Water is one of the most critical resources you will need in an emergency, so don't forget the water! The human body can go without food for long durations, but we can only survive for a few days without water. In emergency situations, water sources may become contaminated or unavailable, making it even more important to have a reliable plan for securing safe drinking water.
We need to prepare for more than just drinking water. Water is necessary for basic hygiene, cooking, and sanitation as well. You will find yourself using water for preparing food, cleaning surfaces and dishes, bathing and washing hands, rehydrating food, oral hygiene, cleaning skin and wounds for first aid purposes, and more.
We don’t often think about how much water we use on a daily basis, but when water becomes contaminated or inaccessible, you will be grateful to have prepared your household with enough water to meet all of you and your loved ones’ needs.
Key Elements of Emergency Water Preparedness
1. Know How Much Water You Need
It is important to understand how much water you require. A general guideline is to have a minimum of 4 liters of water per person per day. This is spilt into 2 liters for drinking and 2 liters for sanitation. Pets in your household also require water. It’s recommended to have 30 ml per kilogram of body weight of any animal. Consider other factors like if any medical needs require extra water.
If you are storing freeze-dried food, ensure you have enough water to rehydrate the meals. Check the product packaging and cooking instructions to calculate the total amount of water you will require.
2. Ensure Clean and Safe Drinking Water
The water available during the emergency may not always be clean or safe to drink. You can find information about water quality from your local health authority, but in some emergency scenarios you may be unable to confirm if water is safe for consumption. Therefore, it is important to have a strategy in place to purify or filter water. This can allow you to rely on natural water such as lakes or rivers.
Some products that support water filtration or purification include purification tablets, portable filters, or large-scale filtration systems.
3. Water Storage Solutions
Safe water storage helps ensure you have a reliable water supply when you cannot access water from taps or natural sources.
You can choose to purchase packaged water with a 10-year shelf life, or canned water with a 50-year shelf life. Alternatively, Total Prepare offers 13 liter WaterBricks, durable, food-safe containers that store enough water for one person for approximately 72 hours, or a 909 liter water storage tank that stores enough water for 2 months for a household of 4 people. If you choose to store water in WaterBricks, a water tank, or another type of container, consider using water purification methods to prolong the shelf life of the water.
4. Consider Water Distribution and Accessibility
Consider how to accessibly distribute water to all household members, including pets. Using reusable water bottles, portable water bags, or large jugs that can be divided into smaller portions can help make the water you store accessible when you need it.
5. Regular Maintenance and Monitoring
It is essential to regularly check your stored water and rotate your supplies to ensure it remains safe to drink. This is especially important for packaged water with a limited shelf life, or for refreshing water you have treated and stored.
Depending on the climate of your area, certain products may be more suitable than others. For example, water pouches are more suitable for cold areas as canned water is at risk of damage if the temperature drops below freezing.
Make sure to monitor the condition of your water storage containers, checking for leaks or damage that could compromise your supply.
Conclusion
Having access to enough clean water or the ability to filter or purify water can be the difference between life and death when an emergency occurs. Once you determine how much water you need and how you would like to store it, you may want to turn to Total Prepare to purchase what you need to get started. We have a wide array of water storage solutions, packaged water with up to a 10- or 50-year shelf life, and products to purify or filter water. To learn more about what products are available and decide which is best for your emergency preparedness needs, check out this article: Emergency Water Storage Solutions.