Utrata zaopatrzenia w wodę

Keeping safe and well during a loss of mains water supply  

 

Stay Hydrated

If you lose your water supply, use bottled water for hot and cold drinks as normal so you stay hydrated.

Signs you aren’t drinking enough fluid and becoming dehydrated include dizziness, dark yellow urine and tiredness. This could put you at risk of getting a urinary tract infection (UTI). 

More signs of dehydration and advice on how to treat it from the NHS

Urinary Tract Infections

​

Older residents and care homes

Keeping hydrated is vital at any time of life but particularly so when older.

This is because our sense of thirst decreases with age. 

But dehydration significantly increases the risk of infections, particularly urinary tract infection (UTIs) and pneumonia, even in winter. 

It may be cold outside, but central heating, heavier clothing and bedding can all lead our bodies to lose water that's important to replace.  

To help reduce this risk during a water supply outage:

• keep bottled water in easy reach of the older person

• offer flavoured drinks and foods with a high bottled water content such as soup, jelly, sauces, custard and extra milk on cereal

• Provide a full drink when giving medication 

 

For more about dehydration visit the NHS and Age.UK websites.

​

Further information about winter health for health and care professionals

​

Baby formula

Always boil bottled water to at least 70°C to make up baby formula. 

Let the formula solution cool before you give it to your baby. 

The bottled water supplied by your water company is safe to use for making up baby formula but not all shop brands are suitable.

Check the label on shop brands to make sure they have no more than 200 milligrams (mg) a litre of sodium (Na) and no more than 250 mg a litre of sulphate (SO4).

 

Hygiene

In the event of a water outage: 

​

• Wash hands thoroughly with soap and bottled water for 20 seconds before thoroughly drying

• Clean down kitchen surfaces with boiled or bottled water

• Use bottled water to brush your teeth

• Use waste water which you can collect in a bowl to flush toilets.