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As a prepper, the last thing you want is to turn on the faucet and not have any water flow from it.Before this happens to you during a long-term water disruption, it’s best to learn about several ways to find and harvest more water for your stockpile.

Some options include installing a well with a solar-powered pump on your homestead and learning how to harvest rainwater.(h/t to PrepperWebsite.com) Why do you need alternative strategies for a water shortage?

You can stock up onenough bottled water so your family has enough water to drink during a long-term survival disaster, but how do you know when you have enough water?

According tominimum recommendations, you should have at least one gallon of water per person. It is also best to keep a three-day supply on hand at all times.

However, if the weather is hot you may need twice as much water. This still doesn’t include the water you need for washing, flushing the toilet, watering the garden or for your pets and livestock.

During the first day or two without running water, you can find water in places like toilet tanks, water heaters and swimming pools. But after these supplies are depleted, locating water will be an ongoing effort.

You should also remember that even if these alternative sources are available in your area, other people will be heading for the same water sources when SHTF.If you don’t want to fight other people just to get more water for your family, you should use other means to get the water you require.

Survival scenarios also highlight the need toplan ahead and get prepared beforehand, especially if you have a home garden and livestock that will require water.

If you are concerned about where to get water when SHTF, below are some tips on how to get more water when your supply runs out: Install a well with a solar-powered pump

People who live inrural areas use well water, which is ideal because it is often a reliable source of water, except when there is no electricity to operate the pump.

To avoid this issue, you can get asolar-powered pump for the well in your homestead.If you have a well, consider getting a solar-powered pump before disaster strikes so you can rest easy knowing that you can still access the water in your well even during a power outage.

While this option is the most expensive on the list, it is also one worth considering since it offers the most reliable supply of water. (Related: Prepping tips: How to survive with a limited water supply.) Harvest rainwater

Even non-preppers can learn how to harvest rainwater, and this prepping skill will come in handy when you are experiencing a disrupted water supply.

You can either splurge on a qualitysetup with gutters feeding into a storage tank, or you can choose something simple like a rain barrel with a filter. Whatever your budget, you need to storethe collected water in a covered container to prevent mosquitoes from using the water as a breeding ground.

Covering the rainwater you gathered can also help prevent the water from evaporating.

If your house doesn’t havegutters, you can use the channels in your roof that divert water into a stream off the rooftop. Simply arrange containers underneath that area to catch the rainwater.

For example, you can get yourroofer to add diverters that will direct water off the front of your roof so you can gather the rainwater in a tank or rain barrel when it rains. Use swales

Before SHTF, you can also use swales to storerainwater in your home garden.

Swales are water-harvesting ditches. However, unlike drainage ditches that cut across the contour of the land to speed water along, swales are built “on contour” to slow water down and sink it into the earth.

Swales built on contours collect water and help to recharge groundwater tables. They help to control erosionand are designed to convey excess rainwater into their ditch-like interior. Swales hold the water until it is gradually filtered through plants and soil back into the area.

You don’t need special equipment to build a swale. Get a shovel, a pick and some stakes, then be ready to use a bit of elbow grease. But if you are not strong enough to dig a swale yourself, you can make things easier by borrowing or rentinga backhoe.

The size of your swale will depend upon the volume of water your area receives during a storm.

When choosing where to dig the swale, look forthe lowest point of your property. Dig deeply enough so the storm runoff collects inside the ditch.

Pile the soil up around the trench as you excavate to create the berms, orthe raised sides of a swale that contain filtering vegetation and porous soil.The recommended rule is three feet horizontal to one foot vertical.

You need to grow plants to help keep the mounds in place and to filter and use the stored water. When choosing plants for the swale, choose varieties that can withstand different conditions.

If you live inareas with little annual rainfall but have sudden rainstorms that drop huge volumes of water at once, choose plants that are drought tolerant but grow well in sudden but infrequent heavy rains.

If you’re not sure what to plant in the swale, grownative plants that are already adapted to the area’s changing climate and fluctuating rainfall. During the first year of their installation, the plants will require additional water to help them establish.

After some time, the plants in the swale should grow well with only the captured water, except in severely dry periods.

Amend the soil in the swale ifit is nutritionally poor. You can also add a ground cover of pebbles or rocks in the interior of the swale.

The pebbles or rocks will help further filter water, hold in the soil and can be piled to provide check dams that will help slow the flow of water.

Keep plantings dense to discourage weeds and choose plants that are at least four to five inches tall and resistant to flooding. Build a condensation trap

When SHTF, you can also gather water usinga condensation trap.

You can build a condensation trap by digginga pit and placing a receptacle to catch water. Use branches angled down towards the receptacle to direct the dew and frost that gathered on the branches overnight into the catchment container.

Modern preppers have it easier because you can useplastic sheeting instead of branches to divert the water.

