You will be thirsty and dehydrated and need water for cooking and cleaning. The only water sources could be rivers or lakes, which might not be clean, and you might have to travel great distances to reach them. Many people get sick from drinking contaminated water. But what choice do you have?

Often, local people will try to share what little water they have with you. Water and sanitation engineers from the government or aid agencies may arrive to pump and purify water from a nearby river, or dig wells to bring water up to ground level. You might be recruited to help out with this or other work needed in the camp.

In an acute emergency, you could receive just five to ten litres of water per day for all your needs washing, cooking, and cleaning. In Australia, household use has declined to an average 282 litres per person per day.

Source: National Water Commission Australian Water Resource 2005

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