Prepare your emergency kits now; above average hurricane activity projected for 2022 season

International Bottled Water Association | News Release | May 27, 2022

Editor’s Note: Hurricane season begins June 1, 2022

Prepare your emergency kits now; above average hurricane activity projected for 2022 season

a bottle of items on a table Alexandria, VA – For the seventh consecutive year, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has predicted above average hurricane activity this season. The 2022 hurricane season begins on June 1, and the International Bottled Water Association is advising those who live in hurricane-prone areas to prepare now in advance of storm activity.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) recommends people “buy commercially bottled water and store it in the sealed original container in a cool, dark place” as part of their emergency preparations.” Bottled water is the safest and most reliable form of drinking water following weather events, such as hurricanes, that could disrupt municipal water sources and lead to contaminated tap water. FEMA advises that people should stock at least 1 gallon of water per person, per day for several days, for drinking and sanitation.

“Keeping safe, reliable drinking water around all year is important, but it’s especially critical to have it on hand before emergency events,” says IBWA Vice President of Communications Jill Culora. “You can save a lot of time and potential worry by just taking a few minutes to check your emergency kits to ensure you have enough of each item to last several days following a major storm or emergency. It’s best to do this when there’s no immediate storm or emergency threat.”

“Because tap water systems can become compromised during and following hurricanes, due to power outages, pipe breaches, and other causes, having bottled water on hand is a necessity for you to meet any hydration and sanitation needs.”

To help prepare in advance of any disasters, FEMA has a checklist of items (such as a first aid kit, flashlight and battery or hand crank radio) that should be in any basic emergency kit. FEMA’s check list  can be found at bit.ly/FEMA_EmergencySupplyList.

“The bottled water industry has a proven record of being ready to help when disastrous events occur, and bottled water companies donate millions of gallons of their products every year to help ensure a reliable source of drinking water is available for the public during and after emergencies such as hurricanes.”

“The bottled water industry is there when people need it most, but it’s important to understand the industry can only help during these situations when the market is strong and viable throughout the year,” says Culora.

NOAA’s outlook for the 2022 Atlantic hurricane season predicts a range of 14 to 21 named storms, of which 6 to 10 could become hurricanes. Of those, 3 to 6 are estimated to become major hurricanes (Category 3, 4, or 5, with winds of 111 mph or higher).

You can learn more about the critical role of bottled water during emergencies and other natural disasters in this video: “Bottled Water: Always There When You Need It.”

For more information about bottled water, visit www.bottledwater.org.

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Media Contact:
Jill Culora
jculora@bottledwater.org
703.647.4609

The International Bottled Water Association (IBWA) is the authoritative source of information about all types of bottled waters, including spring, mineral, purified, artesian, and sparkling. Founded in 1958, IBWA’s membership includes U.S. and international bottlers, distributors and suppliers. IBWA is committed to working with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which regulates bottled water as a packaged food product, to set comprehensive and stringent standards for safe, high-quality bottled water products.

In addition to FDA regulations, IBWA member bottlers must adhere to the IBWA Bottled Water Code of Practice, which mandates additional standards and practices that in some cases are more stringent than federal and state regulations. A key feature of the IBWA Bottled Water Code of Practice is a mandatory annual plant inspection by an independent, third-party organization.