The biggest mistake you can make when getting prepared for a possible disaster is not having enough emergency water. Storing water is the number one step you should take. There is a whole host of problems that can arise when a crisis has occurred and you are trapped somewhere with no access to clean water. We take it for granted that the water that comes out of our taps is safe enough to drink, yet if that option disappears suddenly, then the risk of illness and dehydration can become very real and very serious, very quickly.

The amount of water to have in your preparation supplies is generally said to be four liters or one gallon per person per day. Half of this amount is for drinking, and the other half is for washing food and cleaning one's body. If you are in a hot environment, then you are likely to use up more water so additional amounts should be stored. If you don't have enough water, then the risk of dehydration and illness will naturally increase. The length of time you should prepare for is three days, so that will mean twelve liters of water per person.

Storing water is the first step, but how you store it is also important. Your emergency water can be stored in plastic containers, but make sure they are kept out of the sun, as the plastic can deteriorate over time and contaminate your water supply. The jugs you choose can be bought new, or you can use old juice containers. Even bottles that held carbonated drinks are acceptable, as long as they are properly cleaned first. Never use a container that used to hold milk because the bacteria in milk can never be guaranteed to be removed, and this can affect the quality of your water.

Emergency supplies of water, just like emergency food, needs to be checked on a regular basis and replaced. While canned food can generally last for one year before needing to be changed, water usually has a shorter shelf life of six months. As mentioned above, plastic containers can deteriorate over time too and this can affect the quality of the water inside. If you have bottled water, then go by the expiry date on the label. To extend the life of your water you can always put some in the freezer. If you do this, just make sure that you leave a few inches of space between the lid and the top of the water to prevent the container from cracking.

Knowing how to store emergency water could very well save your life should a disaster strike the area where you live. One only has to look at what happened in New Orleans when Hurricane Katrina struck to know just how important having a clean supply of drinkable water is in order to avoid becoming extremely sick. Take steps to store enough water for your family for three days, and then set up a regular system of replacing that water with a fresh supply every six months.

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