As far as current scientific knowledge is concerned, there is one substance that allows for the existence of life on Earth: water. The planet is covered by vast oceans, teeming with weird and tasty creatures. The human body is rich with water, and dies quickly without it, much faster than without food. Our cities and towns are built by rivers and springs and seas, and the streets of still-living villages follow the meandering paths of long-dead livestock walking towards the water supply. We drink it to maintain healthy smiles and we use it to water our crops and we wash our dishes and really, we'd be quite unhappy without water. Water is important for the care and keeping of the undead, too; a moisturized zombie is a zombie that won't crackle off bits into the soup in front of guests.

Sadly, while water itself is nigh ubiquitous on the planet, potable water is another thing. Untreated seawater is deadly to plant and land animal life, and as a rule, humans contaminate fresh water as soon as they find it. Meanwhile, environmental changes and heat waves are leading to much higher demands on water resources. The oceans are also facing enormous problems, with the rapid increase in "dead zones" surrounding coastal waters. The melting of the northern polar ice cap may bring about the demise of the North Atlantic current by dumping too much fresh water into the ocean and changing the salinity. This would be an ecological catastrophe for sealife and land-dwellers alike. And of course, the recent floods in the Midwestern United States has made water at the forefront of many recent discussions, including the question of when it will come back.

When it comes to water problems, we are, to put it mildly, screwed.

Environmentalists have long promoted water conservation. Potable water takes energy to bring to a house, and if that energy isn't being provided by a handpump in your backyard, you're using coal, oil, or nuclear power to get it. As we've already discussed, zombie power can only go so far. A little planning is all it takes to help reduce the demand for water in your home (thus reducing your water bills) and in your community (thus potentially staving off disaster for a little longer). You can even learn how to live with less than pure water and not get cholera.

First things first: conduct a quick water survey of your home. Do you have leaky faucets, pipes or toilets? Look into DIY projects to fix those first. A drippy faucet is like throwing away money every single day. While you're fixing things, check out the heads on your faucets and the capacity of your toilet. Are you using high-efficiency shower heads? A more efficient shower gives stronger power spray than a poorly-designed or old one, giving you a better cleaning for less waste. In modern houses and apartments, low-flow toilets are the standard. If yours isn't, and you can't afford a new unit, just sink a filled and sealed quart or half-gallon bottle into your tank. The water displacement you create will save water and money every time you flush.

You've heard the old saw about turning off the water when you brush your teeth, but if you can't (frex, you're trying to get the water to heat up to wash your face) then put in the stopper and use the water to do a scrub of the bathroom once you're done, or else run it into a pitcher and water your houseplants.

Using a dishwasher, while extremely convenient, wastes much more water than washing dishes by hand. If you can't break your dishwasher habit, prioritize. Wash the things that need sanitizing in the dishwasher and try to stick to the top rack only when you can. Make a point of doing a few loads per week in the sink, or better still, in a large bowl or pot you've just used. The same principle applies to washing the car; one bucket of water with suds and a quick rinse with the hose saves gallons over visiting the drive-thru wash.

If you have your own house, look into investing in a rain barrel or three at the bottom of your gutters. Rainwater is free and can be used to water flowers, trees, grass, and vegetable gardens. Be sure to install a screen on top to prevent mosquitoes from making it home, though. No one likes West Nile in their backyard. Speaking of your backyard garden, take stock of what you're putting into it. What kinds of chemicals are going on your grass, flowers and food? Whatever gets put down will eventually run off with the rain and end up in the sewers and the water table. Forgoing the lawn treatment and spraying a vinegar solution as a non-specific (read: it will kill your other plants too so be careful) weedkiller will not only save you money but will also help the water table. A homemade pesticide can be brewed from things such as rhubarb or chilis and sprayed directly onto your flowers and veggies.

What about when your water becomes contaminated? Boil notice, sickness going around, camping, any reason you have for not trusting the water supply should be grounds for ensuring your water doesn't kill you. First, see if you can secure even a small supply of known uncontaminated water. Bottled water, the symbol of a disposable economy, can be your best friend in a crisis. Already frozen water, sodas and other drinks bottled elsewhere, these are also good places to start. Boil your water if you fear contamination.

To quote our illustrious site owner:

1) At very, very high altitudes, boiling does not kill bacteria because the water doesn't get hot enough. The exact altitude you become concerned is dependent on the bug you're dealing with. Most of the time, this isn't a concern, but it is something to keep in the back of your mind ...

2) Iodine works better than bleach, if you're not allergic to it. It also tastes arguably better and is easier to transport (in tablet form) than bleach.

3) Sterilize the water FIRST, then add flavorings/electrolytes after you've let it set for a few hours.

4) If using water bottles with threaded caps, make sure you soak or boil the caps and the threads of the bottles. What you don't want to do is submerge a bottle in a contaminated body of water, drop your iodine tablets in, and then cap the bottle without treating the threads. I'm pretty sure not treating the wet threads of a bottle is how I got a memorable case of the trots on a solo trip in the middle of nowhere, Arizona.

5) Water purification pumps don't work well with hard water and are only 100% reliable when used under absolutely perfect conditions. In the field, they're somewhat less than optimal.

I always end up going back to iodine tablets, myself. (In my bug-out bag, there's also a bottle of iodine tablets. They weigh nothing, are relatively cheap, and are reasonably idiot proof as long as you're careful about not contaminating the threads of the bottles.)

In case of a water shortage, or even a hot day, keep yourself and your family hydrated. Water, electrolyte solutions, or even lemonade will help you avoid dehydration. The ideal is to flush your kidneys as much as possible. The more transparent your urine, the better. If it's hot and you've stopped sweating, get to a cooler environment NOW and drink something lukewarm or cool (not cold unless vomiting is something you enjoy doing). Keep your zombies in a reasonably maintained environment and make sure their feedings include well-moistened brains. While they are not susceptible to heat stroke, a moist zombie stays fresher longer than one exposed to too-low humidity for too long. The zombie-to-mummy transition isn't pretty.

Finally, keep an eye on the water issues in your area, both local and regional. Who owns the water rights? Where is the fresh water coming from, and how vulnerable is that supply to disruption, either natural or human? In case of shortage, which of your neighbors (other towns, other states) will be fighting you for the drinking water? If you are in a city or large town, you are on the grid as far as water supply and sewage removal is concerned. Find out what that means and think about ways to reduce your need in case of an unforeseen supply problem. If you're considering a move, let water security factor into your plans right beside school districting and cable modem accessibility. If you've started to develop an escape plan in case of massive disaster, keep water accessibility firmly in your thoughts, both for your journey and upon your arrival. Stock up on iodine, bleach, and coffee filters (which are great for taking out large sediment). A little bottled water wouldn't hurt.

Are you thirsty yet?