MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. (7News) — WSSC Water told 7News Thursday that a power outage two weeks ago likely left some residents just hours away from seeing their taps run dry.

At a press conference, the utility urged residents to be ready in case water does run dry in a future emergency.

“Our recommendation is simple,” said Kishia Powell, CEO of WSSC Water. “Store one gallon of water per person per day for at least three days.”

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WSSC Water said storing three gallons per person should provide residents with enough water to take care of things like brushing teeth, flushing toilets, and just drinking the water for three days.

They said it’s good to be prepared not just for a catastrophe like the one that nearly happened two weeks ago, but also for things as simple as water main breaks that sometimes cause a temporary loss of water for homes and businesses.

Officials from the state of Maryland as well as Montgomery and Prince George’s counties joined WSSC Water for Thursday’s press conference, which happened on an annual, nationwide day called “Imagine a Day Without Water.”

The press conference was held in a parking lot across the street from WSSC Water’s headquarters building in Laurel.

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WSSC Water officials said during the conference, that on Sept. 29 multiple major electrical issues caused the utility’s Potomac Water Filtration Plant to lose power, leaving WSSC Water unable to pump water towards storage tanks and homes.

A spokesperson said crews found a workaround just in time, with some areas only hours away from running dry.

The plant is now back to normal, but WSSC Water says it needs expensive electrical upgrades.

About a month before the September 29 incident, an assessment found that 10 projects are needed to upgrade the electrical system at the Potomac Water Filtration Plant. The projects are estimated to cost $150 million, including $130 million for three top priorities.

WSSC Water says it is trying to get federal or state tax money to fund the upgrades because it does not want to pass the cost along to its 1.9 million customers in Montgomery and Prince George’s counties.

The utility said the percentage of water infrastructure spending taken care of by the federal government has fallen dramatically over the last 50 years, even as utilities have faced rising costs.