Public drinking water points: building a neighbourhood list

In a hot, dry season, knowing where to find drinking water near home, markets and bus stops matters, especially for outdoor workers, street vendors and travellers.

What the guidelines say. The National Disaster Management Authority's guidelines for heat action plans ask local bodies to identify vulnerable places and provide drinking water points at those places and at worksites, and to construct shelters and sheds and enable access to parks, water bodies and other cool places. For employers, NDMA's advice is to provide cool drinking water near the workplace.

Make a simple list. Walk your area with neighbours and note each public tap, water point or drinking-water stand and when it works. Mark the ones near bus stops, markets and worksites, where people need water most during the day. Recheck every week, because supply can change in a dry season, and report leaks or wastage to the water board so water is not lost.

Keep it safe. If you are not sure water is safe to drink, the National Centre for Disease Control advises bringing it to a rolling boil for one full minute, or disinfecting clear water with household bleach as directed. Store drinking water covered.

Share your list in the Soshyal El Niño help room so others nearby can use it.

Join the El Niño help room on soshyal.com to ask questions and share what you see in your area.