This method of collecting water can help provide water for a couple of animals, but unless you build a lot of condensation traps, you won’t get enough water for a large home garden and your whole family.

Check online for detailed instructions on how to create condensation traps before SHTF. Learn about dryland farming

The principles of dryland farming can help preppers and homegardeners who want to learn how to use as little water as possible and keep the moisture in the soil longer.

Knowing how to use the least amount of water will be useful in a watering emergency. This can help you make the most of a limited water supply, especially when dealing with a long-term water outage.

Somedryland farming techniques that might help include mulching heavily and making liberal use of rotting wood chips in your garden beds. You can also pair this method with rainwater collection.

Dryland farming also makes use of drought-resistant, region-specific crops so your home garden needs less water.

Preparing ahead of time ensures that you and your family cansurvive a long-term water supply disruption. Look into techniques like rainwater collection and building swales to make sure that you have enough water for your whole family, livestock and your home garden when SHTF and water become scarce.

And if disaster doesn’t strike, some of these techniques can help you save a bit of money on yourwater bill as you add more water to your stockpile.

Visit Preparedness.newsfor more tips on how to conserve your water supply when SHTF.

Watch the video below tolearnhow to create a DIY rainwater collection system.

This video is from theSHTFPrepping101 channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories:

4 Tips to preven emergency water from freezing.

Water supply basics: How to use ponds as an emergency water source.

Water supply and prepping: A beginners guide to rainwater collection.

Sources include:

PrepperWebsite.com

GardeningKnowHow.com

Brighteon.com
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Technology

Here’s where Apple makes its products — and how Trump’s tariffs could have an impact

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Here's where Apple makes its products — and how Trump's tariffs could have an impact

Apple’s iPhone 16 at an Apple Store on Regent Street in London on Sept. 20, 2024.

Rasid Necati Aslim | Anadolu | Getty Images

Apple has made moves to diversify its supply chain beyond China to places like India and Vietnam, but tariffs announced by the White House are set to hit those countries too.

U.S. President Donald Trump laid out “reciprocal tariff” rates on more than 180 countries on Wednesday.

China will face a 34% tariff, but with the existing 20% rate, that brings the true tariff rate on Beijing under this Trump term to 54%, CNBC reported. India faces a 26% tariff, while Vietnam’s rate is 46%.

Apple was not immediately available for comment when contacted by CNBC.

Here’s a breakdown on Apple’s supply chain footprint that could be affected by tariffs.

China

The majority of Apple’s iPhones are still assembled in China by partner Foxconn.

China accounts for around 80% of Apple’s production capacity, according to estimates from Evercore ISI in a note last month.

Around 90% of iPhones are assembled in China, Evercore ISI said.

While the number of manufacturing sites in China dropped between Apple’s 2017 and 2020 fiscal year, it has since rebounded, Bernstein said in a note last month. Chinese suppliers account for around 40% of Apple’s total, Bernstein said.

Evercore ISI estimates that 55% of Apple’s Mac products and 80% of iPads are assembled in China.

India

Apple is targeting around 25% of all iPhones globally to be made in India, a government minister said in 2023.

India could reach about 15%-20% of overall iPhone production by the end of 2025, Bernstein analysts estimate. Evercore ISI said around 10% to 15% of iPhones are currently assembled in India.

Vietnam

Vietnam has emerged in the past few years as a popular manufacturing hub for consumer electronics. Apple has increased its production in Vietnam.

Around 20% of iPad production and 90% of Apple’s wearable product assembly like the Apple Watch takes place in Vietnam, according to Evercore ISI.

Other key countries

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Politics

Alabama, Minnesota lawmakers join US states pushing for Bitcoin reserves

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Alabama, Minnesota lawmakers join US states pushing for Bitcoin reserves

Alabama, Minnesota lawmakers join US states pushing for Bitcoin reserves

Lawmakers in the US states of Minnesota and Alabama filed companion bills to identical existing bills that if passed into law, would allow each state to buy Bitcoin.

The Minnesota Bitcoin Act, or HF 2946, was introduced to the state’s House by Republican Representative Bernie Perryman on April 1, following an identical bill introduced on March 17 by GOP state Senator Jeremy Miller.

Meanwhile, on the same day in Alabama, Republican state Senator Will Barfoot introduced Senate Bill 283, while a bi-partisan group of representatives led by Republican Mike Shaw filed the identical House Bill 482, which allows for the state to invest in crypto, but essentially limits it to Bitcoin (BTC).

Twin Alabama bills don’t explicitly name Bitcoin

Minnesota’s Bitcoin Act would allow the state’s investment board to invest state assets in Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies and permit state employees to add crypto to retirement accounts.

It would also exempt crypto gains from state income taxes and give residents the option to pay state taxes and fees with Bitcoin.

