Collecting Water

Before you can purify water, it must be collected. There are many sources of water in urban areas that you probably do not consider as drinking water under normal circumstances, but they are readily collected water supplies in an emergency. They include:

• Swimming pools
• Hot tubs
• Hot water tanks
• Backyard ponds or fountains
• Roof water tanks
• Golf course ponds
• Retention ponds
• Rain catchments
• Drainage ditches
• Hot water tanks

Unfortunately, you may not be able to get to all of these water sources during a disaster. The following sources of water are available in a true emergency, when there is no clear source of water available and survival is the top priority.