Preparedness Assessment - Water 1

Water
You Can't Survive Without It. It is everywhere, yet during an emergency it may not be as easy to obtain or potable like what we have become accustomed to in our normal daily lives. Some questions may not make sense to persons in some parts of the country or world but other may. The intent is to get you to think about and act in order to have adequate water in an emergency.

Do you have an emergency supply of water on hand in storage for yourself and family.

Is your emergency water supply treated and stored in containers suitable for vehicle transport if needed.

Have you calculated how much water you would require per person/duration if sheltering in place? (Stand rule of thumb - 1 gallon per day, per person)

Do you have a household water purification system available to treat/purify water for storage or use in an emergency?

Does your system require electrical power or battery power?

Do you have adequate power supplies to work them if needed?

If you have a system do you have replacement parts or additional filters/chemicals on hand for long term- large quantity use?

Do you have chemical water treatment supplies on hand and instructions/containers prepared and ready to use?

Do you understand how your water purification device(s) work and have you practiced using them?

Do you have portable water purification devices from reputable manufacturers that are portable and can provide hundreds of gallons of water before needing replacement?

Are instructions for your water treatment supplies readily available with your devices for transport if needed?

If your primary water supply is a well or cistern, do you have backup pumps or manual pumps to ensure your supply of water is uninterrupted?

Is your well or pond supply protected against vandalism or theft by others?

Have you identified alternative sources of water in your neighborhood or local area besides public supplies or well sources?

Do you have the physical ability to acquire, store and transport water to your residence in an emergency if the need arises?

Does your auto preparedness kit contain 1-3 days treated water or the means to acquire/store/treat immediately if an emergency arises?

Does your home water heating source consist of a gas/electric fired water tank?

If so, has your water tank been properly and regularly maintained to become a source of stored water in the event of an emergency?

Have you installed a brass boiler valve on your water tank to allow you to remove water more reliably?

Do you flush your water tank regularly and total flush every 6-12 months to remove damaging sediment?

Have you replaced your water tank anode to preserve the integrity of your water tank?

Do you have plumbing supply part/tool kit on hand to make repairs to your water supply system in the event of a breakdown unassisted? (copper pipe, plastic)

If on public water system, do you have you water supply shutoff valve identified and is it properly working/serviced periodically to prevent potential home flooding during natural disasters.

Do you have a water valve shutoff tool to accomplish shutting off your own public water supply if needed?

Do you have the means to acquire water from frozen water sources.