We see it on the news all the time. When a town’s water supply is compromised by some kind of contaminant, area residents are told to boil their water before drinking it.
But what if the water becomes so contaminated that even boiling it doesn’t take care of the situation? Or what if a water supply is compromised so badly that city officials choose to shut it off completely until they can solve the problem?
What will you do if nothing is coming out of your faucets for a day, several days, a week — or longer?
This is why your emergency water supply is so important. A situation like this surely qualifies as an emergency, so dip into that supply for your drinking needs and then build your supply back up when the crisis is over.
Keep It Clean
Now, assuming you have stockpiled drinking water, you’ll find it’s a lot easier to drink without running water than it is to clean without it. We’re so used to using running water for washing dishes, glasses, silverware, pots and pans, etc., that you may find it challenging to clean with only standing water.
Here are a few tips that will make it easier for you until water is flowing freely and cleanly out of your faucets again:
- Wipe first. Use a cleaning wipe or paper towel to wipe as much stuff off your dishes, glasses and silverware as possible before using water on them
- Fill a dishpan. Don’t pour water from a bottle over an item while washing it, which will waste water, but rather fill a dishpan first and use that water to clean
- Fill a basin. Again, don’t pour water from a bottle over an item to rinse it, but rather rinse it in a separate basin that will be less soapy than your dishpan
- Use disposable wipes. Don’t waste water pouring it on small hand towels to clean counters. Instead, use disposable wipes containing cleaning agents
- Clean what you’ve cleaned. To avoid leaving cleaning agent residue on items you’ve cleaned, wipe them off with a water-logged towel before drying.
Cleaning without running water is a challenge, but there may come a time when you have to do it, so be prepared.
If you’re in this situation, you also need to think about how long the water you have stockpiled is going to last you and your family.
It’s important to have a good water filter on hand to ensure that you can safely drink water from other sources in this situation.
Our top recommendation in water filters is the Alexapure Pro.
This revolutionary water filter removes up to 99.9999% of bacteria, viruses, heavy metals and even pharmaceuticals from any freshwater source.
[Editor’s note: These tips won’t just come in handy in a disaster scenario. They can also be useful in a recreational situation. As the weather warms up, more and more people will flock to our country’s beautiful national parks to go hiking and camping. If you plan to spend some time in the great outdoors, give these methods a try. It’ll be good practice if you ever have to utilize them in a true emergency.]
