Get Your Water Supply Prepared for Emergencies
Getting your water supply prepared for emergencies now can help you in the future. Here are some tips to help you prepare:
- Store enough bottled water for everyone in your household, including pets. A household should store 1 gallon for each person and pet for 3 days.
- Make sure to check expiration dates on store-bought bottled water throughout the year and replace as needed. If you fill your own containers, store water in a cool, dark place and replace water every six months.
- In an emergency drink at least a half of a gallon (2 quarts) of water per day. Children, pregnant women and people who are sick should drink as much as a gallon per day. If the temperatures are warm, drink as much as a gallon per day.
- Do not ration water, and never risk dehydration.
- Only drink clean water. If you run out of safe drinking water in an emergency, you can boil water for use. Bring water to a rolling boil for one minute and let water cool naturally before using or drinking.
- Learn where the water shut-off valve to your home is. It is not the same as the water meter. If there are broken water or sewage lines, shut off the water to your house in order to avoid letting unsafe water enter your home.
Get more info on emergency preparedness and response from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s website at emergency.cdc.gov.