Drought and Water Scarcity is a news and information topic monitored and covered by: Prepper Watch – Homesteading
Introduction
Water is the foundation of life, and for preppers and homesteaders, it is the most vital resource to secure. A prolonged drought or increasing water scarcity can bring homesteading operations to a halt—crippling crops, stressing livestock, and threatening personal survival. In this blog, we’ll dive deep into how to prepare, adapt, and thrive even when rainfall disappears and natural water sources begin to run dry.
Understanding the Threat: What Is Drought and Water Scarcity?
Drought is more than a few dry weeks. It is an extended period of below-average precipitation that results in water shortages, dry soil, depleted reservoirs, and failing ecosystems. Water scarcity, on the other hand, can stem from drought or overuse—when the demand for water exceeds the available supply.
For preppers and homesteaders, the implications are clear:
- Reduced garden and crop yields
- Higher livestock mortality rates
- Difficulty maintaining hygiene and food preservation
- Increased fire risks
- Depletion of stored water
Water Assessment: Know Your Supply and Risk
Before preparing for drought, take stock of your current situation:
- Do you rely on municipal, well, or surface water?
- Is your area prone to seasonal droughts?
- How much water do your household, garden, and livestock consume weekly?
Make a complete water audit:
| Use | Average Daily Gallons | Notes |
| Household (drinking, cooking) | 10-20 per person | Minimum for prepping |
| Garden | 0.5-1.5 per sq. ft. | Highly variable |
| Livestock | Chickens: 0.2/hen, Goats: 1-3, Cows: 10-20 | Per day |
| Sanitation | 2-5 | Varies by system |
Knowing your baseline helps determine how much you need to store, recycle, or reduce.
Water Storage: Build Your Reserve Wisely
A key prepping principle is redundancy, and water storage is no exception. Here’s how to ensure you always have water, even during a prolonged drought.
Short-Term Storage (1-3 months):
- Rain Barrels – Place under gutters, use first-flush diverters
- Water Bricks – Stackable, portable, BPA-free storage
- IBC Totes – 275-gallon capacity; great for gardens and livestock
- Bathtub Bladders – For last-minute emergency fills
Long-Term Storage (3+ months):
- Buried Water Tanks – Protect from heat and light
- Above-Ground Cisterns – UV-resistant plastic or concrete
- Sealed Barrels – 55-gallon drums with rotation every 6 months
Add water stabilizers if storing for over six months, and label each container with fill date and usage type (potable vs. graywater).
Water Harvesting: Catch Every Drop
Rainwater harvesting isn’t just wise—it’s essential. A single 1,000 sq. ft. roof can collect over 600 gallons from 1 inch of rain.
Collection Methods:
- Gutter-connected barrels and cisterns
- Surface runoff catchment (with filtration)
- Tarps or rain catchment systems stretched over sloped areas
Tips:
- Keep collection systems clean and covered to avoid mosquito breeding
- Install first-flush diverters to keep debris out
- Filter water before use if it’s for drinking or cooking
Also consider building swales and berms in your garden to capture and slow water flow for soil absorption.
Groundwater Strategies: Well, Springs, and Hand Pumps
For rural preppers, wells may be the lifeline—but they’re not drought-proof. Wells can dry up, and pumps need power.
What to Do:
- Test your well’s depth and flow rate annually
- Install manual hand pumps or solar-powered backup systems
- Use deep well buckets as no-power contingency
- Dig secondary shallow wells for non-potable use
If you’re fortunate to have a spring or artesian source, protect it with secure covers and regular testing for bacteria or contaminants.
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle: Making Every Drop Count
Water Efficiency Tactics:
- Low-flow faucets and composting toilets dramatically reduce use
- Graywater recycling—use sink and shower runoff for flushing or irrigation
- Mulching—keeps soil moist and reduces evaporation
- Drip irrigation and soaker hoses—minimize runoff and target root zones
Graywater systems can reuse up to 60% of household water. Just avoid using it on edible leaves and be cautious with soaps.
Drought-Resistant Gardening: Grow More with Less
Adapting your growing methods is key. Focus on crops that thrive with minimal water and implement smart techniques.
Best Crops for Drought:
- Amaranth
- Sweet potatoes
- Cowpeas
- Jerusalem artichokes
- Herbs like rosemary, sage, and thyme
Smart Gardening Tactics:
- Hugelkultur beds retain moisture naturally
- Shade cloths reduce sun stress
- Ollas (buried clay pots) slowly release water at the root level
- Mulch heavily with straw or wood chips
Switch to succession planting to avoid total crop loss and rotate crops to maintain soil health.
Livestock in Drought: Keeping Animals Alive and Well
Livestock suffer quickly during droughts. Water needs don’t just disappear—and neither do sanitation needs.
Strategies for Livestock Survival:
- Rotate pasture frequently to avoid overgrazing
- Feed high-moisture forage like watermelon rind or silage
- Collect and store rainwater specifically for animals
- Reduce herd size if necessary to match water availability
- Clean water troughs regularly to avoid algae and disease
You may also consider water-nipples or gravity-fed systems to reduce spillage and conserve more per gallon.
Sanitation and Hygiene: Clean Without Waste
Personal hygiene and sanitation systems often use more water than necessary. Cut back with efficient systems:
Prepper Sanitation Tactics:
- Composting Toilets – Save thousands of gallons per year
- Hand Sanitizers and Wipes – For dry cleaning
- Solar Showers – Heat water naturally and limit usage
- Wash Stations – Use a foot pump and basin to control flow
- DIY Bidets – Cut down on toilet paper and water
If you must use water, consider “navy showers” (turn water off while soaping) and dual-bucket systems for reuse.
Backup Plans: When the Drought Gets Worse
Sometimes your preps will still fall short—especially in multi-year droughts or extreme heat waves. Having a fallback plan is essential.
Long-Term Strategies:
- Stock bottled water and rotate
- Build connections with neighboring preppers for trade
- Purchase portable water filtration (Berkey, Lifestraw Family, Sawyer Gravity)
- Know your local municipal or emergency water distribution locations
- Store water purification supplies:
- Bleach (unscented)
- Calcium hypochlorite (pool shock)
- Water purification tablets
A solar still or emergency desalination unit may even be worth investing in if water becomes undrinkable.
Community Resilience: Prepping Together
Water is a shared resource. In a grid-down or drought emergency, communities that prep together will have a better chance.
Get Involved:
- Join local water boards or prepper groups
- Advocate for rainwater harvesting legality in your area
- Participate in watershed protection efforts
- Teach neighbors about drought gardening and water efficiency
Bartering Tip: Water purification supplies, containers, and rain collection kits become high-value trade items in drought-prone times.
Final Thoughts: Water is Life
Preparing for drought isn’t just about storing water—it’s about designing a lifestyle that honors its value. From efficient irrigation to drought-hardy crops, water-smart sanitation to filtration systems, every action builds your homestead’s resilience. The ability to survive—and thrive—when the taps run dry is the mark of a true prepper.