Finding Water Sources in an Emergency

When an emergency arises and no water has been stored, there are inside sources and outside sources that you can use. This article will help you locate those sources and teach you how you can use the different water sources you find.

In an emergency situation to reduce the amount of water you consume, reduce the activities you normally do. By reducing your activities your body will sweat less and therefore reduce the amount of moisture you will need to replace it with. Less activities in your daily routine will maintain a lower body temperature and will help you keep your body cool.

If water is hard to locate there are several areas in your home that you can look. The first resource you should consider is in your freezer. Look to see if you have any ice cubes in the freezer and remove them. Let them thaw out and pour the water into a glass or pitcher. This water may not have the best taste, but it is drinkable. Water found in water heaters is also acceptable to drink. Before considering drinking this water make sure the water heater has not been damaged in any way. Collect containers that can easily fit under the spicket so no water is wasted. This is usually the largest amount of stored water in your home. When needing to replace old water heaters it is a good idea to get one 55 gallon tank or two 40 gallon tanks. This will provide most of the water consumption you many need in case of an emergency. If all of the above sources are consumed, the next resource you can go to is your bathroom. Tank water is also drinkable. Bowl water is not acceptable for human consumption but is very accommodating to pets.

If the water in the house has been shut off there is also water trapped in your pipes that you can get out. The easiest way to get to this out is to turn off the main water valve. You can easily move the water in the pipes by turning on the faucet in the highest part of the home. This allows air to enter the pipes and create pressure. If the next faucet opened is the lowest part of the house, the pressure will cause the water to move through the pipes and allow it to run out of the lowest faucet in the home.

If you can't locate enough water inside your home, the next step to go outside. The cleanest water to collect is rain water. If that is not available look for streams, springs, rivers, ponds or lakes. Make certain you purify any water you locate to assure it is clean and bacteria free.

Hopefully this article has provided some creative ways to look for water. It is all around us. You just need to know where to look.