What to do if…
you suddenly have no running water in your home

What to do now

1. Check whether any water is coming in.

   • Try the cold tap closest to where water enters the home, often a kitchen, laundry, basement, or outdoor tap.
   • Try one other cold tap.
   • If only one fixture is affected, the problem may be local to that fixture rather than the whole home.

2. Find out whether neighbors are affected.

   • Ask a neighbor, building desk, property manager, or building chat whether they also have no water or very low pressure.
   • If several homes are affected, treat it as a likely utility or building-wide interruption.

3. Check for a simple shutoff only if it is safe and familiar.

   • If you know where your main water shutoff is, look to see whether it has been turned off.
   • If you are in an apartment or condo, ask building management before touching shared valves.
   • If the valve is stuck, damaged, leaking, or unfamiliar, leave it alone and call maintenance or a plumber.

4. Look for damage that needs faster help.

   • If you see leaking, flooding, wet ceilings, or water coming from walls or floors, contact emergency maintenance or a plumber.
   • If water is near electricity, keep away from that area and contact emergency help or your utility if there is immediate danger.
   • If you can safely stop an active leak with a known shutoff valve, do that first.

5. Contact the right responder.

   • If neighbors are affected, check your water utility’s website, alert page, phone line, or text-alert system, if available, and report no water or low pressure.
   • If only your unit or rented home is affected, contact your landlord, property manager, or emergency maintenance contact and ask what they want you to do next.
   • If you own the home and neighbors have water, contact a licensed plumber.
   • If you use a private well, contact a licensed well or pump service and avoid DIY electrical work on the pump or pressure system.

6. Treat drinking water cautiously until local guidance is clear.

   • Follow instructions from your local water utility and local or state health department.
   • If there is a boil water advisory, use bottled water or bring clear tap water to a rolling boil for 1 minute, or 3 minutes above 6,500 feet, then let it cool.
   • If officials say “do not drink” or “do not use,” boiling may not make the water safe; use bottled water and follow the notice.

7. Cover basic needs while you wait.

   • For drinking, cooking, brushing teeth, making ice, and pets, use bottled water or water you know is safe.
   • If there is no running water for handwashing, use hand sanitizer when hands are not visibly dirty.
   • Many toilets can be flushed by carefully pouring non-drinking water into the bowl; stop if the toilet backs up or starts to overflow.
   • Write down when the water stopped, who you contacted, and any utility or landlord messages. Take photos if there is visible damage.

8. Use stored water calmly.

   • Prioritize drinking, essential food preparation, medicines, infant feeding, pets, and basic hygiene.
   • As a planning benchmark, CDC recommends storing at least 1 gallon of water per person per day for 3 days, with more for pets, people who are sick, pregnant people, and hot weather.