Are You Prepared for a Water Emergency?

The water crisis in Virginia should be an eye-opener to all of us. More than half a million people are unable to use the municipal water for drinking, cooking, bathing, laundry, or cleaning due to a chemical spill into the Elk River. No one knows how long the disaster will affect water supplies, and unprepared residents are now at the mercy of FEMA. Staff members at Thomas Memorial and Saint Francis hospitals were told not to use water except for flushing the toilets. At the Charleston Town Center Mall, marketing director Lisa McCracken said Thursday evening, “We’ve closed our restaurants and we closed our treateries. We’ve turned off all the public restroom faucets, and we have issued an advisory mall-wide to the tenants, telling them not to use the faucets in their establishments. It’s like the apocalypse,” she said, half-jokingly.

If you don't have a fresh water source from a well, have a way to purify water, or a good amount of stored drinkable water, you could be in life-threatening trouble very quickly. The average person can go only 3-5 days without water, less in hotter climates. According to the Department of Defense and the Office of Civil Defense, it's recommended that a gallon of water per day per person be stored for food preparation and drinking. A gallon provides added comfort and accommodates increased fluid needs at higher altitudes or warm climates. An additional one-half to 1 gallon per day is recommended for bathing and hygiene, and to wash dishes. Disease and infections become a serious risk when sanitation is compromised.

Unfortunately water is heavy and bulky but it is more important than food so find a cool, dark place such as the basement to store some water. It's recommended that every household have at least 3 days worth as a bare minimum. Here are some items that can literally save your life and the life of your family. Don't wait until an unexpected crises happens when it's too late.

Aquamira Frontier Emergency Water Filter System $10.57
LifeStraw Personal Water Filter$19.99
Potable Aqua Water Treatment Tablets$5.99
Katadyn Vario Multi Flow Water Microfilter$79.98 With Free Shipping
SteriPEN Traveler 3-in-1 Water Purifier, Blue$44.36 With Free Shipping
waterBOB Emergency Drinking Water Storage (100 Gallons)$19.70
British Berkefeld® Gravity Water Filter with four 7" Super SterasylTM Ceramic Water Filter Elements$210.99 With Free Shipping
50-gallon Collapsible Rain Barrel$36.64 With Free Shipping

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