I’VE WRITTEN REPEATEDLY on the importance of disaster-preparedness. Boston’s water problems are just another example of why it matters. You should keep at least a few gallons of water stored against emergencies. Also, remember that hot-water heaters and toilet tanks store many gallons and can be accessed in a pinch. But it’s not a bad idea to have some bottled water handy to avoid that. Also, a high-quality filter might be nice.

UPDATE: Here’s a post on water filters and other sources of emergency water.