Preparing for a drought means securing your water supply, reducing the water you use, and protecting your property from the damage that prolonged dry conditions can cause. Whether you’re in a region that regularly faces water restrictions or you’re watching forecasts with concern for the first time, most preparation comes down to a handful of practical steps you can start today.
Build a Water Reserve
The CDC recommends storing at least one gallon of water per person per day. A three-day supply is the minimum, but a two-week supply is a smarter target if you have space. That means a family of four needs roughly 56 gallons just for drinking and basic sanitation over two weeks. If you have pets, are pregnant, live in a hot climate, or have anyone in the household who is sick, plan for more.
Store water in food-grade plastic containers with tight-fitting lids. Commercially bottled water is the most reliable option since it comes sealed and dated. If you fill containers from the tap, rotate them every six months. Keep them in a cool, dark place away from direct sunlight and chemical storage. Airtight plastic bins or duffel bags work well for organizing your overall emergency kit, which should also include non-perishable food, a manual can opener, a battery-powered or hand-crank radio, a first aid kit, flashlights, extra batteries, prescription medications, and important family documents in a waterproof container.
Know How to Purify Water in an Emergency
If your stored supply runs low or your tap water becomes unsafe, you need a backup plan. Boiling is the most effective method for killing bacteria, viruses, and parasites. Bring water to a rolling boil for at least one minute. At altitudes above 5,000 feet, boil for three minutes.
If you can’t boil, household bleach works. Use regular, unscented bleach with 6% or 8.25% sodium hypochlorite listed on the label. Add the recommended drops based on the volume you’re treating, stir, and let it sit for 30 minutes. The water should have a faint chlorine smell afterward. If it doesn’t, repeat the process and wait another 15 minutes. Double the amount of bleach for cloudy or very cold water. Iodine is another option: five drops of 2% tincture per quart, or ten drops if the water is cloudy, followed by at least 30 minutes of waiting.
One important limitation: none of these methods remove heavy metals, salts, or chemical contaminants. They only address biological threats. If you suspect chemical contamination, you’ll need a filtration system rated for those specific pollutants.
Cut Your Indoor Water Use
The average household wastes a surprising amount of water through everyday habits and outdated fixtures. Swapping to WaterSense-labeled bathroom faucets, for example, reduces flow from the standard 2.2 gallons per minute to a maximum of 1.5, a 30% reduction with no noticeable difference in performance. Low-flow showerheads and dual-flush toilets offer similar savings throughout the house.
Beyond fixtures, simple behavior changes add up fast. Run dishwashers and washing machines only with full loads. Keep showers under five minutes. Turn off the tap while brushing your teeth or scrubbing dishes. Fix leaky faucets and running toilets immediately, since even a slow drip can waste thousands of gallons over the course of a year. If your area imposes watering restrictions during drought, these indoor savings give you a cushion.
Rethink Your Landscaping
Outdoor irrigation is where most residential water goes during warm months, and it’s the first thing to address. Xeriscaping, a set of landscaping techniques built around drought-tolerant plants, can reduce outdoor water use by 30 to 50% or more. The approach doesn’t mean replacing your yard with gravel. It means choosing native and drought-adapted plants that thrive in your local climate without heavy watering, grouping plants with similar water needs together, and using efficient drip irrigation instead of sprinklers.
Mulch is one of the simplest and most effective tools in a drought-ready yard. A two- to four-inch layer around trees, shrubs, and garden beds slows evaporation, keeps soil cooler, and reduces weed growth. Limiting turfgrass, especially in areas where nobody walks or plays, eliminates one of the thirstiest elements of a typical landscape. If you keep some lawn, let it grow slightly taller during dry spells. Taller grass shades its own roots and retains moisture longer.
Rainwater and Greywater
Collecting rainwater from your roof into barrels gives you a supplemental supply for garden irrigation. However, rainwater harvesting laws vary by state. Colorado, for instance, restricted residential collection for over a century before loosening rules in 2009 to allow limited individual harvesting, and at least 18 other states have set their own limits on volume or usage. Check your state’s regulations before installing a collection system.
Greywater, the lightly used water from sinks, showers, and washing machines, can also be redirected to irrigate non-edible plants in many jurisdictions. Avoid using water that has come into contact with diapers, raw meat, or harsh chemicals. Local codes vary widely on what’s allowed, so check your municipality’s guidelines before setting up a greywater system.
Protect Your Home’s Foundation
This is one of the most overlooked consequences of drought. As soil dries out, it shrinks and pulls away from your foundation, allowing the structure to shift and crack. The damage can be expensive to repair and may not be obvious until it’s advanced. Look for new cracks in walls, sticking doors and windows, and visible gaps between the soil and your foundation.
The fix is counterintuitive during a drought: water the soil around your foundation. Use a soaker hose placed about 12 to 18 inches from the foundation wall, and aim to keep the soil moist to a depth of at least six inches. Water at dawn or dusk to minimize evaporation, and plan on at least two sessions per week during hot, dry stretches. The goal isn’t to soak the ground but to maintain consistent moisture levels so the soil doesn’t contract and expand dramatically with each cycle of rain and heat.
Reduce Your Wildfire Risk
Drought and wildfire go hand in hand. Dry vegetation ignites easily, and during extended drought, wildfire risk can climb even in areas that don’t normally face it. Particulate matter from wildfires and dust storms can worsen chronic respiratory conditions and increase the risk of bronchitis and pneumonia, so preparation serves both your property and your health.
Create defensible space around your home by clearing dry vegetation, dead leaves, and debris within at least 30 feet of any structure. On sloped terrain, extend that buffer to 100 feet downhill. Beyond that immediate zone, thin trees so their canopy tops remain at least 10 feet apart and remove branches within 8 feet of the ground. This spacing prevents fire from jumping between tree crowns and reaching your home. Keep gutters clear of dry leaves, store firewood away from the house, and make sure you have a working fire extinguisher accessible inside.
For air quality during smoke events or dust storms, keep a supply of dust masks or N95 respirators on hand. Close windows and run air conditioning on recirculate if smoke moves into your area.
Prepare for Water Restrictions
Most municipalities impose staged water restrictions as drought worsens, starting with voluntary conservation and escalating to mandatory limits on outdoor watering, car washing, and pool filling. Understanding your local water authority’s drought stages before they’re activated helps you plan ahead rather than scramble.
Sign up for alerts from your water utility and local emergency management agency. Know where your main water shutoff valve is and how to operate it. If you rely on a private well, drought can lower the water table enough to reduce your flow or dry up your well entirely. Have your well’s depth and output tested during normal conditions so you have a baseline. If levels drop, a well professional can advise on deepening or adjusting the pump before you lose supply completely.
Stock your emergency kit with supplies that reduce water dependence: moist towelettes and hand sanitizer for hygiene, paper plates and plastic utensils to avoid dishwashing, and garbage bags with ties for waste management when water is scarce. Keep your kit in an easy-to-grab container, replace expired items regularly, and revisit your household’s needs at least once a year.