Getting by in a power or water outage: bag cooking, toilets, carrying water and keeping warm

The short answer

When a power or water outage drags on, problems with meals, toilets, water and cold pile up. A lot can be covered with plastic bags, cling film, newspaper and cardboard you already have at home, and trying each method once means you will not hesitate when you need it.

Two things are worth learning first: when the water is off, do not flush the toilet but catch waste in a bag, and never let a gas canister get hot.

Eating without using water

Japan's Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) describes "pack cooking": putting food in a plastic bag and heating it in a pot of hot water. The water stays clean so it can be reused, and if you serve straight from the bag, your dishes stay clean too. MAFF's guide says to use high-density polyethylene bags labelled as safe for hot-water cooking, keep each bag to one or two servings, and lay a heat-resistant plate or cloth in the pot so the bag does not tear.

In the Tokyo Metropolitan Government's rice example, you put 1 go (one rice cup) of rice and 200 to 220 ml of water in a bag and let it soak, then twist the bag to push the air out and tie it near the top. Heat it in boiling water for 20 minutes, turn off the heat and leave it for 10 minutes to steam.

Covering plates with cling film means you do not have to wash them. A plastic bag can also be worn over your hand as a glove or used as a mixing bowl.

Keep gas canisters cool

The National Institute of Technology and Evaluation (NITE) and the Consumer Affairs Agency warn against placing two or more portable gas stoves side by side or using an oversized pot or pan. Heat gets trapped, the canister overheats and it may burst. Fit the canister the right way round as the manual shows, and if you hear hissing or smell gas, take it out and stop using the stove.

After use, remove the canister and store it somewhere cool, below 40°C. Even if the gas flow weakens, never warm the canister. MAFF gives a guide to their usable life: about 7 years for canisters and about 10 years for stoves.

Toilets when the water is off

When the water supply stops, flush toilets cannot be used. Tokyo points out that even if water comes out, in an apartment building a broken drainpipe can send sewage back up and overflow from the toilets on the floors below. Use a portable or simple toilet that fits over the bowl and solidifies the waste.

[A plastic-bag toilet (Tokyo guidance)]
1. Lift the seat and cover the bowl with a rubbish bag
2. Lower the seat and put another bag over it
3. Add finely torn newspaper or similar
4. Tie the bag after use and follow your municipality's disposal rules

Pet pads or disposable nappies can replace the newspaper. Tokyo's "Tokyo Bousai" handbook also shows how to flush with a bucket of water when drainage is working. Even then, do not flush toilet paper; put it out with the rubbish.

Securing and carrying water

The Prime Minister's Office recommends keeping water for toilets and washing separate from drinking water, either stored in plastic tanks or by keeping the bath filled.

At water supply points, you bring your own containers. Tokyo's Bureau of Waterworks notes that 3 litres weighs 3 kg, so a water bag you can carry on your back, or plastic bottles in a backpack, is handy. Without a water tank, line a cardboard box with a plastic bag and reinforce the bottom and sides with cloth tape to make a container. When carrying water up stairs, you can also line a backpack with a large plastic bag and fill it.

Keeping warm with everyday items

Tokyo's "if something happens" manual suggests putting newspaper between layers of clothing as insulation or using it in place of a blanket. Wrapping folded newspaper around your stomach and covering it with cling film helps keep you warm. If you sleep on the floor, layering cardboard on a sheet keeps the cold from coming up.

Precautions for heaters that burn fuel are covered in our article on winter power cuts.