No Backyard, No Creek: How to Prepare for a Water Outage in the City
You don’t need access to a river to prepare for a water emergency. Start with stored water, reduce what you use, and plan how to get more.
1. Store water before an outage happens
CDC recommends storing at least one US gallon per person per day for three days, and building toward a two-week supply where possible. This allowance covers drinking and basic uses such as cooking and brushing teeth—it won’t support normal household water consumption. Store additional water for pets, hot weather, illness, and pregnancy. CDC
| Household | Three-day supply | Two-week supply |
|---|---|---|
| One person | 3 gallons | 14 gallons |
| Two people | 6 gallons | 28 gallons |
| Four people | 12 gallons | 56 gallons |
For a small apartment, start with three days and add gradually. Divide bottles between cool, suitable storage spaces, rather than relying on one large tank.
Unopened commercially bottled water is the safest and most reliable emergency supply. Follow its expiration date. If filling containers yourself, use clean, sanitized food-grade containers, label the filling date, and replace the water every six months. Never use containers that previously held chemicals. CDC
2. Keep collapsible containers for collecting more
Empty food-grade water containers are useful when there is advance warning or when authorities establish a water distribution point.
Choose manageable sizes. A five-gallon container holds about 42 pounds of water, before the container itself. For someone carrying water upstairs, several smaller containers may be much more practical.
Keep a separate, clearly labeled bucket for non-drinking water. Empty containers are useful backup equipment, but an existing filled reserve is essential for an unexpected outage.
3. Use the bathtub as a flushing-water reserve
Filling the bathtub can be useful when disruption is expected, provided the tap water is still safe, and local officials have not instructed residents to restrict use.
Reserve water stored directly in an ordinary bathtub for toilet flushing, rather than drinking. The tub may contain soap or cleaning-product residues and is open to contamination.
A purpose-made, food-grade bathtub storage liner can provide enclosed storage when filled and used according to its instructions. Fill drinking-water containers first, keep children away from a filled tub, and only flush toilets if the sewer system is functioning normally.
No bathtub? Clearly labeled buckets can provide a smaller flushing reserve.
4. Make an apartment-specific power-outage plan
Ask the property manager before an emergency:
- Does the building use electric pumps to supply upper floors?
- Do those pumps have backup power?
- Is there an accessible backup water collection point?
- How will residents receive updates?
- What happens if elevators are unavailable?
A power outage does not automatically mean the water is unsafe. Check your water utility’s alerts and local emergency instructions. If the supply remains safe, fill suitable containers as appropriate while following any conservation requests.
Keep utility contact details on paper, sign up for local alerts, and have a charged phone power bank.
5. Prepare to need less water
We recommend a small supply of:
- Ready-to-eat food and a manual can opener.
- Disposable plates and utensils.
- Hand sanitizer, baby wipes and cleaning wipes.
- A small washbasin.
- A drinking-water container with a spigot.
These help reduce cooking and cleanup demands. Preserve safe water for drinking, food preparation, brushing teeth, and essential hygiene. Sanitizer is a backup for some situations; it does not replace handwashing in every circumstance.
Households with infants should consider ready-to-feed formula as part of their emergency planning. CDC
6. Know what each water advisory means
| Advisory | What you should do |
|---|---|
| Boil water | Use bottled water or boil tap water as instructed. A water purifier is a great alternative - especially if the power is off and heating water is problematic |
| Do not drink | Use bottled water for drinking and food preparation; follow the notice for other uses. Boiling or purifying does not remove harmful chemicals. |
| Do not use | Avoid tap water for all purposes until officials say otherwise. Contact with the water may be dangerous. |
Follow the specific local notice, including instructions after service returns. CDC
7. The water purifier’s role
Stored water and a purifier complement each other. Stored water provides an immediate supply; a suitable purifier can expand options when an available source falls within its tested capabilities.
Fountains, floodwater, street runoff, or public swimming pools are not automatically suitable sources. Microbiological purification should never be assumed to remove fuel, dissolved chemicals, or other toxic contamination. Boiling and disinfecting cannot make chemically contaminated water safe. CDC
And finally, identify official water distribution arrangements and someone who could help collect supplies. If safe water or functioning sanitation cannot be maintained, staying temporarily with friends, family, or at an officially designated shelter may be the most practical next step.