Families should know about disaster preparedness before an emergency arises. Contact your local Emergency Management office 270-384-4524 or 800-255-2587 before an emergency occurs to find out how your family should be prepared. Also, the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services offers food and water safety recommendations for severe weather and other emergencies. For more information, call your local health department at 270-384-5564 or visit the website at http://www.lcdhd.org or call the Food Safety Branch in Frankfort at (502) 564-7181.

One way to prepare ahead of time for a disaster is to assemble a family disaster supply kit. This kit should contain seven basic items:

1. Water
2. Food
3. First aid supplies
4. Clothing
5. Bedding
6. Tools, and
7. Any special medications

Stocking up on bottled water should be part of a family disaster plan. Store at least one gallon of water per person per day (three days minimum). Other sources of water would be well water and water haulers. If you contact someone to haul water, make sure the tank is cleaned and disinfected.

If river or lake water must be used, avoid sources containing floating material and water with a dark color or an odor. When emergency disinfection is necessary, examine the physical condition of the water.

Disinfectants are less effective in cloudy water. Filter murky or colored water through clean cloths, cheese cloth, or allow time for the sediment to settle, then draw off the "clean," settled water for disinfection. Water prepared for disinfection should be stored only in clean, tightly covered containers not subject to corrosion.

There are two general methods by which small quantities of water can be effectively disinfected. One method is boiling. It is the most positive method by which water can be made bacterially safe to drink. Another method is chemical treatment. If applied with care, certain chemicals will make most water free from harmful or pathogenic organisms.

Boiling: Vigorous boiling for one minute will kill any disease-causing microorganisms present in water (at altitudes above one mile, boil for three minutes). The flat taste of boiled water can be improved by pouring it back and forth from one disinfected container to another (process called aeration). Allowing the boiled water to stand for a few hours or adding a small pinch of salt for each quart of water boiled will also help improve the flat taste.

Chemical Treatment: When boiling is not practical, chemical disinfection is an option to consider. The two chemicals commonly used are chlorine or iodine and are effective at removing harmful pathogens.

Be aware that these disinfectants are not effective or only somewhat effective in controlling Cryptosporidium and Giardia found in surface water. These two pathogens are only found in water from rivers, lakes and springs. Therefore, chlorine or iodine should be used to disinfect well water since Cryptosporidium and Giardia are unlikely to be found in well water.

CHLORINE BLEACH: When boiling is not practical, chemical disinfection should be used. Common household bleach contains a chlorine compound that will disinfect water. The procedure to be followed is usually written on the label. When the necessary procedure is not given, find the percentage of available chlorine on the label and use the information in the following tabulation as a guide.

(If strength [percentage] is unknown, add ten drops per quart of water. Double amount of chlorine for cloudy or colored water or water that is extremely cold.)

The treated water should be mixed thoroughly and allowed to stand, preferably covered, for 30 minutes. The water should have a slight chlorine odor; if not, repeat the dosage and allow the water to stand for an additional 15 minutes. If the treated water has too strong a chlorine taste, it can be made more pleasing by allowing the water to stand exposed to the air for a few hours or by pouring it from one clean container to another several times.

CHLORINE TABLETS: Chlorine tablets containing the necessary dosage for drinking water disinfection can be purchased in a commercially prepared form. These tablets are available from drug and sporting goods stores and should be used as stated in the instructions. When instructions are not available, use one tablet for each quart of water to be purified.

This information on emergency disinfection of drinking water was prepared through resources provided by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Contact your local health department at 270-384-5564 or local Emergency Management office at 270-384-4524 for recommendations during an emergency and how to be prepared.