Hurricane Prep 101: The Reason You Fill up Your Bathtub With Water During a Hurricane

If you live in an area prone to hurricanes (and let’s face it, these days it’s hard to predict their paths), you know that preparing before the storm hits is essential. You could be without electricity, food, and water for weeks! From boarding up your windows and filling your bathtub with water to stocking up on non-perishables and plenty of bottled water, prepping can make all the difference in weathering the storm.

While most people are familiar with hurricane prep tactics, with storms making landfall in non-traditional areas , some might not know about one essential prepping technique: filling your bathtub with water. But why do people do this during a hurricane? Here’s the reason and why you should consider it if a storm is headed your way.

Why do people fill their bathtubs with water during a hurricane?

People fill their bathtubs with water during a hurricane as a way to store clean water for washing up and flushing toilets. The American Red Cross recommends this practice, along with filling clean containers with drinking water for cooking and consumption.

In the event that a hurricane disrupts power to your home, you won’t be able to flush your toilets. While you might get a few flushes after the power is cut, thanks to the excess water stored in the pipes, it will eventually run out.

After that, you’ll need to manually flush your toilets by pouring enough water into the bowl to push the contents down and through the pipes. This way, your liquids and waste can still be flushed, and you’ll have water readily available to do it.

A bathtub full of water can also be used for bathing. During a hurricane, if your water supply is disrupted, it’s essential to have some water available for bathing.

While cold showers are an option, having that water supply can be incredibly beneficial, especially if your water is disrupted or if your home has a well. Typically, when power is knocked out, it also affects the well’s ability to supply water. However, with a full bathtub, you’ll have enough to flush your toilets and take a bath, for a little while at least.

The water stored in a bathtub during a hurricane is not for drinking.

The American Red Cross does recommend storing clean water in the bathtub during a hurricane but warns that it shouldn't be used for drinking. According to a TikTok shared by the nonprofit organization, "Lead from the glaze of bathtubs can leak into the water." It added, "You should never use this water for drinking."

Instead, you’ll want to purchase drinking water before the storm (and before the stampede of people hustling to collect their supplies buy everything out). The American Red Cross recommends storing one gallon of water per person per day, with two quarts reserved for drinking and two for food preparation and cleanliness. It also advises having a three-day supply of water for each person in your home.