Emergency Water
Using Your Survival Skills

It doesn't matter whether you live in the country and depend on your own well, or you live in town or a city and depend on municipal services. You may have an interruption to your water supply during a pandemic flu...

Use every possible container to collect water.
Photo courtesy of Yatmandu

No matter where you live, water will be your most critical resource. We can live without food for days--but we MUST have water! In addition, to a large extent, having a good water storage supply of water, and using simple water conservation techniques, , will determine your quality of life. It's important that you do not neglect this very important resource.

Survival Skills for your
Emergency Water Supply

Fill Every Container You Have

This may just seem like common sense, but, if you learn that the water will be shut off for some period of time, it's easy to panic and overlook the obvious.

When you know that there is a possible problem in your area, fill your bathtub, pots and pans, mixing bowls, plastic containers, pitchers, coffee pot, the kid’s swimming pool, empty trash cans (cleaned and disinfected) the dog's dish--anything that you can find to fill with water. Only food-safe containers should be used for drinking water. Containers like the bathtub can be used for flushing the toilet, etc.

Water Beds

Water beds hold lots of water. People often put a conditioner in the water. Under no circumstances should this water be used for drinking or cooking. Use this water for flushing toilets. If you live in the north, remember that water (including the water in your bed) in unheated areas may freeze.

Hot Water Heater

Turn off the gas or electricity to the water tank. Turn off the intake valve at the top of the tank. Turn on a hot water faucet (allows air to enter the tank as you drain it). Open the drain at the bottom of the tank (have container under drain or use your garden hose). Make sure that you have a shutoff wrench to turn off the hot water tank, household gas and water. Don't turn the gas or electricity (to the tank) back on after you have drained the tank!!!

Water in your Pipes

Here are the steps to get the water that is in your pipes:

• Locate the main incoming valve and shut it off (This prevents escape of water back into the main and also will keep contaminated water from entering your home (especially if you have been told that there are broken water or sewage lines--a high probability in areas where the pipes may freeze.)
• Open the two highest (elevation) faucets (hot and cold) to allow air into the system.
• Place a container under the lowest faucet in the house.
• Open the faucet and drain the system. *If there is a disruption of services and/or the heat/electricity is off for several days, there is a significant risk that water will freeze in your pipes. Draining the pipes is a top priority!

Survival Skills for Emergency Water
Extended Quarantine

Our water storage supply may run out, and the utilities may remain off.

Here are some ideas that may help you gather emergency water, depending on your location and circumstances:

Local Sources Outside

Gather rain in any container available. Gather snow and let it melt. Collect water from springs, creeks, rivers, ponds, lakes. Collect water in the children's swimming pool or your row boat. Use these sources for cleaning, personal care, washing clothes, flushing the toilet, pet water, dishes.

Creeks and streams are a source of water.
Photo courtesy of Rory

Keep in mind that if the water/sewage services have been disrupted for any length of time, water downstream from populated areas may be seriously contaminated. Always disinfect water from any of these sources, using safe emergency water purification methods .

Make a Rain Catcher

Use a large piece of canvas or a tarp. Cut a hole in the center and insert a boat "through hull" or a hose fitting. Connect a hose to the fitting to the underside of the tarp and use it to fill a large container with rain water. The sides of the rain catcher will have to be higher than the center “hole” and will need to be well supported.

Make a Cistern

In Bermuda and many Caribbean islands, the people use their roof tops to gather water. Drain spouts lead the water into cisterns. An adaptation of this idea would be to remove the last vertical drain spout sections (before the ground) and to place a barrel or large plastic trash can underneath. Remember to filter (see below) and disinfect this water. Also don't use it for drinking. In countries where this is done routinely, the roofs are tile and are cleaned on a regular basis.

Fire Hydrants

If you live in an urban area, the kids know how to open the fire hydrants--they do it in the summer to cool off. This might be another source of water for you and your neighbors. Use this source only as a last resort. If the water in the water main is gone, you won’t have any protection against fire.

More on Pandemic Flu Preparedness

Emergency Food Storage

Food Storage Containers

Emergency Heat

How to Keep Cool

Survival Cooking

Survival Skills

Flu Pandemic Preparedness

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