Guidelines For Emergency Water Storage

The human body is only able to survive for 3 days. Water is a high priority in terms of emergency preparedness.

Almost twenty-five gallons each day is used by each person in the average household. This consists of water used for drinking, cleaning, flushing and food preparation. The majority of the systems that are used to provide water to these homes are powered by electrical energy. Even properties with water wells often make use of electric pump systems. So, water storage is very important should the power grid stop working.

It is recommended that you assess your family’s needs for a 7 day period. If you are careful with your water use, you will be able to get by with two to three gallons of water per individual in very warm environments. One half of this will be drinking water. The other fifty percent will be used for cooking and hygiene. You might not consume anywhere near this much water currently, but take into account that other options for beverages might not be available. At the same time, you will be adjusting to life without having the benefit of things like air conditioning and electric fans. You will need to replenish water lost via sweating as well as respiration.

If you learn beforehand that you might suffer a loss of your supply of water, use this opportunity to fill up bathtubs, sinks, ice chests and every other container you have that is sturdy enough to hold water without leaking. Separate your water into two categories: drinking and non drinking uses.

It is a good idea to prepare for at least 7 days without having water. Each person should have 21 gallons of water stored. To be safe, you might wish to double this volume. For five people, this would mean 105 gallons of water ought to be stored. Twice that amount would be over 200 gallons. Translated, this would mean you would want 2 to 4, fifty-five gallon drums.

The weight of a gallon of water is below 8 1/2 pounds. Take this into account when planning storage and transportation of water. Quantities of water would be better kept on a reinforced cement floor as fifty-five gallons of water (excluding the weight of the drum) would weigh almost 500 pounds. The majority of floors would not be able to bear this extra weight.

Should the unforeseen happen, retrieve useable water from other places at your residence. Most domestic hot water heaters hold about 40 gallons of drinkable water. The tank part of the commode also has water that's useable for drinking purposes. Ice cubes within the freezer are an additional source. Do not throw away the water found in canned products since it is another valuable source of hydration when every drop counts.

Water may be collected coming from downspouts or in a children's wading pool in the course of a rainstorm. Additionally, clean bedspreads and sheets can be placed out to absorb the rain or dew and then wrung out over a storage container. Harvest non-drinking water from commode bowls and waterbed mattresses.

Prepare ahead to prepare for probable water shortages. Get innovative with strategies to replace your stored water once the tap is turned off. Labor to discover methods to save the water that is readily available.