|
Before the
Storm |
To ensure
that there is an adequate water supply available during a
hurricane emergency, residents are advised to:
- Gather available bottles,
cooking utensils and other containers that can be used to store
drinking water. Milk containers should not be used as they are
difficult to clean thoroughly and don't have an airtight seal.
Plan on storing one gallon of drinking water per person per day
for three to five days, preferably two weeks.
- To store water, use food-grade
containers. Clean, airtight containers such as two-liter soda
jugs can be filled with drinking water. Sterilize containers by
sponging and swabbing them with unscented bleach. Rinse well and
dry.
- If you re-use disposable
plastic bottles, do not keep them for more than a month. Do not
use milk containers as they are difficult to clean thoroughly
and don't have an airtight seal.
- Sterilize the bathtub in the
same manner as containers. Water stored in the tub should be
used for washing and flushing the toilet.
- Purchase a supply of water
purifying tablets, generally available from the local pharmacy,
to have on hand.
|
|
After the
Storm |
- Listen to local news bulletins
following the storm to determine if there is a boil water order
in effect for your area.
- Engage in safe hygiene
practices to sanitize hands, etc.
- If
the quality of water is questionable, there are three ways to
disinfect it:
- Boil water at a rolling boil
for one minute to kill infectious organisms.
- Use water purifying tablets
(generally available from the local pharmacy), according to
package directions.
- Use unscented household
bleach. Add 8 drops household bleach per gallon of water. Mix
thoroughly. Let stand for 30 minutes. If water is cloudy or
does not have a slight chlorine odor, repeat the dosage and
let stand 30 minutes.
|
