CliffordK

There are those of us that do long distance bike commuting (or touring if you wish), and we often get to places where water fountains aren't available.

So... perhaps it would not be a stretch to say we need more public wells in remote areas.

However, at least in Western Oregon, one doesn't have to go too deep to get to water. Eastern Oregon may be somewhat different. Still, there is water if one digs deep enough.

I would imagine southern cycling (eastern California, New Mexico, Arizona, etc), would require even more water planning. Dipping into Northern Mexico?

Can we call the Trans America Race a commute?

Mobile 155

I-Like-To-Bike

See previous comments that a rational person recognizing the limitations of his choice of transport would carry with or purchase sufficient supplies when passing through "primitive areas", rather than expect to be served whatever he wants, whenever/wherever he might be.


What is next? An expectation that free feeding, toilet and hygiene facilities be built in primitive areas for those few snowflakes that want to go to the wild but without having to make any effort to take care of their own needs?

wolfchild

We have a serious water crisis in urban areas. Hundreds of LCFers, cyclists and pedestrians have already perished and died from dehydration and lack of clean drinking water. We need to force the governments of our cities to start installing water fountains and free solar powered bottled water dispensers in our cities to save lives....On a more serious note, I have never seen or heard of any water shortages in urban areas where 99.9% of LCFers and commuter cyclist live.

Mobile 155

Ahh, we have you there. We now know of "one" that once got dehydrated.

jon c. 

The notion that it may be a right to have someone else provide you with water, or anything else, is patently absurd. You may have rights to water as a commonweal property asset, but you certainly have no "right" to force someone else to work on your behalf to tap that water and provide you with access.

Machka 

And then there's the whole topic of water rights.

Water entitlements - Water Register

Water Licences

And more.

tandempower

It's a question of where you can go car-free. It depends on your mode, how much you're sweating, etc. I recently went hiking and I was feeling great going through an area with many lakes where I could filter water. Then, the terrain suddenly shifted to being sunny and sandy and it only took about 10 miles to dehydrate me. Fortunately, there was water at the end of that sunny, hot, dry 10 miles but it turned out to be chlorinated so I threw in the towel. I didn't want to be rehydrating for days with chlorinated water. If I had been biking, it wouldn't have made such a difference, because I would be 50 miles further in a day, and there would be stores, etc. probably with unchlorinated water. It just so happened that I was hiking and the terrain changed. It makes you appreciate someone like the Goldman-Sachs exec linked in the OP who wants to make groundwater available to poor people who have to walk a long way for water. On the one hand, it's good to walk but if it's possible to get water where you are instead of walking miles out of your way just to get water, then you can rehydrate and walk other places besides just going back and forth to your water source.

Why are you calling this a P&R topic? Because it can turn into a discussion about water rights? Isn't it fundamentally just about where you can go and how based on the need for water and hydration?

I-Like-To-Bike

Maybe FOO or Trollheim are more appropriate for this kind of personal issue "stuff" that has nothing to do with living/thinking rationally, car free or otherwise.

tandempower

Water is as relevant to car-free living as gasoline is relevant to driving.

Trakhak

Therefore, we should be willing to pay for water whenever and wherever we need it.

mtb_addict

WHen I was growing up we didn't have well. We have this big container that catches rain water. It was enough to the whole family. But I recall not taking many baths.

noisebeam

I live in a desert that is under extreme to exceptional drought.

• Exceptional and widespread crop/pasture losses
• Shortages of water in reservoirs, streams, and wells creating water emergencies

I've never been to a gas station that wouldn't let me fill my water bottles.

Otherwise if not near known water source, I carry either a 6L or 10L water bag depending on trip duration. These bags are very durable and will not develop leaks.