Can't find bottled water? What you need to know if the power goes out

Local communities want residents to know that their water supplies should keep flowing even if the power goes out during Hurricane Florence.

According to officials, the City of Raleigh is equipped with generators capable of maintaining water operations during extended power outages.

A back-up system allows water to flow from many locations, so water outages, even in major storm events, are rare and often localized," the city said in a press release.

Toilets will also continue to function normally and do not require electric power to operate.

Orange County's water agency says tap water will remain safe if there's no power, and the City of Durham said the same.

The Durham Fire Department reminded people on Facebook that all the city's water facilities have back-up power supplies.

However, private or community wells could be impacted by a power outage, so having extra drinking water on hand is a good idea.

Can't find bottled water at stores and want more on hand? Storm experts recommend you clean and fill reusable cups, bottles, milk jugs and pitchers with water before the storm.

If you are concerned that you will lose power, you can clean the bathtub well and fill it with water to use for washing dishes, flushing the toilet, bathing or for pets.

Fullsteam Brewery in Durham has promised to provide filtered water before, during and after the storm hits as long as its employees are able to work. All people need to do is bring their own containers, and an employee will fill it up.

Tips for conserving water

The City of Raleigh recommends people avoid running dishwashers and clothes washers, limit the amount of water used for showering and limit the amount of toilet flushing during a storm. As a precaution, customers should storing 1 to 2 gallons of tap water per person per day.