No clean water

How much you need, where to find it, and how to make it safe to drink.

First 10 minutes

If the taps still run, fill every clean bottle, pan and container now, and the bath for flushing.
If you have been told the water is contaminated, do not drink it, even boiled, until told otherwise. Boiling kills germs but does not remove chemicals.
Turn the stopcock off if pipes have burst or floodwater may get into the supply.
Check the water company's updates or local radio.

Drinking: about 2 litres per person per day, more in heat, illness or hard work.
With cooking and basic washing: aim to store 3 to 4 litres per person per day.
For this household of three, a week's supply is about 70 to 85 litres.
Children and anyone ill (especially with sickness or diarrhoea) need water first.

Stored bottled water.
Water already in the hot water tank (turn the heating off first and let it cool) and in the cold water tank in the loft, if you have them. Treat before drinking.
Rainwater collected in clean containers. Treat before drinking.
Streams, rivers and lakes. Always treat. Avoid water downstream of farms, roads, towns or industry, and anything with a chemical smell or oily sheen.
Never drink: floodwater, water from radiators or central heating systems (it contains chemicals), toilet cisterns with blue cleaner, swimming pools, or water you suspect is chemically contaminated.

Treat in this order: clear it, then kill the germs.

Boil: bring to a rolling boil for at least 1 minute, then cool and cover. This is the most reliable method.
Purification tablets: follow the packet exactly, including the waiting time.
Portable filter: check the box says it removes bacteria and protozoa; most do not remove viruses or chemicals.
Bleach, last resort: only plain, unscented household bleach with no added detergent or thickener, at around 5% chlorine (check the label). Add 2 drops per litre of clear water, stir, and wait 30 minutes. It should smell faintly of chlorine. If not, repeat once and wait another 15 minutes.

None of these remove chemical or radioactive contamination. In those situations, use only stored water or water you are officially told is safe.

Wash hands before food and after the toilet; hand gel helps but does not replace soap when hands are dirty.
Keep drinking water and washing water in clearly different containers.
If the toilet will not flush, line it with a bin bag, use a small amount of cat litter or soil after each use, tie off and store outside. Keep it well away from water sources.

Your cold water tank in the loft (if you have one) can hold tens of litres. Close the valve to stop it being drained if the mains are contaminated.
A bath full of water flushes the toilet many times: pour a bucket in fast.

Know the capacity of your fresh water tank and how long it lasts with three people.
Fill up at every safe chance. Campsites, service stations and some churchyards have taps.
Clean and sterilise the fresh water tank regularly; treat tank water before drinking unless it was filled from a safe tap recently.
Carry a separate container of drinking water in case the tank is contaminated.

Store at least 3 days of water (about 35 litres for three people); a week is better
Rotate stored water every 6 to 12 months, or use sealed bottled water and check dates
Water purification tablets
A portable water filter
A clean, food-grade collapsible water carrier
Know where your stopcock is

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