Tips for staying water-wise, during a drought or not

Droughts can be devastating and affect millions of people at once. Any area can be affected by a drought — including yours.

Image: FEMA/Max Whittaker

Droughts aren’t just about a lack of water. They can cause wildfires, landslides and falling debris. And once it does finally rain, the drought conditions can cause flash floods.

During a drought, you’ll be asked to conserve water. Restrictions may be put in place, such as when — or if — you can water your lawn, fill your pool or wash your car.

The truth is, you should really be conserving water all the time. Here are some tips you can follow, during a drought or not:

• Look for leaks. If your toilet or sink floods, chances are you’ll notice. But what about a drip or tiny trickle? Check that none of your appliances, faucets or pipes are leaking, and fix them if so.
• If you’re allowed to water your lawn, do it in the early morning or late evening, not during the full heat of the day. Pay attention to weather conditions, too. If it’s rained recently, you probably won’t need to run your sprinklers. You can also water less in the winter.
• Take shorter showers. Turn on the water to get wet. Turn off to lather up and let your shampoo sink in and do its work. Then turn the water back on to rinse. Replace your shower head with a low-flow version.
• Don’t let the water run while you brush your teeth, wash your face or while shaving. 
• Got a dishwasher? Use it when it’s full and select the “light wash” feature.
• When doing laundry, use the washer only when you have a full load and set the water level to the size of your load. 

Get more water conservation tips from the Environmental Protection Agency and Ready.gov.

Census Bureau graphic shows Americans have room for improvement on preparedness

If disaster strikes tomorrow, where would you get your water? Nearly half of all Americans would be in trouble if their water supply was cut off in an emergency.

That’s a finding from the 2013 American Housing Survey conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau and Department of Housing and Urban Development. The survey results, released in March, found only 54 percent of Americans have a three-day supply of water in their home.

To raise awareness, the Census Bureau released a new infographic this month showing just how ready — or not — Americans are for emergencies.

Among the survey’s findings: Only about half of Americans have an emergency evacuation kit prepared, and just 37 percent have an emergency plan for dealing with disaster. No one likes to think it could happen to us. But the truth is that floods, tornadoes, diseases and more can affect all of our lives.

But the Census Bureau graphic shows that it’s not all bad news. When it comes to having food around, we’re doing really well. And a lot of our houses are clearly numbered. That makes it easier for emergency responders to find us when we need help.

It might look like a lot to think about, but it’s much easier to get ready now than during a disaster. With that in mind, here’s a checklist to help build your emergency stockpile!

In the (flood) zone with climate change

In 2014, there were eight weather-related disasters, with losses exceeding $1 billion each across the U.S. Go ahead, have a look at the list. How many of those disasters were storms and floods? Too many! The bad news is that we all live in a flood zone. According to the National Flood Insurance program “in the past five years, all 50 states have experienced floods or flash floods.”

But before we get too far into floods, let’s talk for a minute about greenhouses. Certain gases in the atmosphere — we call them greenhouse gases — help to keep Earth warm by trapping heat from the sun, just like a greenhouse does. Without greenhouse gases, Earth would be too cold to support life as we know it.

However, scientists are measuring higher-than-normal levels of greenhouse gases, which are being trapped in Earth’s atmosphere. Our greenhouse, our planet, is becoming too warm because of the increasing level of greenhouse gases. We’re not cooling off enough. As the North Pole warms up, it’s easier for high-pressure systems from the ocean to move in on cold air in the North Pole and push it south.

And that’s where climate effects such as storms and floods come in. For example:

• Oceans are warmer: Water takes up more space as it heats and it has to go somewhere. And it’s rising up on shorelines. 
• Global air and wind currents are warmer: When air currents of high and low energy collide, they produce storms. Warmer air means more frequent and violent storms. Warm oceans also add to overheating air and wind currents. 
• The North Pole is warmer: Glaciers are melting into the ocean, adding to the amount of water. 

Now for some fast facts about floods:

• Floods can come on rapidly, such as a flash flood, or slowly build up, such as a rising creek during a slow, steady rainfall.
• Flooding can spread over large areas or occur over a small area. 
• Floods have many causes, including rainfall, snow melt, a rising body of water or a broken dam. 
• During a flood, shallow creeks streams or dry beds can become very deep. Roads can become torrential rivers washing away vehicles and people. Don’t get in, don’t take that chance!
• You may see an increase of unwanted “guests” after a flood, such as mosquitoes. Mosquito bites aren’t only annoying, they can spread dengue, West Nile virus or chikungunya, among other diseases.

For tips on preparing for floods and cleaning up after, check out these tips from APHA’s Get Ready campaign.

Steps to safe structures: Celebrating building safety year-round

In a disaster, structures are often the first place we go for safety. But how do we make sure those buildings are safe? One way is through enforcement of strong building codes, as President Barack Obama noted during his Building Safety Month proclamation this spring.

“Time and again, devastating natural disasters have tested the strength of our communities and the resilience of our people,” Obama said. “Our capacity to withstand these threats depends on what we do to prepare today, from reinforcing critical infrastructure to making sure our buildings adhere to local codes and standards.”

It’s not just during national observances that we should think about building safety, however. Year-round, all types of conditions and weather can cause damage to buildings that could make them unsafe. Summer can bring high winds from thunderstorms and tornadoes, and winter can produce damaging ice and snow.

So what can you do to make sure a building is safe? While some steps take place before a building is constructed and others occur after a disaster, there are many ways to make buildings safer and protected.

Build it for safety: Building codes are rules that builders follow to make sure that a structure is safe and prepared for possible emergencies. Builders use information like where a building is located and common weather risks to decide how to build a safe and protected building.

In fact, this year’s Building Safety Month theme was “Code Officials Keep You Safe.” Each week, the International Code Council, founder of the observance, shared information about how codes protect us, looking at topics ranging from fires to dangerous weather.

Prepare it for safety: Even after a building has been built, there are sometimes more ways to keep it safe. For example, a house in an area where hurricanes are common could have shutters added to prevent damage to windows.

Evaluate its safety: If a disaster does damage a structure, officials will need to make sure the building is safe for people to enter again. High winds could damage parts of a home or spread debris around. In addition, earthquakes could damage a building’s foundation and flooding could leave behind mold conditions. All of these things could cause health problems or injuries.

It’s always a good time to consider the safety of your home, workplace or other buildings. For more details on ensuring buildings are safe for disasters, download our Get Ready fact sheet in English  or Spanish.