Your Water Plan for a Power Outage
Last verified: September 2026
Water is the quiet essential — and on a well, an outage is a dry one. Here's how much to store, how to fill up fast before a storm, and how to make water safe. Want a hand planning? Call (330) 200-8042.
Your Outage Water Plan, at a Glance
Water is the one thing you truly can't do without, and it's easy to take for granted until a storm. This guide covers how much to store — about a gallon per person per day for several days — how to fill up fast when a storm's coming, how to keep stored water safe, and how to make questionable water safe to drink. On a private well, an outage is also a dry spell: your pump stops when the power does, so stored water becomes the plan. There's a printable 29-page version up top.
Common Questions
1 How much water should I store for an outage?
About a gallon per person per day, covering several days at least — roughly half for drinking and half for cooking and washing. Add extra for pets, hot weather, and anyone who's ill, and store considerably more if you're on a well.
2 How do I make water safe to drink?
Boiling is the surest method: bring it to a rolling boil for a full minute, then let it cool. If you can't boil, public-health agencies describe a small measured amount of plain unscented household bleach — follow current official instructions for the exact amount, since it depends on the bleach's strength.
3 I'm on a well — how is my plan different?
Your well pump runs on electricity, so when the power goes out your water does too, often for longer than in town. Store much more water, fill everything before a storm hits, and see our well-pump-backup guide about safely powering the pump.
4 How long does stored water last?
Sealed store-bought water keeps until its printed date. Water you bottle yourself is best rotated every six months to a year. Keep all of it cool, dark, and dated, away from fumes and sunlight.
5 What's a boil-water notice?
It's an alert that your town's water may be contaminated, often after flooding. Until it's lifted, boil tap water for a minute before drinking, cooking, brushing teeth, or making ice — or use your stored water instead.
6 How can I fill up quickly before a storm?
Fill clean jugs and pitchers for drinking, fill a clean bathtub for washing and flushing, and freeze several jugs of water. On a well, do all of it before the power can go out — once it's off, you can't draw more.
Would You Rather I Just Help?
Water is simple once you have a plan, and I'll help you build one that fits your home — the right amount, safe containers, and a well-water plan if you need it. $99 flat for a visit, 30-day come-back-free.
Would you rather I just do this for you?
No shame in it — plenty of folks would rather hand it off, and that's what I'm here for. I'll come to your home, set it up right, and make sure it's working before I leave. Flat $99 per visit — no jargon, no upsell, and every visit is 30-day come-back-free.
Not a hardware job? I can often fix it remotely for $49 — a secure screen-share, up to 2 hours, that you watch the whole time and can end whenever (included free for $39/mo Support Plan members, and it counts toward the $99 if it turns out I need to come out).