Emergency Water Supplies
Water is essential to human survival. In any emergency planning scenario, the securing of clean, fresh drinking
water will be a primary focus. The typical person needs to consume three to four quarts of water daily. When
preparing for an emergency it is a good idea to store at least one to two gallons of water for up to two weeks.
FEMA recommends one gallon a day. However, we suggest erring on the side of caution and storing more than that.
Of course, everyone has different needs and could require more or less, depending on activity, health, age, climate,
and diet. You should consider the following when determining what is right for you. Storing several weeks of water
will give you time to find other sources of drinking water. It is essential to own systems that will help you gather,
filter, and sterilize drinking water during an emergency.
Emergency water basics:
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One to two gallons per day per person for drinking, hygiene and sanitation.
Nursing moms and the sick will require more water.
If someone has a medical emergency, more water may be needed.
Warm to hot weather climates may require more water; in hot climatic conditions, twice as much water may
be necessary.
Store between three days to two weeks of water, depending on your situation.
The best ways to store water:
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Start with a good supply of commercially bottled water. Do not open until it is needed.
Set up a stock rotation plan that moves new water in and expiring water out.
Store the water in a dark, cool place.
Do it yourself methods:
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Purchase food grade containers made for storing water. Never use nonfood-grade plastic as it could seep
harmful chemicals. It is best to buy containers new, so you do not have to worry about what was stored in
them prior to you getting them.
Clean the containers thoroughly with dishwashing soap. Be sure to rinse out the containers to remove all
residual soap. If you do choose to use old bottles, it is sometimes impossible to remove elements left behind
with cleaning.
Do not use any containers that have held milk or fruits in them; they contain sugars that will turn into bacteria
over time.
2-liter soda bottles:
o Clean thoroughly with soap and water, and sanitize with a ratio of one teaspoon of bleach to one quart
of water.
o Use unscented and chemical-free bleach and thoroughly rinse out the bleach solution.
o Fill bottle to top with tap water, then treat with chlorine (use regular chlorine, not pool chlorine
treatments).
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© 2015 by Game Plan Preppers LLC
Emergency Water Supplies
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If the source is well water or untreated water, add two drops of non-scented chlorine bleach to the
water. Let stand for 30 minutes before drinking.
o You should detect a slight chlorine scent; if not, add two more drops and let stand for 15 minutes.
o Put the cap back on the bottle, Be careful not to put your fingers inside the cap, as it could
contaminate the water.
o Place a date on the bottle so you know when it was sealed. (Six months is a maximum storage time.)
Glass is another option for storing water. It can be found easily and doesn’t pose the same dangers of
leaking chemicals or other contaminants into the water.
o Use food grade glass.
o Do not use lead crystal glass, which can leak lead into your water supply.
o Boil the jars for 20 minutes to remove contaminates.
o Dry the jars thoroughly before filling them.
o Fill, cap off, and store in a cold dark place with little or no exposure to light.
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Stainless steel is another option.
o It weighs less than glass and is easily sanitized with water and chlorine.
o Use food grade containers.
o When done correctly, water can be stored in stainless steel containers for two to three years before
rotation.
o Don’t drink the water as you rotate it out of stock. Use it to water the lawn or for your garden.
Tips for water storage:
• Do not ration water that is meant for drinking unless ordered to do so. The average person cannot operate on
less than 4 cups of water each day, and that is only if they are extremely inactive.
• Any suspicious water should be avoided; only drink water you know is safe from contamination.
• If you ever hear about broken water or sewage pipes you should act quickly to protect your water supply. Begin
by turning your water valves off.
• During an emergency these are likely sources of clean water:
o Water drained from water heaters. Be sure to turn off the power and gas and then remove the water
out of the tank. Fill the tank back up before you turn the heater back on.
o Drain the pipes in your home by turning on a faucet at the highest level of pipes and, then, turning on a
faucet at the lowest point in your home. When the water is turned off at the valve, this serves to let air
in and force water out.
o Melted ice and liquids.
o Liquids you get from canned foods.
• During an emergency you should avoid water from these sources:
o Hot water boilers and radiators.
o Hot tubs, swimming pools, and bedroom waterbeds have been treated with chemicals, not for human
consumption.
o Toilet bowl water from the flush tank.
913. 538.7079 | www.GamePlanExperts.com
© 2015 by Game Plan Preppers LLC
Emergency Water Supplies
Treating water may become your only option after your supply of fresh water has been depleted. There are
several different methods that have been perfected over the years to make water safe to drink. Remember just
because the water looks safe to drink, does not make it safe. Besides a bad taste, you may get an unhealthy dose
of disease-carrying microorganisms.
Standard Treatments:
• Boil water by heating up a pot or kettle of water and bring to a boil for one minute or more. If you are above
5,000 feet, you should boil for at least three minutes. Boiling kills microbes but does not remove contaminants
like heavy metals, salts, and most chemicals.
• Chlorination or disinfecting water is something you can do if boiling is not an option. Using liquid bleach can
kill most disease-causing microorganisms. However, liquid bleach is less effective at killing stronger organisms
like Cryptosporidium and giardia. Do not use bleach that has other chemicals added to it. Be sure to use new
bottles of bleach because its potency diminishes over time. Again, this method is only recommended as a last
alternative. Be sure to look at the bottle for instructions, but as a good rule of thumb you can use the following
grid. Chlorination kills microbes but does not remove other contaminants like heavy metals, salts, and most
other chemicals.
Chlorination Table
% Sodium Hypochlorite
Drops per Quart/Liter/Gallon of Clear Water
1%
10 drops per quart/liter - 40 drops per gallon
4-6%
2 drops per quart/liter - 8 drops per gallon
7-10%
1 drop per quart/liter - 4 drops per gallon
Unknown
10 drops per quart/liter – 40 drops per gallon
If the water is cloudy, murky, colored, or very cold, double the amount of bleach added.
Distillation will remove most microbes or germs that are resistant to boiling and chlorination. Most impurities are
removed by boiling the water and collecting the vapors. Fill your pot halfway with water and boil. Then take a
coffee cup and tie it to the pot’s lid so that it hangs into the pot but not in the water. Boil for twenty minutes.
Water will move to the lid and then into the cup. You now have distilled water. Distilling kills microbes and
removes other contaminants like heavy metals, salts, and most other chemicals
913. 538.7079 | www.GamePlanExperts.com
© 2015 by Game Plan Preppers LLC