SAFE DRINKING WATER IN AN EMERGENCY
If your water supply should become flooded, or if a power failure that will take a long time to repair occurs, you will have to develop an emergency water supply. If you know in advance that you will not have water, collect water in as many clean containers as you have. You can even use the bathtub. However, this water should be purified according to one of approved methods of water purification.

To disinfect your water supply, go to Procedures for Disinfecting Drinking Water.

If your well has been flooded, go to Fact Sheet for Disinfection of Flooded PWS.

If total coliform bacteria persists in your well water samples, go to Superchlorination Disinfection Fact Sheet.

If your cistern or hauled water storage tank has been flooded, go to Procedures for Cleaning Cisterns and Hauled Water Storage Tanks.

Water is available from many other sources in your home such as ice cubes, juices, soft drinks, milk, or other food items.

If you still have pressure in your water supply system, use this water to flush toilets rather than your safe drinking water. If you do not have any pressure, do not use your safe drinking water to flush toilets. See Sanitation After a Disaster for proper disposal of human wastes.