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Lanita A. Lloyd
Deputy Director
140 North Marietta Pkwy.
Marietta, GA 30060
Phone: 770-499-4567
Fax: 770-499-4558
ema@cobbcounty.org
Cobb Emergency Management Agency (EMA)
Preparedness
Keep a steady supply of safe drinking water
Having an ample supply of clean water is a top priority in an emergency. A normally active person needs to drink at least two quarts of water each day. Hot environments can double that amount.
Children, nursing mothers and sick people will need even more. You will also need water for food preparation and hygiene. Store a total of at least one gallon per person, per day. You should store at least a two-week supply of water for each person.
If supplies run low, never ration water. Drink the amount you need today and try to find more for tomorrow. You can minimize the water your body needs by reducing activity and staying cool.
How to store water
Store your water in thoroughly washed plastic, glass, fiberglass or enamel-lined metal containers. Never use a container that has held toxic substances. Plastic containers, such as soft drink bottles, are best.
You can also purchase food-grade plastic buckets or drums. Seal water containers tightly, label them and store in a cool, dark place. Rotate water every six months.
Emergency outdoor water sources
If you need to find water outside your home, you can use these sources. Be sure to treat the water before drinking it.
- Rainwater, streams, rivers and other moving bodies of water
- Ponds, lakes and natural springs
Hidden water sources
If a disaster catches you without a supply of clean water, you can use the water in your water heater tank, pipes and ice cubes in your freezer. As a last resort, you can use water in the reservoir tank of your toilet (not the bowl).
Know the location of your incoming water valve. You’ll need to shut it off to stop contaminated water from entering your home if you hear reports of broken water or sewage lines.
To obtain the water from your pipes, let air into the plumbing by turning on the faucet in your house at the highest level. A small amount of water will trickle out. Then obtain water from the lowest faucet in the house.
To use the water in your water heater tank, be sure the electricity or gas is off, and open the drain at the bottom of the tank. Start the water flowing by turning off the water intake valve and turning on a hot-water faucet. Do not turn on the gas or electricity when the tank is empty.
Three ways to treat water
In addition to having a bad odor and taste, contaminated water can contain microorganisms that cause diseases such as dysentery, typhoid and hepatitis. You should treat all water of uncertain purity before using it for drinking, food preparation or hygiene.
There are many ways to treat water. None is perfect. Often the best solution is a combination of methods.
Before treating, let any suspended particles settle to the bottom, or strain them through layers of paper towel or clean cloth.
Boiling: Boiling is the safest method of treating water. Bring water to a rolling boil for 3-5 minutes, keeping in mind that some water will evaporate. Let the water cool before drinking. Boiled water will taste better if you put oxygen back into it by pouring the water back and forth between two clean containers. This will also improve the taste of stored water.
Disinfection: You can use household liquid bleach to kill microorganisms. Only use regular household liquid bleach containing 5.25 percent sodium hypochlorite. Do not use scented bleaches, color safe bleaches or bleaches with added cleaners.
Add 16 drops of bleach per gallon of water, stir and let stand for 30 minutes. If the water does not have a slight bleach odor, repeat the dosage and let stand another 15 minutes.
The only agent used to treat water should be household liquid bleach. Other chemicals, such as iodine or water treatment products sold in camping or surplus stores that do not contain 5.25 percent sodium hypochlorite as the only active ingredient, are not recommended and should not be used.
While the two above methods will kill most microbes in water, distillation will remove microbes that resist these methods, heavy metals, salts and most other chemicals.
Distillation: Distillation involves boiling water and collecting the vapor that condenses back to water. The condensed vapor will not include salt and other impurities. To distill, fill a pot halfway with water.
Tie a cup to the handle on the pot’s lid so that the cup will hang right-side-up when the lid is upside-down (make sure the cup is not dangling into the water) and boil the water for 20 minutes. The water that drips from the lid into the cup is distilled.
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