Water and Sanitation Safety: Essential Tips for Families During Crisis

In times of conflict, survival often boils down to the basics—clean water, safe sanitation, and staying calm amid chaos. With the rising tension from the latest India-Pakistan conflict, and families in border regions bracing for uncertainty, it's a sobering reminder of how quickly daily comforts can vanish. When headlines scream of shelling and mock drills become real preparations, you need to know how to keep your family healthy—especially your children—when the taps run dry or the sewage systems fail.

Whether it’s due to war, natural disasters, or displacement, here’s how to make sure your family’s most basic needs don’t get lost in the crisis.

In emergencies, the usual safety nets—running tap water, sewage systems, and waste disposal—can collapse. Diseases like cholera, dysentery, and diarrhea spread rapidly when clean water is scarce and sanitation is compromised. Children, especially under the age of five, are the most vulnerable.

According to the World Health Organization, unsafe water and poor sanitation are responsible for nearly 10 percent of global disease burden, particularly in crisis-affected regions. But families can take proactive steps to protect themselves.

If you live in a disaster-prone area, pre-crisis preparation is critical.

In case of short notice, fill bathtubs, pots, and buckets before a storm hits. That extra supply might be what gets you through a long power outage.

Sometimes, you’ll need to make dirty or questionable water drinkable. And no, boiling isn’t your only option (though it’s a good one!).

Label purified water containers clearly so children don’t accidentally drink untreated water.

If you lose access to your toilet or sewage system, you need a backup.

Teaching kids to keep their hands clean—even when it feels impossible—is one of the best defenses you have.

Crisis doesn’t mean cleanliness has to disappear. In fact, hygiene becomes even more important.

In a crisis, everyone has a role to play—including children. Make hygiene education a family priority.

Build a family sanitation kit and keep it in your emergency supply box.

Include:

In the eye of a crisis, your family’s safety hinges on the smallest of habits—washing hands, treating water, and storing supplies. These aren’t extras. They’re survival.

While it’s easy to focus on big-picture problems, don’t underestimate the power of clean water and basic hygiene.