Emergency water supply

David from Avonside - Dallington

With the end of Daylight Saving today now is a good time to not only check your smoke alarms as suggested by the Fire and Emergency Service, but also check your stored emergency water supply. I have just checked my stored water had nothing growing in it (so it was safe to reuse the bottle), then emptied the bottles rinsed the bottles out and then topped them up to overflowing before putting the lids on. I then changed the date on the bottles and stored them back in the cupboard in the garage.
Remember that you should have AT LEAST 3 liters per person per day and 3 days worth as a minimum. Some suggest that you should have two weeks worth if possible because, when the Alpine Fault ruptures, so much of the South Island will be affected it could take 2 weeks for help to arrive.
Empty fizzy drinks bottles work for storing water, rinse well and fill to overflowing then add lid - just don't use empty milk bottles (wrong type of plastic and you cannot clean them sufficiently - over time microbes from the milk that leeched into the plastic will contaminate your water).
Also check any stored emergency food (we keep all ours in the pantry with the rest of the food - trying to rotate the stock continuously).