Now to make things really hard: Will we just die because all of our water supplies will be fouled?
I'm speaking of the Romerian style zombie:
a. the dead walk.
b. the dead bite you. you die. you get up and walk.
This strongly implies some sort of pathogen that is activated by bodily fluid contact. So does that mean if you find one Zed in a lake, the whole thing is polluted?
And what, if anything will clean the water of zed goo: chlorine, boiling?
If this is so, does this then allow for the possibility of treating a wound in a timely manner? If it's somehow transported through the blood stream, then does the "hack off the arm" option exist?
Furthermore, if there were no options for water treatment, can anyone imagine how bad this will get in populated areas? Zeds will be in rivers, canals, falling into local water treatment plants. Maybe it's Not a good idea to fill up the sinks and bath tubs with the local tap water?
Game this out. I don't have a strong opinion one way or the other. ... but wow, if you can't get it out of the water...
I'm almost positive that it would be like any other body in the water. If a dead person in a lake had malaria, then malaria would be present in the lake. Same thing for a zombie pathogen. If it was in the water though, you could boil it, and that should work... ...Unless the virus happens to be a Thermophile... ...In which case, you would proceed to FREEZE the water after boiling, which would kill even a thermophile. I want to mention, though, that zombification could be caused by a rogue prion (Like Mad Cow disease... ...It's a pet theory of mine...), which eliminates the possibility of contamination of water except through normal means... ...You are right though... ...If it DID contaminate, and it couldn't be purified, think about the consequences... ...Having a water-war wouldn't involve squirt-guns anymore...
The Zombie Hunter's Prayer
~As written by lordofthezombies
Let our swords slice through
Let our bullets fly true
Let our foes have no choice
Let our friends rejoice
Let us leave no more
and most importantly let the bodes hit the floor
Well, there are other options for water: Build a Rain Barrel
"Merely having an open mind is nothing; the object of opening a mind, as of opening the mouth, is to shut it again on something solid." G.K. Chesterton
That might end up working for the first few months, but after so long the zombified could contaminate like say... 60% of land based water, which would then evaporate, turn into clouds, become rain, and it could have an acid rain effect which wouldnt be good...
Wounds are for the desperate, blows are for the strong
Balm and oil for the weary hearts all cut and bruised with wrong
I forgive thy treason-I redeem thy fall
For Iron-Cold Iron-Must be master of men all!
I would not drink the water straight out of the barrel without boiling it. I do understand what you are getting at, but I think that a number of environmental factors would clean whatever water source. I cannot sit here and prepare for a no win scenario and zombie are not necessarily a no win scenario as some people may think. I can only prepare for a worst case scenario that is indeed survivable (albeit a low survivability chance, but survivable none the less).
This topic seems to me like one of those "27 Ninjas" questions. The answer to the 27 Ninja question is on the bottom of this page, but I really do not think it would hurt anyone here to read all of both of them as the information given is excellent.
"Merely having an open mind is nothing; the object of opening a mind, as of opening the mouth, is to shut it again on something solid." G.K. Chesterton
I would perhaps consider that the Zombie virus could not live out side of a infected victim for very long. It seems that what ever makes a Zombie. Is dependent on the host to sustain it's own existence. That is considering that a virus is to blame for a Zombie invasion! If It is do to something else ( supernatural, act of god, act of Satan!) than other things have to be taken into consideration.
Sincerely Mr. shank