Virginia E. is a resident of Jackson, Mississippi.
In late August 2022, the O.B. Curtis Water Treatment Plant failed after Pearl River flooding overwhelmed the system.
Over 150,000 people in Jackson lost safe drinking water.
Schools went virtual because there was no clean water in the buildings.
The National Guard was called in to hand out bottled water.
Residents waited in mile-long lines just to pick up cases of water for their families.
Even after the state lifted the 40-day boil-water notice in September, Virginia was still afraid to drink or cook with her tap water.
Then the city mailed her a water statement for nearly four thousand bucks.
That statement was for water she could not even safely use.
When she tried to find assistance, the city sent her to a relief agency.
That agency told her it needed information from the water department.
The water department told her it does not provide that information.
Virginia’s experience shows what happens when you depend entirely on a public water system with no backup plan.
The Jackson crisis is not an isolated event.
Water systems across the country are aging and falling apart.
And with rising global tensions, water infrastructure has become a target.
For example, in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, attacks on water treatment plants have left entire regions without clean water.
In the Middle East, desalination facilities have been struck by drones.
Right here at home, hackers linked to foreign governments have broken into water system controls in small towns in Texas and Pennsylvania.
The FBI has warned that our water systems are soft targets for cyberattacks and sabotage.
This means the threat to your water is not just rust and old pipes.
It is also intentional disruption from people who want to cause chaos.
Here is what you can do to protect your family:
Store water before you need it:
The baseline recommendation is one gallon per person each day for drinking and basic cleaning.
Aim for at least a two-week reserve.
Use food-grade containers and rotate your stock every 6 to 12 months.
If a crisis hits, fill bathtubs, sinks, and pots right away.
Your hot water heater holds 40 to 50 gallons of usable water that you can drain from the bottom valve.
Filter and purify everything:
Boiling kills bacteria and parasites, but it does not remove chemicals, heavy metals, or forever chemicals like PFAS.
Invest in a gravity-fed water filter that handles biologicals and chemicals.
You could pair your filter with a UV purifier for added protection against bacteria and viruses.
For bug out bags, a portable filter is something you should include in your gear.
Set up alternative water sources:
Rainwater catchment is simple and effective.
A basic gutter and barrel setup can capture hundreds of gallons during a single storm.
If you have property, look into drilling a shallow well.
Scout and map natural water sources near your residence such as ponds, streams, and rivers.
Know the distance, the risks, and how to reach them on foot if needed.
Drawbacks to water preparedness:
Space and weight:
Water is heavy at 8.3 pounds per gallon.
Storing a two-week reserve for a family of four takes up over 50 gallons of horizontal or vertical space.
Not everyone has room for that in an apartment or small residence.
Grab stackable water containers like WaterBricks or use under-bed storage and closets.
Upfront expense:
A quality gravity filter system typically runs a few hundred bucks.
Storage containers, rain barrels, and UV purifiers add to the total.
Start small and build over time rather than waiting until you can afford everything at once.
Maintenance:
Filters need replacement cartridges.
Stored water needs to be rotated.
Rain barrels need cleaning.
A water preparedness system works best when you maintain it.
Set a reminder on your calendar to inspect your provisions every three months.
The safety of our water is not something we can take for granted.
Old pipes, foreign hackers, and crumbling treatment plants are working against us.
And when the water goes bad, it happens quickly.
The people who come through it are the ones who had a plan and provisions before the crisis hit.
