Urban Survival – Emergency Water sources

There are a number of things you need to do during a major disaster to ensure that you have the water you need to survive.

So what should you do if you find yourself in an emergency situation without water?

• Once a disaster hits you have to act quick. The first thing you should do is find a way to store as much water as possible.  Fill your bathtubs, sinks, pots and other large storage containers with water.  The average bathtub holds somewhere around 50 gallons of water.  Check out the Waterbob Emergency Drinking Water Storage it’s a good system to have on hand.
• Immediately shut off your water main to prevent contamination to your hot water heater which is a great source of emergency water.

Where to find water during an emergency.

Your home has a number of place where you can find emergency water.

• Hot Water Heater Tank - Your hot water heater is a great source of emergency water.
• Canned Goods – Tuna, canned vegetables, beans and fruit all contain liquids that can be drained.
• If you live in a multilevel home, you can drain the water in your pipes by using gravity to your advantage. After the water lines into your house have been shut off, drain your pipes by using the lowest faucet in your house.
• Toilet Water – In an emergency you can boil the water from the flush tank (not the bowl) of your toilet.  I would only use this water as a last resort and only if I was sure it was free of chemicals.
• Rainwater - Use large pots and containers to catch and  store rainwater.

How to Generate your own Water

• If your really prepared you can actually generate your own water with the EcoloBlue 28 Atmospheric Water Generator while it’s not cheap and you will need a source of power,  it may be a great option for those that can afford such a device. The system generates up to 7 gallons of pure drinking water per day from the humidity in the air.