Emergency Sanitation Previous Page Home Page
Emergency Sanitation - General
After a major disaster, if water and sewage lines have been disrupted, you may need to improvise emergency sanitation facilities.
Supplies
Always have basic sanitation supplies on hand
- Medium-sized plastic bucket with tight lid.
- Household clorine bleach.
- Toilet paper.
- Plastic garbage bags (heavy duty) and ties.
- Soap
- Liquid detergent.
- Towlettes.
Sanitation
Build a make-shift toilet
- If sewage lines are broken but the toilet bowl is usable, place a garbage bag inside the bowl.
- If the toilet is completely backed up, make your own. Line a medium-sized bucket with a garbage bag. Make a toilet seat out of two boards placed parallel to each other across a bucket. An old toilet seat will also work.
Sanitize waste
- After each use, pour a disinfectant, such as bleach, into the container. This will help avoid infection and stop the spread of disease.
- Cover the container tightly when not in use.
Waste Disposal
- Bury garbage and human waste to avod the spread of disease by rats and insects by digging a pit two to three feet deep and at least 50 feet downhill or away from any well, spring, or water supply.
- If garbage cannot be buried immediately, strain any liquids into the emergency toilet.
- Wrap the residue in several layers of newspaper and store it in a large can with a tight-fitting lid.
- Place the can outside until it can be buried.
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