Dozens of gallons are stored in your home right now — the water heater, the toilet tank, the pipes — if you know where to look and what to avoid.
Before you go looking for water outside, remember how much is already plumbed into your house. If you shut the main off the moment you hear a contamination warning, you trap all of it clean and drinkable.
| Source | How to get it |
|---|---|
| Water heater | 40–50+ gallons. Kill power / gas first, then drain from the bottom valve. |
| Toilet TANK | Clean water (the tank, not the bowl) — if no chemical tablets are in it. |
| Pipes | Open the highest faucet to vent, drain from the lowest. |
| Ice, canned-food liquid | Melt ice; the liquid in canned vegetables is drinkable. |
Avoid: the toilet bowl, waterbeds, radiators, pools and spas (chemically treated for surface contact, not drinking), and any water of unknown source — treat it before drinking.
