Tip of the day - what to do when there’s no water

Tip of the Day: What to Do When There’s No Water but You’ve Got Business to Take Care Of

We’ve all been there—life happens, and sometimes, so does a water outage. Maybe there’s a water main break, or maybe it’s just one of those days. Either way, you go to turn on the faucet, and nothing comes out. Worst of all, you’ve only have one flush until… no more water.

What now? You don’t have any jugs of water anywhere. 

Don’t Panic—You’ve Got Options

Here’s how to handle it like a pro:

🔷 Finish Your Business

First things first, don’t stress, if you weren’t done finish your business.

🔷Grab a Bucket or Small Trashcan

You’ll need a container to carry some water.

🔷 Go to Your Hot Water Tank

Even if the water’s off, your hot water tank still holds water inside. Here’s how to access it:

👀 Locate the drain valve near the bottom of the tank.

☑️Place your bucket or container underneath.

☑️Open the valve slowly to let water out. You may need a flathead or channel locks for this.

This water can be used to manually refill your toilet tank, so you can flush as normal. Crisis averted!

I wouldn’t personally recommend cooking with this water especially if your tank is old and you don’t regularly flush the sediment out. That will be a topic of another one.

When the Water Comes Back On

Once your water is restored, you might notice a new problem: low water pressure in your faucets or showerhead. This happens because sediment and debris in the pipes get stirred up when the water stops and starts again.

Here’s how to fix it

☑️ For a Faucet: Unscrew the aerator at the tip of the faucet, clean the screen, and reattach it.

☑️For a Showerhead: Remove the showerhead, clean the filter screen (usually at the connection point), and put it back.

This should restore your pressure and get everything working like normal again.

Pro Tip

Water outages are always a possibility, it’s smart to keep a couple of gallons of water, per person, stored for emergencies. Whether it’s for flushing, washing hands, or cooking, having backup water can make all the difference.

Why This Matters

Dealing with a water outage isn’t fun, especially when nature calls. But knowing these quick tricks-like how to use your hot water tank or clean your fixtures—can save you from unnecessary stress.

I’ve personally have dealt with outages, lately, once a year the water is off because they had replace a section of the water main in front of my house, before long it will all be newish. More tips to come.

If you have a tip or a trick comment below.