And there are ways to mitigate the risk for frozen pipes. The water can be shut off and the pipes drained. Old timers would do that and then poor some alcohol(some plumbers recommend using non toxic antifreeze) down the drains and into toilets. Some would use sterno to help keep pipes warm. In 2018 a friend got through a power outage by using a solar powered generator and some heating tape to prevent pipes from freezing. . And he also used a set of portable solar panels to help keep other devices charged. He used a few large coolers to preserve much of the food his family had on hand.