Dead bodies and how best to dispose of them in a post SHTF world.

Hello my friend and welcome back!  I recently had a reader who brought up some interesting questions about surviving in a post SHTF world.  He also made a really good point about blogs, like this one, not addressing some of the more mundane issues of survival.  How to dispose of dead bodies and not contaminate your water supply, was just one of the examples he gave.  In today’s post, I am going to try to answer this question, to the best of my ability so grab a cup of coffee and have a seat while we visit.

How do you dispose of dead bodies and not contaminate your water supply?  It’s a really good question and while I’m no expert, I do have a few suggestions to offer on the subject.  To start with, I think we should make a distinction between gangs, raiders, zombies on one hand and those who are friends and family on the other hand. The first group, you simply safely dispose of, while the second, you would want to handle with reverence.

Let’s start with the first group.  Simply digging a hole and dumping them in it on the back of your property may not be the best idea.  The decomposing bodies could actually seep through the ground and contaminate your water supply without you even knowing it, until it’s too late.  The shallow water wells will be the most at risk, as opposed to a deep well that is a hundred or more feet down.

The best way to prevent this from happening is to burn the bodies and then bury the ashes in a small container, well away from any known water sources.  This will eliminate the chance of the bodies spreading disease, as well.  Just be sure to wear gloves at all times when handling dead bodies.  Just remember, if your water source becomes contaminated, you will be forced to move and find another place to live.

Whatever you do, do not dispose of the bodies by throwing them in a lake or river.  Others may depend on it for water and you would contaminate their water supply as well.  Everyone will be struggling to survive and there is no point in making it harder for them.  Burn the bodies as soon as possible by piling the up and throwing old rubber tires on them and setting them on fire.  Bodies take a lot of heat to burn them completely and the old tires can help generate the amount needed.

After the bodies are completely burned, scoop of the ashes and dig a hole as far away as you can and bury them.  This is by far the best way to dispose of the lowlife thugs who would try to take what is yours.   Now I know what you’re thinking, “That’s great for getting rid of scum, but what about your loved ones?” If you are not comfortable with burning their bodies, then you will need to bury them in some type of plastic lined box if possible.  If not, then at least a container of some kind.  The idea is to keep the decomposing flesh from sinking into the ground water.Now, where should you bury the body?  If the body is in a tightly sealed container, you could bury it pretty much anywhere you like without needing to be concerned about contamination. If, however you have no such container then you will need to wrap the body in thick plastic and seal it the best you can.  While there is always the chance that it could leak, hopefully it will not be enough to hurt anything. You would also need to consider carefully, where you lay the body to rest.  In the old day’s, they would usually pick a nice scenic spot on a hill away from where people live.

Now as to the question of how do you know which way your underground water flows?  I would have to say that unless you are a psychic, I suggest that you talk to your neighbors or contact the county rep. who should know this information before SHTF hits.  Is your well tapped into an underground river or underground lake?  These are the types of questions they should be able to tell you and probably show you on a map to give you a better understanding.

Just remember that protecting your water and area from contamination and disease of dead bodies is important and should not be overlooked.  It’s an ugly job, but it has to be done for everyone’s safety.

Well that is it for today and I hope you have enjoyed this post.  Until next time, please stay safe, stay strong, and stay prepared.  God Bless America!

-The Sargent-