Water

[Union Maid]

Howdy I hear people saying they were going to wash their dishes and while I'm not taking dishes and such I was wondering how do we get water? I mean also to take a sponge bath or for my sisters to wash their hair. How do we get water? Bring it with us?

[Ross L. Lamoreaux]

It always depends upon the event. Most events in Florida provide drinking water, but the quality varies from event to event. Sometimes it comes from a hose run out to camps, some have waterlines right in the camps, sometimes you have to retrieve it from a source such as a water tank, etc. The water quality runs from decent to heavily chlorinated for safety. My best advice is to always bring your own drinking water just in case. You may luck out and have decent water (such as at Brooksville), or you may not and you'll be prepared. As for water to use for washing, most events in Florida will have an adequate supply. Be sure to invest in some decent period buckets (wood or tin), and a shoulder yoke to carry two isn't a bad idea.

[tompritchett]

Howdy I hear people saying they were going to wash their dishes and while I'm not taking dishes and such I was wondering how do we get water? I mean also to take a sponge bath or for my sisters to wash their hair. How do we get water? Bring it with us?

After a few events, you are going to find that what you end up doing in camp in regards to water will become influenced by the distance that you have to carry the water and who you have to carry it for you. At some of the larger events the distance to the closest water source could be 100 yards or more.

In my unit, we do use water to wash dishes (we even have a large coffee pot dedicated to just heating water) but none of the women find it necessary to take sponge baths of wash their hair each night (we would carry the water for them but they just don't find the need for them).

[Blair]

cici,

Good question! Always take water with you to be safe.
Like Ross said, most events have sources for drinking water. Getting that water from that source to where your camp is could be a problem. Buckets are always a good idea. Or planning your water needs for the day may require planning by doing your fetchng in the evening or early morning if your using modern containers.
Most folks can go two or three days without washing their hair. Once you've carried enough water for that task two or three times, you or your sister will understand why.
Some of these dry shampoo's like they use for bed ridden Hospital patiants works pretty well.
As I think you know, here in Florida the heat and humidity can be high enough that your hair never really gets dry between daily washings.
The sponge bath can be done with good effect with less water than the standard canteen holds.
Blair Taylor

[Spinster]

Then there is the historical motivation when it comes to washing hair.

THEY did not wash hair nearly as often as we do. Further, its hard to get a good period look to a woman's hairdo when it is clean.

Center parted hair, drawn back into a bun and confined at the nape of the neck can be easily achieved with hair with a few days of oil accumulated in it. Its a five minute job.

Freshly washed hair will first have to dry, then be corralled into submission with a variety of pomades. This will take a good while. There is entirely too much to see, do, and learn to spend that time huddled in your tent trying to finish getting presentable.

[Spinster]

Now, lets talk more about water realities at most mainstream events.

At the great majority of mainstream events, one can expect that there will be water on the place that is suppossed to be of drinking quality.
I've found this to be reliable unless one has an 'iffy' stomach that sensitive. Having drunk the water in undeveloped countries to no ill effect, I can pretty well rely on my stomach being cast iron regarding water borne problems. ( I cannot say the same thing for food poisoning).

Your mileage may vary regarding drinking site water. Due to the needs of one friend in our immediate circle, we've experimented a lot with various bottled water that comes in glass bottles, and ways to dress up those bottles to make them more appropriate in a period setting. What we've come up with is, at best, 'not bad', but not great either.

In some cases water is piped in to various spigot arrangements on the place. This pretty well assures adequate water in adequate quantities--until someone drives a stake through the line, or drives over it with their 4 wheel drive engaged at high spinn, and then the water will be off for some time. Keep at least a gallon of drinking water on hand for each person in your camp. This will hold you through most pipe repairs.

Water may also be trucked in stainless steel milk tankers (a true eyesore) or in military water buffalos ( once readily available, now not so much as they are all deployed with their units). The water quality in these is directly related to the quality of sanitation done on the container before its filled. The truck will also come get this buffalo to refill it about the time you think about getting water. It will not be back for several hours. Keep at least a gallon of drinking water on hand for each person in your camp.

There there is the bring your own option. You can do this in nice little plastic bottles from the store, or big jerry cans you fill at home. Either way you will spend an inordinate amount of time hiding those containers from public view. Realize too, that a jerry can filled at home must be fully sanitized before you fill it--and may still get iffy on you by the time it has sat out for a couple of days.

Bottom line, water is a precious resource. We've sort of forgotten that in this country. Back then THEY had to haul it up from a well to get good water--bring a good period bucket with you and haul all your own to give you a small glimpse into period life. You'll very quickly learn how to save water, get by on less, and still be clean enough to be passable.