2009 March - water

Preparedness Newsletter
March 2009

“In times of need, having water to drink can be the difference between life and death – or at least between peace and anxiety.” -“Family Home Storage: A New Message”, Ensign, Mar 2009

Spiritual Goal: Have family prayer twice a day.

Provident Living Goal: Learn a new skill or read a book pertaining to your career.

Basic Storage Goal: Two-week supply of drinking water – 14 gallons per person.
Vegetable and Fruit juices
72-Hour Kit: Dried fruit or trail mix,Crackers, Juice
Always have the fuel tanks on all your vehicles at least half full.

Expanded Storage Item: Water storage containers
Dish soap
Hand soap
Tip:
If your stored water has sat for a long time, it goes “flat”. To improve its flavor aerate it by pouring it back and forth between containers or beating it with a mixer or blender.

Water
Health department and public water safety officials use many safeguards to protect the sanitary quality of your daily drinking water. However, this protection may break down during emergencies caused by natural disasters.
During times of serious emergency, the normal water supply to your home may be cut off or become so polluted that it is undrinkable. A supply of stored water could be your most precious survival item! You and your family may be on your own to provide a safe and adequate water supply. Generally, under serious disaster conditions, no water can be presumed safe – all drinking and cooking water should be purified. Make sure you know where the water shut-off valve is to your home so you can prevent contaminated water from coming in.
Required Amounts of Drinking Water Per Person
A minimum of two quarts and up to one gallon of water is needed per day, depending on the size of the person, the amount of exertion, weather, and perspiration loss. A minimum of seven gallons pure water per person would be needed for a two-week survival supply. Children, ill people and nursing mothers will need even more. With careful rationing, fourteen gallons per person would be sufficient for drinking, food preparation, and brushing teeth. An additional ½ to 1 gallon per day per person is recommended for bathing, hygiene, and washing dishes. Water would also need to be stored for pets.
There are several other sources of water in an emergency: water drained from the hot water tank (usually 30 to 60 gallons of usable water), water drained from the house pipes, clear water from the toilet flush-tank if kept constantly clean (not the bowl), melted ice cubes, canned fruits and vegetable juices, and liquid from other canned goods. To use water from the hot water tank, turn off the incoming water valve, turn off gas or electricity to the tank and open the drain at the bottom of the tank. Next, turn on a hot water faucet and collect the water from the tap at the bottom of the tank. Do not turn on the gas or electricity while the tank is empty. To use the water in the house pipes, let air into the plumbing by turning on the faucet at the highest level in the house. Then obtain water from the faucet at the lowest level.