Emergency ABC - Importance of Water in an Emergency or Disaster

Importance of Water in an Emergency or Disaster

Water is the stuff of life: without it, nothing can survive. Approximately 60 percent of our bodies are water, making it the most abundant substance in our bodies. In infants, water makes up about 80 percent of their body, so it becomes crucial that infants have ready access to clean drinking water at all times.

Nothing drives home the importance of water faster than a large-scale disaster, where fresh clean water becomes more valued and sought after than any precious metal. After a large-scale disaster, it is common that water supplies may be cut off temporarily or may become undrinkable. Here is information that everyone should know about finding safe drinking water in the midst of an emergency.

Preparedness is Key

We've all heard the advice, yet most people still find themselves unprepared when disaster strikes. Keep a supply of clean drinking water somewhere safe in

your home. Most people can survive many days without eating, but just one or two days without water can be fatal.

Just how much water should you keep on hand? Most people will need to drink at least two quarts a day of water. Have enough water to sustain all the members of your family for at least a few days. You don't necessarily have to bear the expense of buying multiple plastic water bottles. You can store water yourself in your own containers. Ideal containers for storing water are glass, fiberglass, and clean, thoroughly washed plastic containers. Make sure your water supplies are sealed tightly in their containers. Store your water in a cool dark location of your home, and change the water regularly, at least once every six months.

How to Locate Safe Drinking Water

What should you if you run out of water during an emergency, or are trapped somewhere without ready access to clean drinking water? What's safe to drink, and what isn't? Here are a few tips for locating safe drinking water during the course of a disaster.

If you find yourself in your home: possible sources of safe drinking water includes the water from your hot water tank, the water from your toilet tank (not the bowl, but the water from your tank, and only drink this if it is chemical-free), and water trapped in your water pipes. Melt any ice cubes that you may have stored. What about waterbeds? In an emergency, you should avoid using this as drinking water. Most waterbeds are treated with chemicals, making the water unsafe for drinking. You can, however, use waterbed water for washing and laundering.

For outside your home: try to locate streams, rivers, lakes, or other sources of fresh water. Harvest any rainwater that may fall for drinking. Never drink floodwater! It is probably contaminated.

How to Purify Water during an Emergency

If you have trouble locating safe drinking water during an emergency, here are some tips for purifying water sources. Any water you find that does not look clear, or which you think may be contaminated with chemicals, should be purified before drinking.

Boil your water. The best and easiest way to purify water is to boil it. Microorganisms that bear disease cannot survive in high temperatures. Boil the water for about one minute. To improve the taste, pour the water from one clean container to another.

Treat the water chemically. If you cannot boil your water, treat it chemically before drinking. You can use ordinary chlorine bleach to treat your water. Using an eyedropper, simply drop eight drops of bleach into each gallon of water that is to be treated. Make sure the chlorine you use lists hypochlorite as its only active ingredient, as any extraneous chemicals or perfumes can contaminate the water further. Stir the water and let it stand for at least 30 minutes. If the water appears clear, it is probably safe to drink. If it remains murky or clouded, add another eight drops and let stand again.

Distill the water. Another method of purifying water sources is to distill it. Distillation refers to boiling water and then collecting the vapor that is condensed. The condensed vapor that you get from boiling the water will be free from most impurities. Fill a pot halfway with the water you would like to purify. In order to collect the condensed vapor, tie a cup to the pot's lid so that it hangs inside the pot. You will need to use the pot's lid upside down in order to tie the cup. The cup should hang inside the pot so that it collects the clean drips of water that drop from inside the pot's lid.

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