As reported in a recent study, the US Geological Survey has increased the likelihood of an 8.0 earthquake within the next 30 years from 4.7% to 7%. The revised estimate means it is expected that every 494 years California should see an 8.0 or greater earthquake. This comes as greater understanding of how systems of faults in California could result in a “mega-quake” rampaging through the state. For example, a sizable earthquake on one fault could then trigger adjacent faults leading to much greater damage. An earthquake along the 800 mile long San Andreas Fault could result in a domino effect of other known (and unknown) faults rupturing creating a wide-ranging mega-quake storm.

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The 1994 Northridge earthquake was a 6.7 magnitude quake which resulted in 57 deaths, 5000 injured and as much as $40 billion in damage. Using the currently accepted scale for earthquakes, an 8.0 magnitude quake would release 13 times more energy. This may not sound like a mega disaster until you consider that even in California most commercial buildings and high-rises are only designed to withstand earthquakes up to 7.0. An 8.0 earthquake would exceed these design standards by 10 times! And residential structures would likely fair much worse as their earthquake tolerance standards are far looser than for commercial building, and poorly inspected. The death toll from even an 8.0 magnitude California earthquake would probably greatly exceed 13 times the death toll from the 1994 quake.

Southern California would be hit the worst from an 8.0 earthquake. After the initial massive casualties from collapsing buildings, falling glass, violent shaking for a minute (or more) and the ensuing fires, Southern California residents would be left without drinking water for up to a year! So Cal water is provided by four large aqueducts. All of these aqueducts except for one cross right over the San Andreas fault. An 8.0 Southern California shaker could sever all four water life-lines at once, leaving 23 million people without clean water until the aqueducts could be repaired.

In light of these facts, Southern California residents (and people in other regions susceptible to water outage) should realize how completely inadequate the 3-day water supply storage recommended by disaster preparedness organizations really is. With just a 3-day water supply stored, people won’t survive the year it will take to repair the aqueducts. And it would be impossible for disaster relief agencies to ship in drinking water for 23 million people.

A saving-grace for California (as well as other coastal regions) it that it has an inexhaustible supply of water for those who are prepared – the ocean. Sea water without processing is not suitable for drinking, and with such a high salt concentration drinking it would actually dehydrate you. But two survivalist / doomsday prepper solutions offer coastal residents an ample supply of drinkable water in the aftermath of a mega-disaster; the personal reverse-osmosis water desalinator and the water still.

Survival water desalinators are used by the military as part of survival gear for those with ocean-going missions. They are human-powered mechanical pumps, which push water through filters that reject salt but allow water to pass through. The best ones are suitable for providing water for survival rafts with up to 4 people. But just because these contraptions were intended for survival rafts, doesn’t mean they can’t provide water for “land-lubbers” near the ocean if their fresh water supply gets cut off. In fact, with about 40% of the world’s population with 40 miles of the sea, a personal desalinator could be life-saver for billions.

Sea water can also be distilled to supply drinkable water. A survival water distiller operates by boiling sea water, and then condensing the steam back into the salt-free water. All that is needed to make clean, fresh water is salt water and a heat source like wood or charcoal. You could even use a premade or rig a solar still, where as long as the sun is out you can be making drinking water. The simplicity and ruggedness of a water still might provide the ultimate solution for drinking water in the aftermath of a disaster such as a mega-quake.