Risk & Resilience in 2025 Series
Securing Water & Energy Before A Crisis Hits This Year
Practical Solutions for Managing Water, Energy, and Food Resources in a Changing World
Strip away the digital veneer of our modern civilization — the smartphones, the streaming services, the smart home symphony — and you’re left with two fundamental pillars of survival: water and power.
We take them for granted until the taps run dry and the lights flicker out. While food and shelter form the foundation of survival, they’re supported by the invisible architecture of modern existence — power grids and water systems.
Think of it this way: our ancestors could hunt or gather food, and shelter was a matter of finding the right cave or building materials. But try gathering megawatts or harvesting municipal water pressure through sheer willpower and determination.
That’s why I’m focusing in on these twin pillars of modern survival: not because food and shelter matter less, but because when power and water fail, even the best-stocked shelter can become an uncomfortably warm cave with expensive canned decorations.
I want you to be better prepared.
The Probability of Darkness
The fragility of our power and water infrastructure isn’t just theoretical — it’s a ticking probability bomb with multiple detonators.
From natural disasters to cyber attacks, from solar flares to physical sabotage, the ways our critical systems can fail are multiplying faster than our defenses evolve.
Climate change has transformed “once-in-a-century” events into seasonal visitors, while the U.S. Department of Energy tallies over 200 significant cyber attacks targeting energy infrastructure annually.
“The question isn’t if you’ll face a resource crisis — it’s which one will arrive first, and how prepared you’ll be when it does.”
Then there’s the cosmic joker in the deck: solar flares.
A Carrington Event-level solar storm — like the one that hit Earth in 1859 — would today cascade through our power grids like digital wildfire.
NASA’s estimate of a 12% probability for such an event within the next decade should give us pause. It’s not comfortable odds when the stakes include continent-wide blackouts. Although, I would consider serious state-sponsored cyber attacks and severe natural disasters higher likelihoods in the next five years.
The Cruel Dependency
Here’s where it gets interesting: water and power dependencies run both ways.
No power means no pumps.
No pumps means no water pressure.
No water pressure means failed cooling systems.
Failed cooling systems mean more power failures. It’s a cascade effect that transforms localized inconvenience into regional catastrophe.
Modern civilization runs on this precarious balance of electricity and water. Lose either one, and the other becomes increasingly difficult to maintain. The Texas power crisis of 2021 wasn’t just a failure of infrastructure — it was a preview of coming attractions.
Don’t Panic Buy
The rational response isn’t panic — it’s strategic preparation.
Water security begins with storage: one gallon per person per day for two weeks minimum, stored in food-grade containers and rotated semi-annually.
Your water heater already holds a hidden reserve of 40–80 gallons. Gravity-fed ceramic filters provide powerless purification, while knowledge of local water sources completes your water resilience strategy.
“Preparation isn’t expensive — it’s priceless. And like all insurance, you only regret the cost when you don’t have it.”
Power independence requires a layered approach. Portable solar generators (1500W minimum) provide essential backup for critical medical devices, refrigeration, and basic lighting.
Fixed solar installations with battery backup offer longer-term resilience.
The key is understanding your power hierarchy: medical devices first, food preservation second, communication third, comfort systems last.
When Numbers Meet Necessity
Numbers tell stories, but in resource resilience, they write futures. That basic water storage system at $500?
Think of it as a premium on your life insurance policy — one that pays dividends in peace of mind daily. The $2,000 solar generator isn’t just hardware; it’s your declaration of independence from grid vulnerability.
But let’s dig deeper into the real economics of preparation. A comprehensive household resilience system — including redundant water filtration, energy storage, and basic medical supplies — typically runs between $3,500 and $5,000.
Spread that investment over five years, and you’re looking at less than the cost of your streaming subscriptions.
Here’s where it gets fascinating: the hidden economics of emergency response. When systems fail, the unprepared face a cascading series of costs.
Hotel rooms during extended outages don’t just cost $300 per night — they become scarce commodities in a market driven by desperation. Emergency water delivery, if available, commands premium pricing.
Factor in lost work productivity, spoiled food replacement, and potential medical complications from resource interruption, and suddenly that initial investment looks less like preparation and more like prophecy.
The Community: Strength Beyond Numbers
Resilience isn’t a solo sport.
Think of community preparation as a multiplier effect where individual capabilities combine to create something greater than their sum.
Your solar setup paired with your neighbor’s water storage and another’s medical expertise forms a resilience triangle that strengthens everyone’s position.
The mathematics of community preparation reveals surprising efficiencies. Shared resources reduce individual investment requirements while increasing overall system redundancy.
A neighborhood-level water filtration system, for instance, might cost each household a fraction of individual units while providing superior capacity and reliability.
But here’s the key insight many miss: community resilience isn’t just about pooled resources — it’s about networked knowledge.
Urban dwellers bring infrastructure awareness and technological expertise. Rural residents contribute natural resource knowledge and practical skills.
This diversity of perspective and capability creates a resilience ecosystem that’s far more robust than any individual preparation could achieve.
Consider the force multiplier effect:
- A community emergency response plan, regularly tested and updated, transforms isolated preparation into coordinated action.
- When each member knows their role and resources, response time shrinks while effectiveness expands exponentially.
It’s not just about having resources — it’s about orchestrating their deployment when needs arise.
Your investment in community resilience pays dividends beyond the material. It builds social capital, strengthens neighborhood bonds, and creates a support network that functions in both crisis and calm.
This is the hidden value proposition in community-based preparation: you’re not just investing in resources; you’re investing in relationships that make those resources more effective.
The Future’s Shadow
As we move deeper into an era of climate uncertainty and infrastructure vulnerability, the probability of resource disruptions trends upward.
The National Infrastructure Advisory Council’s estimate that major urban areas should prepare for power outages lasting up to six months due to cyber attacks or physical disasters isn’t alarmist — it’s prudent risk assessment.
In the end, resilience isn’t about surviving the apocalypse — it’s about maintaining dignity and functionality through the disruptions that are becoming part of modern life.
The path forward isn’t about fear — it’s about rational response to observable trends.
Start with water storage, build redundant filtration systems, invest in scalable power solutions, and develop clear emergency protocols.
Regular testing, rotation of stored resources, and community engagement complete the resilience picture.
The Final Equation
The mathematics is unambiguous: the cost of preparation is finite and manageable. The cost of being unprepared is potentially infinite and certainly less manageable.
As our systems grow more complex and interdependent, the probability of significant disruptions increases. The question isn’t whether to prepare, but how comprehensive that preparation should be.
In a world of increasing uncertainty, peace of mind might be the most valuable resource of all.
And it comes not from fear, but from understanding the threats, calculating the probabilities, and taking measured steps to build resource resilience. That’s not just survival — it’s civilization preservation at its most fundamental level.
So else can you do? I’ve provided some key practical advice in the my field guide. Read it, save it and share with others who would value the advice.
