Water shut-off 
“I never drink water; that is the stuff that rusts pipes.”
—W.C. Fields

It doesn't happen very often but in condo apartment buildings, the water supply can be shutdown for maintenance leaving you without running water for anywhere from a couple of hours to a day or more.

Usually the water is turned off for regular minor maintenance but, at times, it can happen when the building is replacing water pipes or when a water line unexpectedly burst.


When you live on the 22nd floor and you get up in the morning, it is no joke to turn on the tap and have no water. That is when you realize just how important water is to daily life.

Notice
Normally you will receive one or more days notice that the water will be turned off and this notice will state the estimated times you will be without water.

So use this heads-up to do some planning. Fill your kettle and a couple of clean covered containers in the kitchen. This will give you water for your morning tea or coffee. Some people may prefer to stock up on bottled water.

After you have your shower, partially fill your bathtub with water. This will give you water to flush the toilet and water your plants.

Persistent water problems
A few older condos have ongoing problems with their water pressure. Over a period of time, they can go a day or more with no water at all. Then it gets fixed and a few days or weeks later, the problem is back.


In these rare cases, you can do what condo owners do in Asian countries where they are use to having unreliable water pressure; buy a plastic pail, put it in your bathroom and keep it filled with water.

Hopefully this would be a short-term solution to a short-term problem. However, if you need to keep a supply of water on hand, empty and refill the pail monthly, so the water does not get stagnant.

Pick a size that meets your estimated needs and will fit reasonably well in your bathroom. Of course, you will want to pick a colour that will fit in with your bath accessories.

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