STOCKWISEPrepared for less.

Be ready

Water outage

Interruptions are usually over quickly. Your water company is the best source of information if one happens.

Before

  1. Keep bottled water at home: 3 litres of drinking water per person per day for 3 days is recommended, plus extra for baby formula, medical devices and pets. GOV.UK Be Ready: water outages
  2. Bottled water is the safest way to prepare. If you have no room for it, boiling or purification tablets can make other water safer; follow the product label, and most sources need filtering first. GOV.UK Be Ready: water outages
  3. A water butt is for flushing toilets or watering plants; never drink it. GOV.UK Be Ready: water outages
  4. If you're eligible, join your water company's Priority Services Register; ask anyone you care for whether they are registered. GOV.UK Be Ready: water outages
  5. If someone in the household relies on a medical device that needs water, make a plan with their care team. GOV.UK Be Ready: water outages

During

  1. Check your water company's website for service in your area and where to collect alternative water; if you're on the Priority Services Register they arrange it for you. GOV.UK Be Ready: water outages
  2. Use bottled water only for drinking, hand washing and preparing food. Soft and fizzy drinks are safe to drink too. GOV.UK Be Ready: water outages
  3. Ready-made baby formula is the safest option; powdered formula needs freshly boiled water. GOV.UK Be Ready: water outages
  4. To wash hands, fill a large clean bowl with water and add soap or a household disinfectant. GOV.UK Be Ready: water outages

Your rights

  1. In England, if an interruption lasts more than 12 hours, your water company should provide an alternative supply, such as bottled water or bowsers in the street. Citizens Advice: water interruptions
  2. In England, a planned interruption of more than 4 hours needs 48 hours' written notice, and compensation is usually due if the supply isn't back on time. Citizens Advice: water interruptions

Kit for this

Best-value eBay listings for the items this checklist mentions, by class. Prices checked 4 Nov, 22:54 UTC.

Water containersfrom £5.13 · 28 buys at the last checkWater filtersfrom £8.12 · 67 buys at the last checkStovesfrom £10.95 · 14 buys at the last checkCamping gasfrom £9.83 · 0 buys at the last check

Food that keeps for years

The checklist asks for food that needs no cooking: tins and packets you already eat cover that. For a store that keeps for years, Food stores has five hand-picked freeze-dried buckets and bags, with how long each lasts and what a day costs worked out. They need boiling water.

See Food stores

Information, not advice. Every line links to the official source it comes from; follow that source and the instructions of the emergency services first.