Guide library
Water: store, keep safe, purify
How much to store, where to keep it, and how to treat doubtful water.
Guide · 1 min read
Water is the first thing a household misses when pumps stop or supply is cut. A common planning figure is 8 litres per person per day: 5 to drink and 3 for cooking, washing and wudu. In Gulf heat, drinking needs rise, so treat 5 litres as a minimum. These are planning figures, not guarantees.
In Sakeena you can tick each step and see your progress. It stays on your device. Open it as a checklist
Do now
- Count everyone: family, helpers, drivers and pets. Use the Family Readiness Calculator to get your litres.
- Store sealed drinking water in food-grade containers, off the floor, in the coolest shaded place. Never in direct sun or a hot store room.
- Write the filling date on every container with a marker.
- Villa: find your rooftop or underground tank and pump. Pumps need electricity, so learn how to draw water by hand or bypass the pump.
Do within 15 minutes
- If supply is cut, fill clean containers, kettles and pots straight away.
- Bathtub or bucket water is for flushing and washing only, not for drinking.
- If the authorities warn about contaminated water, follow their instructions and close the main valve if told to.
- Switch off the water heater so it is not damaged if the tank runs dry.
Do in the first day
- Drink the sealed stored water first. Use tank water for washing and flushing.
- Treat doubtful water: let cloudy water settle, pour it through a clean cloth, then bring it to a rolling boil for at least one minute, or use purification tablets exactly as the label says.
- Cool boiled water in a clean, covered container. Do not dip cups or hands into it.
Do daily
- Check litres left against days left. In heat, cut washing water first, never drinking water.
- Reuse hand-washing water to flush the toilet.
- Replace stored water about every six months unless the container says otherwise.
Beta version, still being tested. Educational only. Numbers are planning figures, not guarantees. Follow instructions from your national authorities. Official links and numbers