Emergency Water in a Disaster
Does my
Family really need an emergency water supply?The short answer is...YES. Most often we take our household water supply for granted. Especially here in the U.S. When our supply of safe drinking water becomes contaminated or unavailable, it becomes more than just inconvenienent, it can become a health emergency very quickly. Hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, earth quakes, fires and winter storms are some examples of natural disasters that can and do interrupt the supply of safe drinking water. These interruptions may be for as short as a few hours or last for days or weeks. Because of this, it is imparitive that every household should have an emergency water supply to meet its needs during these emergencies. You may be able to purchase some bottled water at the store, but in an emergency that supply will dry up quickly as everyone in your community goes to get the water they need for their families. How much Emergency Water should I have for my Family? Having an adiquite supply of drinking water must be a top priority in emergency planning. You should store at least a three-day supply of water and if you have the ability then a two week supply is better.
A normally active person needs at least one-half gallon (64 ounces) of water daily just for drinking. In addition water will be needed for food prep and hygiene. So you should store one gallon of water per person per day. I recommend at least a 10 day supply of water and a 30 day supply if it all possible. Use the following guidelines when storing emergency water: 1. Store drinking water in carefully cleaned, non-corrosive, tightly covered containers. 2. Store containers in a cool dark place. DO NOT
store in direct sunlight. Polyethylene plastics (prepackaged milk and
water bottles) are somewhat permeable to hydrocarbon vapors. Keep away
from stored gasoline, kerosene, pesticides, or similar substances. 3. Stored tap water should be rotated every 6 months.
Prepackaged bottled water should be rotated once a year. Check the pull
date on the container. Be sure it didn’t sit on the store’s shelf for a
year before you purchased it. Self Serve Bottled Water should be
rotated once a year, as long as the water treatment process includes
ozonation. 4. Rotate your
stored water with the water you use on a regular basis. This practice
helps insure you don’t have water stored longer than one year.
Oh, and please don't forget about your pets. Allow 1 quart per day for each. What containers should I use and How should I prepare them? You can store water in food grade plastic or glass containers that have tight fitting screw-on caps. Food-grade containers are those that previously held beverages, such as 2-liter pop bottles and water, juice, or punch containers. You can buy new plastic containers for water storage in most housewares and sporting goods stores. Clean food-grade containers may be available for purchase at water vending machines. Only purchase containers labeled for food or beverage storage. Containers not labeled for food or beverage could release harmful chemicals into the water. And never use a container that has held toxic substances. Trace amounts may remain in the container's pores and then leach into the water. Wash any containers and lids thoroughly with hot (the hottest you can stand) tap water and dish detergent. Rinse thoroughly with hot tap water. Another option is to run the containers in a dishwasher and run the sanitary rinse cycle. Do I Need to Treat Your Emergency Water? Once you properly clean containers, fill them with potable, or safe, drinking water. Any public water supplies are treated and should be free of harmful bacteria. However, as an precaution, it is recommended that you add 5-7 drops, about 1/8 teaspoon, of chlorine bleach per gallon of water. This will protect you from any lingering organisms in the storage containers that may have been inadvertently missed during the cleaning process. In Conclusion... Every home should have a supply of water stored for at least three days of emergency use. Store a minimum of one gallon per person per day, and one quart per day for each small pet. The water should be either municipal or bottled water, because these sources are inspected and tested regularly for many different contaminants. The container used for storing water must be clean, and made for food and water use. Household bleach is the only disinfectant needed in the water for storage. Rotate or use the stored water supply every six months. With a little effort and money, your family will be prepared with this most important necessity: a safe and adequate supply of drinking water during any natural disaster or power outage.
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