Besides oxygen, the second most precious substance to the human body is clean water. Recently, the contamination of a major river in China by a 50-mile long jolt of benzene has led to a certain level of panic as the city of Harbin faces the prospect of no running water for at least several days until the contanimants flow on by. Here's one article on the situation. Apparently people are starting to panic buy, many are fleeing the city, and there are wild rumors flying around, too, like fears of impending earthquakes. If everyone simply had a 72-hour supply of water and some basic sanitation arrangements, this serious industrial accident would have been little more than a big inconvenience to most ordinary folks.

Thanks for the reminder. I have trouble keeping a lot of food on hand, but there's just no excuse for not having an emergency supply of water. Empty 2l soda bottles work fine, are cheap, and can be reused.

I moved this thread for the potential interest. I saw this news story right on top of a report on mainland china's severe pollution that came with rapid industrialisation. There was also a brief story about some asteroid coming close in 30 years. My main paranoia NOW is do we have enough champagne and dinner rolls. Happy Thanksgiving <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Storing water is so simple that there is just no reason not to do it.

And if my idiot sister in Idaho can do it, anyone can! <img src="/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />

Sue

Do you think your idiot sister could tell my anti-prepared wife that I'm not completely nuts for having a month's supply of water in the basement? <img src="/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" />

as long as your basement doesn't flood, you will be in good shape

Yeah, she thinks I'm paranoid for stocking up on food and water...hope she doesn't find out about the shelter I'm building down there for when the aliens attack... <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

YOu have heard of a "chinese fire drill", right? :-)

What do you mean when the aliens attack...they're already among us, I see their spaceships flying over my house every night <img src="/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

Just an update. Reading various news sources, including actual eyewitness comments on the BBC website, sounds like the residents of Harbin are taking this chemical disaster in stride. No panic, no riots. Life seems pretty normal. However, it may last longer than originally planned. This article said that the water was turned off on Tuesday and that plans to resume water service on Saturday would have to be postponed, but it might be turned back on by Monday. Might?

Anheuser-Busch has a brewery in Harbin and gets its water from wells, so it's providing water to residents.

And in other news, yet another Chinese chemical factory exploded, releasing toxic benzene into the Yangtse and forcing the evacuation of thousands in that area. And the Russians are mad as heck about the first spill since the Chinese waited 11 days to announce the spill and the slick is headed towards their border now. They declared a state of emergency in the affected area. Sheesh, 11 days? So how many people already drank the water before the announcement? Sad.

Anyway, events like this, and particularly Katrina, make me think that 72-hours is definitely a bare minimum supply of water. A week sounds like a more prudent goal.