Most people focus on long-term water storage when they plan their preparedness, but what if the taps stopped running today?
No warning. No backup plan.
Following natural disasters, whole communities have been left without water for days.
Water main breaks lead to limited water sources. Boil-water advisories are more common than you might think.
According to Ultraviolet, “Much of the United States faces multiple Boil Water Alerts throughout the year, meaning their water could become unsafe to consume at any moment.”
The Water Quality Research Foundation and researchers at The University of Arizona tracked boil water notices in the United States from 2012 to 2014. They found over 20,000 documented cases in that two-year period.
Now add in the increasing number of cyberattacks on our grid—including attacks on our local water systems.
In February 2021, a computer hacker gained access to the computer system for the public water supply in Pinellas County, Florida.
Jeff Pegues explains: "The hacker was controlling the computer system's mouse—opening various functions on the screen and changing the sodium hydroxide in the water supply from about 100 parts per million to more than 11,100 parts per million.” Sodium hydroxide is also known as lye, which is found in drain cleaners.
In 2024, there were eleven cyberattacks on the water and wastewater sectors.
Whether it’s due to a natural disaster, water main break, grid failure, or contaminated water supply, losing access to water puts you on the clock.
Read on to see what to do when you realize access to safe water is gone.
Locate Water Sources in and Around Your Home
The first thing you should do when you discover the tap water is not running—or is unsafe—is to find other sources of water.
Start by looking inside your home:
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Freezer: Ice inside your freezer can be melted and used for drinking, cooking, and sanitation.
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Pipes: Start by opening a faucet on the top floor, allowing air into the pipes. Then open a faucet on the bottom floor and drain the water into a storage container.
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Water heater: Depending on the size, the water heater tank may have several gallons of water to use for emergencies. To get to the water in the tank, you will need to use the drain spout and have a storage container ready to collect it.
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Back of your toilet: The toilet tank—not the bowl—is a great emergency water source, but it should only be used as a last resort if other clean water sources are unavailable.
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Pools: While you can’t use the chemically treated water for drinking, it can be used for cleaning and personal hygiene.
Then, look outside your home.
There are many different ways to find and collect water outdoors, such as collecting rainwater.
If you lose access to water suddenly, look for any types of containers you can use to collect water in the event of rain.
You should also be on the lookout for any natural bodies of water, such as rivers, lakes, or streams.
Limiting Water Usage
Use as little water as possible.
Use grey water for water needs that are outside of drinking and cooking. Don't waste water! If you do not drink the whole bottle, save the rest.
Have Emergency Purification and Filtration Tools on Hand
The best way to prepare for a lack of running water is to invest in emergency purification and filtration tools before it happens.
If you have these items on hand, you can rest assured knowing you will be able to have clean drinking water—even in an emergency:
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Chlorine Dioxide Water Treatment Drops: Adding just a few drops to your stored water, you can prevent mold, bacteria, and other contaminants from spoiling your precious H20.
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Aquamira G20 Water Filtration Bottle: This amazing bottle lets you drink biologically filtered water from almost any freshwater source. If you can find a creek, stream, or pond, you can fill this bottle with water and its strong filter will protect against viruses, parasites, bacteria, and microorganisms.
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Alexapure Pro: For whole home water filtration, the Alexapure Pro is what you want. It's a gravity-powered water filtration system—holding over two gallons—that reduces more than 200 contaminants.
If you find yourself without water and don’t have any of these purifying tools on hand, you need to know how to make clean water on your own.
The most common technique for purifying water is boiling it.
To ensure any organisms or bacteria have been removed and the water is safe for use, allow the water to boil for at least 30 minutes. You can be even safer by pouring the boiled water through a coffee filter before use.
Another option is to make a homemade filter, such as a sand filter:
Supplies:
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2 buckets
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Sand
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Dirt
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Rocks
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Water
Instructions:
After you’ve collected all of these materials, punch a few small drainage holes in the bottom of your bucket.
Fill the bucket with a layer of sand—this should be the first thing you add—followed by a layer of dirt, then a layer of rocks.
Once your bucket is full, hang it on a post or a tree—anywhere that it is elevated—and place the second empty bucket underneath it.
Pour water into the hanging bucket and let it drain into the empty bucket below.
Note: This water from a sand filter is not drinkable unless it’s treated. Use our Chlorine Dioxide Water Treatment Drops for this.
How to Tell If Your Water Is Unsafe to Drink
When it comes to determining if your water is safe to drink, trust your senses. If it has a weird smell or looks funny, don’t drink it!
Here are some other signs that your water may be contaminated:
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Cloudy water
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Difficulty getting clothes cleaned while washing them, forcing you to use more detergent
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Weird feel on the skin after bathing
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Dirty, colored water (such as yellow, brown, or orange)
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Green or blue-tinted water
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Strong smell (bleach may mean too much chlorine, rotten eggs could mean hydrogen sulfide, and fish could mean barium or cadmium)
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A metallic taste
Unfortunately, many contaminants are not detected using our senses. This is why it is imperative to take heed of your local water system’s warnings.
Instead of waiting for signs of contamination, you can purchase a home water testing kit. Or you can do a simple DIY water-quality test using basic soap, such as Castile.
Fill a clean, empty water bottle with tap water and add a few drops of basic soap—free of dyes, perfumes, or deodorants—then shake the bottle. If there are not many bubbles and the water is cloudy, it is contaminated.
The Time to Prepare Is Now
We don't know what the future holds, but we know that water is critical for survival.
Take steps to prepare for the taps running dry or water contamination issues. Know where you can get water in an emergency. Invest in filtration and purification supplies.
Practice water preparedness, friends.
In liberty,
Elizabeth Anderson
Preparedness Advisor, My Patriot Supply
