Water supplies could be affected in an emergency. Have a supply of stored water for three days or more.
Keep at least a three-day supply of water. You'll need at least three litres of drinking water per person per day (at least nine litres per person for the three days). This equates to four 2.25 litre soft-drink bottles. This will be enough for drinking and basic hygiene.
You should store more if you can. Hot environments and intense physical activity can double the amount required.
Children, nursing mothers and ill people will also need more.
Be sure to include drinking and clean-up water for your pets. The amount needed will depend on their sizes and the conditions. Remember that pets often drink more water than usual when under stress.
You will need more water if you want to wash, cook or clean with water, or if the emergency is long.
Some parts of New Zealand could be without water for longer than three days during an emergency. Your Civil Defence Emergency Management Group can recommend how much you should store.
There are lots of ways you can store emergency water.
If you use collected rain water, make sure that you disinfect it with household bleach. If you are uncertain about the quality of water, do not drink it.
If you are preparing your own containers of water, follow the directions below.
If you choose to buy commercially bottle water, store it in the original sealed container. Do not open it until you need to use it. Observe and replace according to the expiration or use by date.
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It’s up to you to make sure your household knows what to do and that you all have what you need to get through. Follow these easy steps to get your household ready.