How to Provide Water During a Natural Disaster

During a natural disaster you may be cut off from a water supply, or the water supply may become contaminated. You should store water for use in such situations in order to provide adequate supplies for you and your family. You will need both potable water and water for other purposes. Store a three-day supply of drinking water for each person in the household which equals 1 gallon per person per day. Food preparation, hygiene and sanitation require an additional gallon per person per day.

Things You'll Need

• Plastic jugs or bottles
• Lids or caps
• Pot with handle

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Instructions

• 1

  Fill your home's bathtubs and sinks with clean tap water when forecasters announce the threat of severe storms or natural hazards, such as hurricanes.

• 2

  Fill plastics jugs and bottles with clean tap water.

• 3

  Close each jug or bottle with a lid or cap.

• 4

  Use your tub and sink water for cooking, sanitation and hygiene purposes, such as flushing the toilet. Bail it using a pot with a handle to avoid having contact with it in case the water supply gets cut off or the drinking water gets contaminated.

• 5

  Drink the water stored in jugs and/or bottles if the water supply gets cut off or the drinking water gets contaminated.