Alabama, Minnesota lawmakers join US states pushing for Bitcoin reserves

Source: Bitcoin Laws

The twin Alabama bills don’t explicitly identify Bitcoin, but would limit the state’s crypto investment into assets that have a minimum market value of $750 billion, a criterion that only Bitcoin currently meets.

26 Bitcoin reserve bills now introduced in the US

Introducing identical bills is not uncommon in the US and is typically done to speed up the bicameral legislative process so laws can pass more quickly.

Bills to create a Bitcoin reserve have been introduced in 26 US states, with Arizona currently the closest to passing a law to make one, according to data from the bill tracking website Bitcoin Laws.

Alabama, Minnesota lawmakers join US states pushing for Bitcoin reserves

Arizona currently leads in the US state Bitcoin reserve race. Source: Bitcoin Laws

Pennsylvania was one of the first US states to introduce a Bitcoin reserve bill, in November 2024. However, the initiative was reportedly eventually rejected, with similar bills also killed in Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming.

Related: North Carolina bills would add crypto to state’s retirement system 

Law, Bitcoin Regulation, United States, Policy, Bitcoin Reserve

Montana, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, South Dakota and Wyoming are the five states thathave rejected Bitcoin reserve initiatives. Source: Bitcoin Laws

According to a March 3 report by Barron’s, “red states” like Montana have faced setbacks to the Bitcoin reserve initiatives amid political confrontations between the Democratic Party and the Republican Party.

Additional reporting by Helen Partz.

Magazine: Financial nihilism in crypto is over — It’s time to dream big again

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Environment

Hyundai’s super-efficient Ioniq 6 updated with sportier look, ‘N’ model coming soon

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Hyundai's super-efficient Ioniq 6 updated with sportier look, 'N' model coming soon

Hyundai has unveiled the design refresh of its Ioniq 6 sedan, and announced that it will become a family of cars rather than a single model, with an N Line trim and upcoming N performance model, much like its sister car the Ioniq 5.

Hyundai has been doing great with its EVs lately, hitting sales records and getting great reviews.

Much of that focus has been on the Ioniq 5, an attractive crossover SUV with lots of capability at a good price – and a bonkers N performance version which has been breaking different kinds of records.

The Ioniq 6, conversely, hasn’t attracted quite as much attention, even though it has some records of its own (it’s the most efficient vehicle in the US… for under $70k).

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Between its admittedly odd looks – much more aerodynamic and rounded than the comparatively blocky 5 – and it fitting into the less-popular (but better) sedan form factor, it just hasn’t captured as much imagination as the 5.

It has also fallen somewhat behind. The Ioniq 5 got a big update this year, including a native NACS port, the first non-Tesla mass market vehicle to hit the road with one of these included (and it even charges faster than a Tesla does on home turf). The 6, however, is still sitting on its original design from when it first started production/shipping in 2022/23.

But that’s about to change, as Hyundai is giving the model some love with a design update and some hints at new things to come.

We’ve seen spy shots of these design updates before, but now Hyundai is showing them to everyone at the Seoul Mobility Show.

Hyundai showed two models today, the standard Ioniq 6 and the “N Line,” an upgraded trim level with some interior and exterior changes to look a little more sporty. Hyundai has used similar nomenclature for its other models, and that carries over here.

Both have a redesigned front end, making it look more aggressive than the prior bulbous and aerodynamic shape, and narrower headlights.

The N Line looks even more aggressive than the standard model, though, with an even more aggressive front and rear end.

Hyundai says that the redesign will also include interior enhancements for “a more comfortable, intuitive experience,” with a redesigned steering wheel, larger climate control display, upgraded materials and redesigned center console with more physical controls.

Beyond this, the refresh was light on details – intentionally, with a full unveil of specs and changes coming later. We can imagine a lot of the improvements on the 2025 Ioniq 5 will be carried over, such as a native NACS port for example, and potentially a slightly larger or faster-charging battery.

We had also previously heard hints that an N version (yes, “N” and “N Line” are different, no, we don’t know why they used these confusing names) of the Ioniq 6 is coming, and Hyundai reiterated those hints today – even giving us a glimpse of the car in the background of one of its shots.

Now THIS one looks quite aggressive, with a bigger double wing and potentially some changes to the diffuser (it’s hard to tell from the shot, as the N Line also has a modified diffuser).

The ioniq 5N has earned rave reviews from enthusiasts for its bonkers driving dynamics and comparatively reasonable price for a true performance vehicle. But it’s still an SUV format, and frankly, an SUV will never be a sportscar no matter how many horsepower you put into it (I will die on this hill).

The 6, however, with its sedan shape and footprint, could make for a much more compelling sports package once it’s all put together. So we’re very excited to see what Hyundai can do if they apply the same magic they put into the 5 into a new 6N. Looking forward to July.


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