(August 29, 2023) — If you’re like many people in the Pacific Northwest, Labor Day is the last chance to go camping before school is back in session and the rain starts up again. You’ll likely need all sorts of supplies for your trip, including a tent, flashlight, camp stove, and water. Instead of purchasing bottled water or filling jugs from your sink, use the opportunity to change out your emergency water!

While your emergency water supplies won’t go bad like food, water that’s been stored for a long time will taste flat or less fresh than water straight from the faucet. It’s recommended that you change out your emergency water every six months to a year if you store it in your own sanitized container. If you’re going camping this Labor Day weekend, be sure to take your emergency water with you and then refill your containers when you get home.

If you’re not an outdoors person you can use your “old” emergency water to give your garden or indoor plants a drink, wash your car, bike, scooter, or give Fido that bath he needs!

There are plenty of great ways to make preparedness a habit, and annually changing out your water supplies is one of them! Get 10 more emergency preparedness tips at regionalH2O.org.