Use these tips to prepare when a storm is brewing as well as for recovery after the storm.
Before a Natural Disaster
- Find alternative sources of water:
- Certified bottled water in factory-sealed containers and more facts about bottled water
- Rainwater collected in clean, food-grade storage containers; boil before drinking to kill bacteria
- Water from the freshwater storage tank behind the toilet (not the bowl) can be used if boiled first
- Review disaster readiness tips including a disaster supply checklist
After a Natural Disaster
NSF offers these helpful tips for water treatment, clean-up, sanitation and food safety:
- Emergency Drinking Water Treatment
- Boil water to destroy most bacteria, cysts and viruses
- Use purification tablets, certified distillers, filters and reverse osmosis units
- Use liquid, not granular, household bleach, following these instructions from the EPA website
- Cleaning Up After a Flood and Sanitation in Disaster Situations
- Avoid pushing dirt or bacteria further into your home by starting the cleaning process where food is prepared and work outward into the rest of the home
- Sanitize using a bleach/water mixture or other sanitizing agent specifically formulated to kill germs and bacteria
- Have septic systems pumped and checked after flooding subsides
- Use certified water filters on faucets to ensure contaminants are reduced in drinking water
- Emergency Food Safety Tips
- Discard all food that came in contact with flood waters, including canned goods
- Discard wooden cutting boards, plastic utensils, baby bottle nipples and pacifiers as there is no way to safely clean and sanitize them
- Wash heat-resistant dishes and cookware in a certified dishwasher on the sanitizing cycle or by hand and dip them in a solution of one capful of bleach and one gallon of water
Contact NSF if you have any additional questions.