, not as good a deal as Sam's.

-- Mumsie (Shezdremn@aol.com), August 04, 1999.

Two SAM's stores are both an hour's drive away. My mother, a member, won't help me by buying any even though she shops there about twice a month. I'm not a member, and I hate long distance traveling, so I searched for local options.

The local kidney dialysis center won't sell their used barrels and didn't want to continue talking to me. They sounded like snotty DGIs who hadn't heard this query before and didn't know how to handle it.

The local Culligan water center sells used, beatup blue barrels for $35, but they can't spare any because they switch them for chlorine- filled ones from their supplier.

In other words, my local options are worthless, much like the preparedness quotient of those in my city.

I ordered some water barrels via the Internet. They cost more, but I don't have to deal with indigenous stupidity!

-- Randolph (dinosaur@williams-net.com), August 04, 1999.