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Emergency water

We recommend storing around 20 litres of drinking water per person. You will then cover the minimum needs for one week if anything should happen to the tap water supply.

Cans of water standing on a table. A person whose arms we only see is draining water into a glass.
Photo: Ivar Kvaal / DSB

You need water for drinking, food preparation and hygiene. Some fluid requirements can be covered by juice, soft drinks and other alcohol-free drinks. Here is how to ensure water for your household: 

Fill water in containers

You can fill water from the tap into water containers or bottles. You can also purchase water and store it. Store-bought water does have a best-before date; however, this is mostly so that the manufacturer can guarantee the contents ‘as produced’. Water can eventually acquire a stale taste because the bottle is not completely sealed - and the plastic can give a taste to the water - however, this does not mean that the water is harmful to health. 

Difficult to find storage space for water?

It can be easier to find space for several small water containers rather than a few large ones. Another tip is to place small water containers in the freezer. Containers placed in a freezer must not be filled completely, otherwise they will burst. 

If you live in a building with common areas you can enquire with the building committee or housing association about the possibility of having a common storage space for water.