Thought I’d chime in today with a real life survival situation. Now granted its not the TEOTWAWKI (the end of the world as we know it) scenario but after some renovations to our small town water tower someone buggered up the UV so were under a Boil Water Advisory for the next 48 hrs. Below I will include the usual precautions to be taken during a “Boil Water Advisory“.This situation though did give me a small glimpse into a potential SHTF scenario and people’s reaction albeit on a reduced scale.
Luckily we always have back up water as part of our survival plan however never the amount I feel comfortable with so it was off to the grocery store in our small town to pick up a few cases of some more just in case.
Now the town I live in is a small rural area town with only two grocery stores, but today gave me a SHTF (shit hits the fan) scenario. Mrs. Von Scarry (aka Ginger Momma) found out about the advisory through work at about 6 AM as they use allot of water where she works. So at 0700, I was tasked with getting some more bottled water just in case.
The first grocery store is open 24hrs and probably already got the word. Going in there I found 12 packs of bottled water at about 5 bucks each. Highway robbery! On top of that there was maybe a few cases left.
Rolled over to the other grocery on the far side of town and it didn’t open till 0800. Went to gas up on the way and wouldn’t you know it the gas price had jumped from the night before,guess the gas station got the memo! Luckily had lots anyway so decided to get some in the city tomorrow when I go to work.
Arrived at the grocery and got a cart and waited by the doors. Within 5 minutes there was about 10 people waiting behind me. Ive learned to read people and you could see some concern in the peoples faces , a definite sense of urgency but not yet panic. Interesting that nobody waiting for the doors to open, in the little bit of pleasantries exchanged, discussed the BWA. The clerk coming to the door seemed surprised (guess they hadn’t gotten the memo yet,lol) with the growing amount of people waiting for the doors to open. Soon as the doors opened it was off to the bottled water area and started piling up the cart (for a buck a case).
One of the clerks was talking with another clerk and had just found out about the advisory. While I was filling up the cart I saw a few other clerks grabbing some cases off the palate and taking them into the back for which I could only guess was for themselves. Some other clerks started commenting on how busy it was getting. The panic buying had started. So after paying for what I had, I strolled out to the parking lot that was pretty much a ghost town when I got there to it looking like a mini Black Friday special at this time. 
On the return home, one of the neighbors was out telling folks in the neighborhood about the BWA and I had a quick chat with some of them. So good to see the neighborhood pulling together. I had already texted some of them from the grocery store.The town had a worker going house to house about 15 minutes ago at the time of this writing 1020 AM.
So some cheap lessons learned for a SHTF scenario.
1/ Food and Water (medicine or anything else at the grocery store) will be gone quickly.
2/ If you have to get anything make sure you get it first (really you should already have it)
3/ the Early Bird gets the worm, everyone else gets nothing
4/ Information is critical
5/ Know your neighbors (especially for you city folks!)
6/ The more prepared you are the less panicked you’ll be if something goes wrong.
7/ Keep your car gassed up- at least half a tank at all times
8/ Government will probably not warn you in time
Now for folks wondering what to do during a BWA here is a good guideline- EvS
BWA Questions and Answers
What is a Boil Water Advisory?
A Boil Water Advisory is issued when there is a concern that drinking water could negatively affect your health.
Boil your water at a rolling boil for at least one minute. Use boiled or bottled water to:
• Drink
• Gargle, brush your teeth or rinse dentures
• Feed to pets
• Wash fruits, vegetables and other food
• Prepare food
• Make ice, juices, pudding and other mixes
• Make baby food or formula.
How long will the Boil Water Advisory last?
The Boil Water Advisory will be in effect until two sets of satisfactory water samples have been taken 24-48 hours apart. You will be notified when it is safe to use the water again.
Can I bathe and shower with tap water?
When bathing or showering, it’s important not to swallow any water. For this reason:
• Adults, teens and older children can use tap water for baths and showers.
• Wash small children with a sponge or cloth instead of tub baths or showers.
Can I wash my hands with tap water?
Yes, you can wash your hands as you normally do: under warm running water with soap.
I have a water filtration device installed. Does this make the water safe for drinking or cooking?
No. Filtered water should also be brought to a rolling boil for one minute before drinking or using it for cooking. Consider replacing your filters.
What about my laundry?
Under a Boil Water Advisory, tap water may be used for doing laundry.
How do I wash my dishes?
Use boiled or bottled water to hand wash dishes in the sink. If you have a dishwasher, the Health Unit recommends that if your dishwasher has a “High Temperature” cycle, then it is safe to use. If your dishwasher does not have a High Temperature cycle, after finishing the cycle, soak dishes for one minute in a solution of 30 ml (1 ounce) of bleach mixed with 13.5 litres (3 gallons) of lukewarm water. Let dishes air dry.
What should I do after the Boil Water Advisory is lifted?
Run cold water faucets for 1 minute before using the water. Flush all garden hoses by running cold water through them for 1 minute. Run water softeners through a regeneration cycle. Drain and refill hot water heaters set below 45ºC/113 F (normal setting is 60 ºC/140 F).