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Water is a basic necessity and must be available during emergencies.

Hauling water should only be considered a temporary solution to a water shortage problem. When trucking water, there are important considerations for protection of public health. Water transported following these guidelines should be potable water that is safe for human use and consumption and protects the public from water-borne illness.

Drinking water regulation recommends that someone with water treatment expertise be responsible for the operation and management of trucked potable water for use in public water supply emergencies. Usually this expertise is found in municipal water utilities, or in companies in the business of transporting liquid foods.

A public water system that plans to use trucked water in response to an emergency shall first contact the appropriate regional office of the Drinking water regulation. Water regulation department will only approve of such plans under a Water regulation department authorized Emergency Declaration.

The emergency supply of water must be safe and properly handled or additional problems will result. For example, a tank truck used to haul water from a stream or river to put out a fire and then used to haul drinking water without first being cleaned and disinfected could very well be the instrument causing an outbreak of such waterborne diseases as typhoid fever, gastrointestinal illness or infectious hepatitis. Therefore, it is essential that water for emergencies is obtained from a safe source, and that the tank trucks used to transport the water be carefully selected, cleaned and disinfected.