The Board of Water Supply (BWS) urges residents to have their emergency preparedness kits ready. The kit should include at least one gallon of water stored, per person, per day for at least seven days, for drinking and sanitation purposes. The easiest and most efficient way to prepare your emergency water supply is to take it from the tap.
How to Store Water
To properly store water, you should:
• Use clean containers. Do not use containers that stored food with strong odors (mayonnaise, pickles, etc.) as the water will pick up the odor during storage.
• Disinfect containers. Wash containers thoroughly. To ensure it is sanitized, rinse it in a mild bleach solution (one capful of liquid bleach to one gallon of water), and then rinse thoroughly.
• Fill container with water from the tap. Fill the container to the top, keeping a minimal amount of air between the water and the cap. To ensure the water is safe to drink, add one drop of bleach per gallon of water, cap and store it in a cool, dark place.
• If you plan to store water for four weeks or longer, add one half cap full of bleach per gallon of water, cap and store in a cool, dark place.
The BWS is also asking customers to stay tuned to news reports. The BWS is actively monitoring Tropical Storm Ana and in an emergency event, BWS will coordinate and issue all bulletins and advisories through the City Department of Emergency Management (DEM). More emergency preparedness information is available at www.boardofwatersupply.com.
