Water in an Emergency

Apr 29, 2019 | Water & Safety

By: Heather Vaughan, L.Ac, MSOM, C.Ay, CYT

Although no one likes to think about it, natural crises and disasters are always a possibility. Hurricanes, earthquakes, and floods can prevent access to food, electricity, and most importantly water. With just a little foresight and preparation, you can make sure that in case of an emergency, you and your family will have everything you need.

“We have a big bottle of FreshPure® Water ready for power outages.”

-Ali in Cary, North Carolina

How Much Water do I Need?

Each person per day needs at least a half-gallon of drinking water every day as well as another gallon for hygiene. That’s 1.5 gallons per day, minimum. Children, expectant mothers, and people who are ill require more. Two gallons is even better.

What is the weather like where you live? If you live in a hot climate, assume there will be no electricity and therefore, no air conditioning. You will need more water.

Keep a two-week supply of water on hand.

  • Single Person: 21 Gallons
  • A Couple: 42 Gallons
  • Family of Four: 84 Gallons

This can seem daunting! However, when you use 5-gallon bottles and fill with FreshPure Waters, 21 gallons becomes much more manageable. Make sure you have a crock or dolphin pump to dispense your water from 3 and 5-gallon jugs.

Water Storage Tips:

  • Use BPA-free Plastic. Glass is heavy and can break so is not useful in an emergency. Since you know you’ll be storing water for a long time, take precaution against leaching by using BPA-free plastic.
  • Store water in a cool, dry place.
  • Replace your water every six months.

Be Prepared

Water is essential in an emercency! If you keep one thing on hand, make it water. To be totally prepared, gather the items on this list and make sure your whole family knows where they are stored.

Important Emergency Items:

    • Can opener
    • Utensils
    • 3 days of non-perishable food items stored in air tight containers. Jars are best.
    • 14 days of water. You need one gallon per person, for each day.
    • Battery powered radio
    • Extra batteries
    • First aid kit
    • Matches
    • Whistle
    • Copies of ID & Credit Cards
    • Cash & Coins
    • Special needs items such as prescription medications, glasses, etc.
    • Tools
    • Pet supplies
    • Map of Local Area

Resources

The Red Cross & FEMA’s “Food and Water in an Emergency” Guide gives great instructions for how to find safe sources of water in your home (ie: hot water tank, etc.) and in nature, as well as how to purify this water to make it safe, in case your supply of FreshPure Waters runs out.