Where can I find clean drinking water after a disaster?

If available, use bottled water. This is the safest and most reliable option.

If bottled water is unavailable,

• Boil water vigorously for at least one minute. This kills harmful bacteria and viruses. Let is cool before drinking.
• If boiling isn’t possible, use unscented household bleach. Add 1/8 teaspoon of bleach per gallon of water, stir and let it stand for 30 minutes. The water should have a slight bleach odor. If it doesn’t, then repeat the dosage and let stand for another 15 minutes. (Source: EPA.gov)

Additionally, if you have access, you can safely drink water from your home’s water heater tank. It is also safe to drink melted ice made with water that was not contaminated. You may want to collect the clean ice and put it into a cooler for storage, so you can keep the freezer closed. Make sure your storage area is clean before storing ice that will be consumed.

Remember:

• Do NOT drink water from swimming pools, spas and collected rainwater.
• Do NOT drink water from radiators or boilers in a home heating system.
• Do NOT use suspected or contaminated water to wash dishes, brush your teeth, wash and prepare food, make ice, or make baby formula.

To learn more about safe drinking water, visit: https://www.ready.gov/water