What If Your Tap Water Isn't Safe to Drink?

November 14, 2026

Most of us never think twice about turning on the tap. But water systems can be disrupted by water main breaks, floods, storms, or power outages at treatment plants. When that happens, local officials may issue a boil-water advisory or a "do not drink" notice. A prepared household can treat it as an inconvenience instead of a crisis.

The CDC notes that after an emergency, your tap water may not be available or safe to use. Here's how to handle it.

Step 1: Follow Local Guidance First

Your water utility and local health department know what's in your water and what's safe. Their instructions come first, every time. Sign up for local alerts and keep a battery or hand-crank radio handy, as Ready.gov recommends.

If you know or suspect your water is unsafe, the CDC says not to use it to:

Drink
Wash dishes
Brush your teeth
Wash or prepare food
Wash your hands (unless local officials say it's OK)
Make ice
Make baby formula

Use bottled, boiled, or treated water instead.

Step 2: Reach for Your Stored Water

This is the moment your water reserve was built for. Stored, sealed water lets your family keep drinking, cooking, and brushing teeth normally while you wait for the all-clear, without lines at the store.

Ready.gov recommends at least one gallon per person per day, and the American Red Cross recommends keeping a two-week supply at home.

ReadyPantry pick: Ready Pantry 12 oz Emergency Water. Canned, plastic-free water purified through a multi-stage process and rated for a 50-year shelf life. It's sold by the case, or in 25-case (1/4 pallet), 50-case (1/2 pallet), and 100-case (full pallet) packs. Quarter, half, and full pallets ship by freight, so you can build a reserve that covers weeks or months, not just days.

Remember: the CDC cautions that water containing fuel, toxic chemicals, or radioactive material can't be made safe by boiling or disinfecting. In that situation, stored water or another safe source is your answer, and your health department is your guide.

Step 3: Know How to Treat Water

If you need more water than you've stored, the CDC outlines several methods:

Boiling (the most reliable for germs)

If water is cloudy, filter it through a clean cloth, paper towel, or coffee filter, or let it settle.
Bring it to a rolling boil for 1 minute, or 3 minutes above 6,500 feet.
Let it cool and store it in clean, covered containers.

Disinfecting with bleach

Use unscented household bleach and follow the label's instructions or the CDC's dosing table. For 5–9% bleach, that's about 8 drops per gallon, doubled for cloudy or very cold water. Let it stand at least 30 minutes. The CDC notes disinfectants don't work as well as boiling against some parasites.

Filtering

The CDC explains that portable filters vary by pore size, and many don't remove viruses, so it recommends adding a disinfectant after filtering. Check what any filter is designed to remove before relying on it.

Boiling takes fuel and time, and that's where a planned filtration setup earns its place.

Step 4: Upgrade Your Everyday Filtration

Even when there's no advisory, many families want more confidence in their everyday water. A good filtration system does double duty: better water every day, plus extra capability when you need it.

ReadyPantry pick: Sentry Wellness System. An under-sink system for your kitchen tap. The DualGuard version is designed for city or pre-treated water. The TriGuard version adds Sentry's BioChemGuard filter, which Sentry says provides extra protection against bacteria, pathogen-based viruses, and PFAS/PFOS.

ReadyPantry pick: Sentry Whole House Wellness System. Filters water at the point it enters your home, so every tap and shower is covered. It includes an under-sink system for drinking water.

ReadyPantry pick: Sentry Portable System. A movable system with a handle and plug-and-go hose fittings. Choose the Premium filter set for sources with higher biological and chemical contamination.

Bundle: the Wellness Home Bundle pairs the under-sink system with a shower filter.

You can review the lab documentation for these systems on our Water Lab Results page, and the Water Filter Chooser will point you to the right system for your home.

An important note: filters don't replace official advice. During an advisory, follow your health department's instructions on boiling or using stored water.

Step 5: Keep Spare Filters on the Shelf

A filter system is only as good as its current cartridge. Sentry recommends changing filters about once a year. Keeping a spare set means you're not waiting on shipping during a disruption.

Replacement filters: Wellness System Replacement Filters, Portable System Replacement Filters, and Shower Replacement Filter.

Hygiene During an Advisory

The CDC's hygiene guidance has some helpful nuances:

During a boil-water or "do not drink" advisory, it may be safe to wash hands with tap water. Follow local guidance.
Sometimes water that isn't safe to drink can be used for bathing, as long as you avoid swallowing it or getting it in your eyes.
Brush teeth only with safe water.
If soap and safe water aren't available, use hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.

The Sentry Shower Filter reduces chlorine in everyday shower water, but it's for bathing only and isn't designed to make water safe to drink.

When the Advisory Lifts

Follow your utility's instructions for flushing household pipes and appliances. Then restock: replace any stored water you used and note any filters that are due.