All over the Bay area, there are long lines and empty shelves. I was at a grocery store last night and there was no water to be found. My husband went to Costco after work yesterday, and it was the same story.
I don't know why people forget that water also comes out of their faucets (gasp!), but bottled water is not your only option in a storm! Depending on the source of water in your neighborhood, sanitation systems may not work in the event of a power outage, but there are things you can do that don't involve buying bottled water.
First of all, in the event of a power outage, water will still come out of your tap (unless you are on well water; in that case, the lack of electricity to the water pump would mean you wouldn't have tap water--sorry!).
Secondly, before the storm hits, fill every available container from your sink or tub. You can fill clean garbage cans, coolers, pots, buckets, your bathtub...anything that will hold a decent amount of water. Even if you don't drink this water, you can use it for cleaning/bathing and cooking (boiling the water will kill any bacteria living in it). If you have a grill (be sure to fill your propane tanks or buy charcoal!) you can boil water over the fire if you don't have electricity.
Another smart thing to do is buy a faucet-mount water filter, like a Brita or Pur filter, so you can drink water directly out of the tap.
There are also water purification kits available anywhere you can buy camping supplies (sporting goods stores, are the best place for this...Dick's, Bass Pro, and some hardware stores might even carry them).
For more hurricane preparedness tips, CLICK HERE.
Be safe out there!