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Are You Prepared for a Water Emergency?
The American Red Cross recommends that families prepare for all potential disasters and emergencies -especially those that threaten the water supply - by keeping a two-week supply of bottled water on hand. This requires storing a minimum of one gallon of water, per person, per day for every member of your family. More if you have pets.
Having enough clean water is essential to life. A normally active person needs to drink at least two quarts of water each day. Hot environments can double that amount. Children, nursing mothers and ill people will need even more. You will also need water for food preparation and hygiene.
How to Store Water
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While it is safe to store tap water in clean, plastic containers such as soft drink bottles, the Red Cross recommends that you purchase commercially bottled water during the current drought period to help conserve the public water supply.
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Consider purchasing containers of water a few at a time when you go to the grocery store. This will help you to manage the expense of stocking water for long term use.
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Keep bottled water in its original container, and do not open it until you need to use it.
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Store water in a cool, dark place and rotate your supply every six months.
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As you stock food in your disaster supply kit, look for foods that require little if any water for preparation. Also look for canned foods that contain water as a primary ingredient.
Don't forget to include enough water for pets in your emergency supply kit.
More Tips for Water During Disasters
How to Store Water
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Store your water in thoroughly washed plastic, glass, fiberglass or enamel-lined metal containers. Never use a container that has held toxic substances. Plastic containers, such as soft drink bottles, are best. You can also purchase food-grade plastic buckets or drums.
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Seal water containers tightly, label them and store in a cool, dark place. Rotate water every six months.
Emergency Outdoor Water Sources
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If you need to find water outside your home, you can use these sources. Be sure to treat the water according to the instructions on page 3 before drinking it.
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Rainwater
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Streams, rivers and other moving bodies of water
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Ponds and lakes
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Natural springs
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Avoid water with floating material, an odor or dark color. Use saltwater only if you distill it first. You should not drink flood water.
Hidden Water Sources in Your Home
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If a disaster catches you without a stored supply of clean water, you can use the water in your hot-water tank, pipes and ice cubes. As a last resort, you can use water in the reservoir tank of your toilet (not the bowl).
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Do you know the location of your incoming water valve? You'll need to shut it off to stop contaminated water from entering your home if you hear reports of broken water or sewage lines.
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To use the water in your pipes, let air into the plumbing by turning on the faucet in your house at the highest level. A small amount of water will trickle out. Then obtain water from the lowest faucet in the house.
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To use the water in your hot-water tank, be sure the electricity or gas is off, and open the drain at the bottom of the tank. Start the water flowing by turning off the water intake valve and turning on a hot-water faucet. Do not turn on the gas or electricity when the tank is empty.
Three Ways to Treat Water
In addition to having a bad odor and taste, contaminated water can contain microorganisms that cause diseases such as dysentery, typhoid and hepatitis. You should treat all water of uncertain purity before using it for drinking, food preparation or hygiene. There are many ways to treat water. None is perfect. Often the best solution is a combination of methods.
Three easy treatment methods are outlined below. These measures will kill most microbes but will not remove other contaminants such as heavy metals, salts and most other chemicals. Before treating, let any suspended particles settle to the bottom, or strain them through layers of paper towel or clean cloth.
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Boiling: Boiling is the safest method of treating water. Bring water to a rolling boil for 3-5 minutes, keeping in mind that some water will evaporate. Let the water cool before drinking.
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Disinfection: You can use household liquid bleach to kill microorganisms. Use only regular household liquid bleach that contains 5.25 percent sodium hypochlorite. Do not use scented bleaches, colorsafe bleaches or bleaches with added cleaners.
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Add 16 drops of bleach per gallon of water, stir and let stand for 30 minutes. If the water does not have a slight bleach odor, repeat the dosage and let stand another 15 minutes.
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The only agent used to treat water should be household liquid bleach. Other chemicals, such as iodine or water treatment products sold in camping or surplus stores that do not contain 5.25 percent sodium hypochlorite as the only active ingredient, are not recommended and should not be used.
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While the two methods described above will kill most microbes in water, distillation will remove microbes that resist these methods, and heavy metals, salts and most other chemicals.
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Distillation: Distillation involves boiling water and then collecting the vapor that condenses back to water. The condensed vapor will not include salt and other impurities.
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