What would you do if you were told not to drink the water coming out of your tap? That’s exactly what residents of Toledo, OH were told at the beginning of the month as local and state officials scrambled to bring water supplies to the 400,000 individuals affected. Those in the area have described the scene as resembling Black Friday, with people rushing to get enough bottled water to drink, take with medication, or brush their teeth. Officials warned that boiling the water would only increase the toxicity of the water, making bottled water the only option for residents
At this time, it’s believed that the city’s local water had become contaminated by algae blooms. Although it’s unknown what the cause of the algae growth was, algae growth is typically caused by increased phosphorus from farm fertilizer runoff and sewer treatment. While scientists did predict that algae growth might increase in the upcoming months, they didn’t expect it to happen this soon. They predicted a September algae increase.
Although there has never been a city-wide ban on drinking water in Toledo, the dangers of algae bloom have been known for quite some time. Toledo has amped up its water treatment in the past few years, spending more than $4 million last year alone to treat its water. However, even with regulation and an active approach towards water treatment, this news is evidence that the danger of water contamination is always there.
As Ohio John Kasich said in a press conference regarding the drinking water ban, “When it comes to water, you’ve got to be very careful.” In an emergency, you might be able to go a few days without food, but water is a whole different matter. It’s for this reason that water preparedness is such a crucial part of any emergency plan. If you are interested in keeping your family safe in a crisis that might affect local water supply, Food Insurance can help.
From our personal Lifestraw filter straw that can filter up to 99.9% of waterborne bacteria and protozoa, to our large reserve water tanks, we have a wide variety of water preparedness supplies to include in your storage planning. Unfortunately, when it comes to water contamination, it’s becoming more of a question of when in many areas in the country. If you live in area that is at risk of water contamination, please take the time to review our water preparedness supplies today.
