Are you saying there is no bottled water in any of the adjacent states?
If there are reasonable opportunities to make money, entrepreneurs will fill the vacuum. When several show, competition will drive down the price. This is how free markets work, even in the aftermath of a natural disaster.
It has been this way since the dawn of civilization. On the other hand, Marxist central planning and government control stifles the free market.
Doesn’t matter if it’s in the adjacent states, it can’t get INTO the disaster area. Last I heard Red Cross and FEMA had yet to actually get to Staten Island, if they can’t get there then a water truck from Connecticut can’t get there either. And if a water truck from Connecticut can get there, then the supply flow is open and there’s no market for jacked up prices.
It’s a simple either or. If supplies can get in then demand isn’t outstripping supply and there’s no ability to gouge. If people will buy at gouge prices then demand is outstripping supply because supplies can’t get in.