Hi Everyone,
I live in an apartment complex that has only one main pipeline for the whole property so every time the water has to be shut off for one apartment, it's basically shut off for the entire complex. This might not be so bad except that I think the people who are doing the checking and/or repairs have no idea what they are doing (I was told the last time this happened that they were fixing a pipe and it broke in their hand - not something I would expect would happen to a professional plummer). Also, they frequently lie about how long it will take (they usually shut it off at about 1 p.m., claim it will take only an hour, and then it doesn't come back on until about 5 or 6 p.m., if we're lucky). So about every few weeks I am stuck with half a day without water.

This is an issue for me, since I work from home (so I'm not away from my apartment all day) and, since I'm working hard to eat healthy, I do not eat out and do my own cooking and I also only drink water and not sodas or any other beverage. My biggest panic is that I will be stuck without drinking water for a long period of time. I drink about 8-12 glasses a day. I have 4 16-oz bottles in my fridge but I worry that the water will be shut off for so long that all 4 bottles will be empty and I'll have nothing else to drink.

I know it sounds totally irrational. But any suggestions as to what to do (other than move, which is not an option)? I'm thinking of buying 2 of those jugs of water I see at the supermarket and just keeping them under the sink so that at least I know I have water for emergencies (no place in the fridge to store them). But how long would they keep before the water was no longer drinkable?

Thank you!

Djuna

Water does not go bad, according to the FDA. But the plastic containers can impact that I think. Most places have the shelf life of bottled water around 2 years. So you should be fine keeping some around the house. I buy half liter bottles and keep them stocked in my fridge. I just make sure to recycle the bottles.

But I would complain about the apartment conditions. Water is NOT a sometimes thing. It is a necessity.

I have a well and a pretty sophisticated rain water collection system, so I do not need to worry about going waterless. HOWEVER, I always have and always will keep a supply of "jugged" distilled water from the supermarket for emergencies. I rotate mine out when I use it to make canned pickles, etc. (I don't want discoloration from the minerals in the well water).

Thank you for the responses. I'll be buying some jugs of water and keeping them handy and just exchanging the water in them every so often. I agree that water is not a sometimes thing but a necessity :-D. I wouldn't mind so much if the apartment managers did what they actually promise - that is, if they say the water will be turned off at 1 p.m. and turned back on at 2 p.m., that it actually happens! Often times, they will say it will be turned off at one time but it isn't, which delays the whole thing. Today, for instance, they said it would be shut off at 1 p.m. and then at 2:30 they said it wouldn't be shut off today at all (which means tomorrow or Monday, we get screwed probably). If you're telling all tenants it's going to be shut off at a specific time, don't suddenly forget about it for an hour and a half. And it's not the first time either.

I would complain but I do see their problem. There isn't really much that they can do if there is only one central line for the whole building. It's an older complex (and much cheaper rent than others in this area and it's a good area) and money is tight for me right now so I'm stuck. I try to be positive about it, thinking about it as one of my neighbors getting work they need done in their bathroom or kitchen at the expense of a little discomfort to me. It's not the shut off that annoys me but the attitude of the management.

It's a great complex other than that :-).

Djuna

Fill your bath with water and drink, wash and fill the toilet from that. I also use water from my water heater (not to drink) in a pinch.

That is such a positive and thoughtful way to look at the situation but it is an inconvenience and thankfully it doesn't happen more often to you. And congrats on drinking only water!

But it is good for you to think ahead for when the shut offs do happen. The gallon jugs of water that you buy will be good for months, as others have pointed out. I would reserve those for drinking only. I would also save some suitable empty containers and fill them with water, and cover them, to keep for washing hands, face, and possibly flushing if needed. I have lived through very spare water conditions when our well was going dry and I know how to conserve, and how to appreciate clean potable water!

I would get a large pack of water bottles from Costco and keep those for drinking water. Then on days that the water is shut off keep a bucket of water around for flushing the toilet. Otherwise I don't think it's such a big deal. The real problem is plumbers, they never arrive when they say they do and then they always have to run out and buy whatever materials are needed for that job. It's a pain but if it's only for a few hours at a time it's livable. I would start withholding rent if water shuts off for 24'hrs.