How to Stay Hydrated During an Emergency

 JoAnn Vann, Family Consumer Science Extension Agent, Clark County

Staying hydrated during an emergency is critical to staying safe and healthy. It can also be difficult to achieve without planning when your regular water supply stops flowing or the water is contaminated in a disaster.

How much water does my household need?

Consider the age, health, physical condition, activity level, diet and climate when planning for emergency water supplies. The general guideline is at least one gallon of water per day per person for consumption and sanitation with enough for several days in case utilities restorage is delayed. 

How do I store water?

Options include purchasing water in food-grade durable containers, recycling food grade containers for advance filling of water, and canning water. When recycling containers at home, thoroughly clean the food-grade container with dishwashing soap. Next, sanitize the containers with a solution of one teaspoon of non-scented liquid household chlorine bleach for each quart of water.

CAUTION: Non-commercially prepared water should be replaced every six months so be sure to mark your calendar to rotate your supplies. You may also preserve water by water bath canning if you use research-backed instructions from reliable sources such as the National Center for Home Food Preservation and USDA.

How do I treat water?

There are three main methods for treating water if there are no reliable clean water sources:

• boiling
• chlorination
• distillation

Water for drinking, food preparation, dish washing, and hygiene must be treated to eliminate microorganisms that cause diseases such as dysentery, cholera, typhoid, and hepatitis. Using more than one method is often the safest solution.

Follow these steps when treating questionably sourced water:

1. Reduce and remove suspended particles by allowing them to settle to the bottom of the container or strain them through coffee filters or clean cloth.
   
   
2. Choose treatment method.
   1. Boiling- Using a large pot bring water to a rolling boil for one full minute. Allow the water to cool before drinking or using for personal hygiene.
   2. Chlorination- Add 1/8 teaspoon of non-scented, liquid household bleach per gallon of water. Stir and let stand for 30 minutes. Test for odor. If there is not a slight bleach odor, repeat the dosage and let stand another 15 minutes. If the water still does not have a slight bleach odor, discard the water and find another source.
   3. Distillation-In addition to removing microbes that are resistant to treatment by boiling and chlorination, distillation removes heavy metals, salts, and most other chemicals. Distillation requires boiling water and collecting only the condensed vapor. You will need a large pot with a lid, a cup, and something to tie the cup to the lid handle. The cup must hang right-side-up suspended above the water. Fill the pot halfway with water and place the lid on the pot. Boil the water for 20 minutes. During this time, vapor will condense and drip from the lid into the cup.
      
      
3. Pack items needed to complete the chosen method/methods in your emergency supply kit. For example, consider what items you will need to start a heating source for boiling and distillation. Also plan for items needed for gathering water for treatment.
   
   
4. Safely store your treated water until use. Often, the treated water is used immediately, but if it is not, be certain to have clean, sanitized containers ready for temporary storage to prevent recontamination of microbes, chemicals, and physical contaminants.

Build an Emergency Water Supply Today

Since water is the most essential compound for maintaining health, start building your emergency water supply kit today to protect you and your family when disaster strikes.

For more information, contact the Clark County Extension Office at 870-246-2281, clark-arkadelphia@uada.edu, and follow us on Facebook.