One cannot overemphasize the need for adequate stores of water -
especially drinking water.
It may weigh a
lot and take up too much space, but we cannot survive more than a couple
of days without it. In an
emergency, you may have no way to collect or buy water.
Also, it is important to drink what you need at present, then worry about
trying to get more later. By
reducing activity and trying to stay cool, you can reduce the amount you need.
Most emergency organizations recommend 1
to 1-1/2 gallons of water per person per day.
Having been through countless water outages here on Guam (we have more
problems than earthquakes and typhoons), I can tell you that you need at least 2
gallons per person per day - and don't forget your pets will need water, also.
If you're following the "three-week supply rule," that adds up to a whopping
amount of water - for a family of four, that's 168 gallons of water.
Ouch! The hotter it is in
your area, the more water you should have.
That doesn't include the 15 gallons per day for flushing a toilet.
Since tap water is usually only good for
6 months to a year in a dark place, it is
imperative that you rotate your
supply. I have planned for years to sterilize my containers and vacuum seal them
so they would last for years, but have yet to do it.
So for now, we wash the containers and then rinse with bleach before
filling. You can buy water in sturdy containers that have been factory-sealed,
that will last more than a year (check the labels).
STORAGE CONTAINERS:
Wider mouth containers are easier to
fill, and square or rectangular ones are more space-efficient. The containers
should be made of sturdy food-grade plastic that will not decompose or break.
Soda bottles are good for only a short term - and you may not be able to get
them clean enough. If you do use them, thoroughly clean with soap, rinse, then
sanitize completely with a mix of 1 tsp. chlorine bleach to 1 quart of water,
then rinse well. Never use a container that held toxic substances, nor
containers that have held milk or fruit juice, and think of the odor that the
container may add to your water. Glass containers don't have the contamination
problems, but can break easily and therefore are not suitable.
There should be no paper in the container lid.
Fill your
sanitized water containers to the top with tap water. If the water is safe to
drink, you need do nothing but close the lid (be sure you don't touch the inside
of the lid). If you're unsure of the tap water, fill the bottle then add
unscented chlorine bleach (8-16 drops per gallon) to the bottle.
Close tightly. Be sure to date the bottle and store in a cool place away
from light.
I have to admit that we don't have that
much stored because my husband doesn't think we need it. We do, however, have
separate stores of drinking and utility (bathing) water because we feel the tap water on
Guam is not fit to drink (for several reasons). We keep the utility water in
empty 3-gallon plastic kitty litter containers. They're good for a while, but
the plastic does break down eventually so we have to monitor them and rotate the
supply. Periodically, we add a few drops of bleach to the containers, just to
keep the water from going off. And,
we would never drink water from these containers. They're really convenient,
though - one container will give a good flush for the toilet and will give you a
decadent shower (with a hanging camp shower) when you're tired of wiping off
with a damp washcloth or a baby wipe.
You can buy containers made especially
for water which are much sturdier and long-lasting and I highly recommend
that if you can afford them.
DRINKING WATER:
For
our drinking water, we distill our own (as I said above, most of us don't
consider the water here fit to drink, for several reasons). That works well
until the power goes off and there is no more tap water to distill.
We have several of the hard plastic water-cooler containers and a
table-top dispenser. Our containers are 3 gallons each, but you can get them
smaller or larger (most office coolers are the 5-gallon size).
It can be expensive to collect enough of these to last 3 weeks, but they
hold up well and can be refilled at home or at a water-production facility. If
you start now and buy just one every week or two, that's a good way to build
your supply. Unopened, and in those containers, the water can last up to 5 years.
---- Remember, in many emergencies, your computer will be inaccessible, so a hard copy of any Paradise Organized chapters you find especially helpful is
a good thing to have on hand! ----
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