Emergency Water Containers – They’re the Christmas Gifts the Whole Family Will Love

They’re big, sturdy and yellow – and they’re the perfect gift for Wellingtonians this Christmas.


They're 15-litre emergency water containers – perfect for storing enough water to keep one person going for five days after a big earthquake or some other devastating incident.

Wellington City Council's Emergency Management Office is to stage a special sale of the containers – at $10 a pop - in Manners Mall on Monday 10 December between 11am and 1pm.

Adrian Glen, Manager of the Emergency Management Office, admits the water containers might not be most romantic present with which to surprise a loved one on Christmas Day.

"But there's no denying these containers – if they're kept filled with water - will be far more use in a disaster than a diamond ring or a flat-screen TV."

The yellow plastic containers come with a prominent civil defence sticker, an emergency survival items checklist, and water storage instructions.

Adrian says many Wellingtonians know they must be prepared for a disaster, but they don't have a store of water.

"Overall, many New Zealand families are much better prepared with food and other emergency supplies than we are with water. You need 3 litres of water per person per day and enough for three days. That's 9 litres each. You'll need more water for washing and cooking.

"Ideally, every family should have at least one of these 15-litre containers for every family member. They should be filled, and be stored in a secure, dark, space in the house."

Adrian says the noticeable recent spate of earthquakes around the country should serve as a reminder to Wellingtonians that they have to be prepared for an emergency. The storage of water is top of that preparedness list. "It's funny how we really, really take water for granted. People should just stop to think about how hard it'll be to get hold of a supply of safe drinking water if a big earthquake hits Wellington."