Water Procurement

There are many areas in your house that contain water that is suitable for drinking and use.  Do not count on this as part of your water storage.  It is still vitally important that you have water storage sufficient for every member of your household including pets.  However, not knowing how long it will be before water is restored, you should be aware other places to find water in your home.

Hot Water Tanks

First, hot water tanks and/or boilers usually contain many gallons of water.  Locate the drain at the bottom of the tank.  It is typically a hose bib similar to those found on the exterior of your home.  Connect a hose (a white one, preferably) and drain as needed.  Be sure to turn off the gas or electricity powering your hot water tank and DO NOT turn it back on until the tank is once again filled with water.

Toilet Tanks

Water can also be obtained from the toilet tank.  The water in the toilet bowl is NOT suitable for use.  However, the toilet tank can provide yet another source of water.  If you have a toilet deodorant or cleanser in your toilet tank, only use that water for cleaning and NOT for drinking.

Plumbing System

Within the walls of your home, your plumbing system is full of water.  To access this water, turn off the main water valve in your home.  This serves two purposes.  First, it will seal the water already in your pipes and, second, it will stop contaminated water from entering into the system.  Starting with the top floor, turn on faucets (catch the water that comes out in a container).  This will allow air to enter into the pipes forcing the water to drain to the lower faucets.  Continue turning on each faucet, reserving the water, and work you way down to the lowest part of your home.

Water Filtration Systems

It is a good idea to own a water filter.  There are many excellent filters on the market.  There may be situations where we rely on collected rain water, river water, etc. to use as our drinking water.  Of course, we will want to make it suitable for consumption.  First, collected water from the outdoors should be pre-filtered to remove any dirt, moss, bark, sand, sediment etc. from the water.  You can do this quite easily by pouring the water through a coffee filter, dish cloth, paper towel, or water sock.  Next, run the water through your filtration system. Most filters do a great job filtering out bacteria.  However, water filtration systems can NOT filter out viruses.  If you suspect viruses in your water you must treat it.  There are several hand-held water filters on the market that are used by backpackers, campers, military, etc.  Every family should have at least one water filtration system for emergency preparedness.