How much water should I store for my household?

Aim for at least ten litres per person to cover a couple of days of drinking, cooking and basic hygiene. If you have space, storing more gives you a useful buffer during a longer outage.

Where can I get water if the outage lasts a long time?

Your water company will usually set up bottled-water collection points and announce their locations online or by text. Vulnerable customers on the Priority Services Register may receive bottled water delivered to their home.

What is a boil-water notice and what should I do?

It is a warning that tap water may be unsafe to drink and must be brought to a rolling boil first, then cooled. Follow it for drinking, food preparation and brushing teeth until your water company confirms the notice has been lifted.

Can I still flush the toilet during a water outage?

Yes, if you have spare water. Pour a bucket of water directly into the bowl to flush it, and reserve stored drinking water for drinking and cooking rather than sanitation.

How do I stay clean without running water?

Wet wipes, hand sanitiser and nitrile gloves let you keep hands and surfaces clean while conserving your stored supply. A small amount of water goes a long way for essential washing.

How much water should I store for my household?

Aim for at least ten litres per person to cover a couple of days of drinking, cooking and basic hygiene. If you have space, storing more gives you a useful buffer during a longer outage.

Where can I get water if the outage lasts a long time?

Your water company will usually set up bottled-water collection points and announce their locations online or by text. Vulnerable customers on the Priority Services Register may receive bottled water delivered to their home.

What is a boil-water notice and what should I do?

It is a warning that tap water may be unsafe to drink and must be brought to a rolling boil first, then cooled. Follow it for drinking, food preparation and brushing teeth until your water company confirms the notice has been lifted.

Can I still flush the toilet during a water outage?

Yes, if you have spare water. Pour a bucket of water directly into the bowl to flush it, and reserve stored drinking water for drinking and cooking rather than sanitation.

How do I stay clean without running water?

Wet wipes, hand sanitiser and nitrile gloves let you keep hands and surfaces clean while conserving your stored supply. A small amount of water goes a long way for essential washing.

Water Outage Kit

A water outage can arrive without warning. A burst water main, a failed pump or planned repair work can leave your taps dry for hours or even days, and it often happens when you least expect it. Keeping a small supply of stored water and a few reliable tools means you can carry on cooking, cleaning and staying hydrated while the situation is resolved.

Your water company is responsible for restoring supply and, in a prolonged outage, for setting up bottled-water collection points. Check their website or social media for updates, and register vulnerable household members on the Priority Services Register so bottled water can be delivered to your door if needed. Keep an eye out for any boil-water notice, which means treating tap water before you drink it.

This kit focuses on the essentials: containers to store and carry water, ways to purify it, and simple hygiene items for washing without running water. Fill clean carriers before a planned outage, ration what you have sensibly, and prioritise drinking water over everything else. A little preparation keeps a frustrating disruption calm and manageable.