Store Water Long Term

A natural disaster or other emergency could cut off water access for weeks. Storing your own supply addresses your most important need in this situation. Although water does not "go bad" in the same way that food does, it can breed harmful bacteria if you do not purify it or store it in safe conditions. The other risk is chemical contamination, either from certain types of plastic containers, or from chemical vapors that pass through the walls of the water containers.

Steps

Preparing Sanitary Containers

  1. Decide how much water to store. The average person needs 1 gallon (4 liters) of water each day, half for drinking and half for food preparation and hygiene. Increase this number to 1.5 gallons (5.5 L) per person or more for children, nursing mothers, and sick people, and for anyone in a hot or high-altitude climate. Based on these numbers, try to store a two week supply for your household.[1] In case of an emergency evacuation, store a three day supply in easily transportable containers.[2]
    • For example, two healthy adults and one child need (1 gallon / adult) x (2 adults) + (1.5 gal / child) x (1 child) = 3.5 gallons (13 L) per day.
      A two week supply of water for this household is (3.5 gallons / day) x (14 days) = 49 gallons (185 L).
      A three day supply would be (3.5 gal/day) x (3 days) = 10.5 gallons (40 L).
  2. Consider bottled water. In areas that regulate bottled water, including the U.S. and E.U., sealed bottles of water are already sanitary and will stay good indefinitely. If you go this route, you can skip straight to storage.[3]
    • Check the label for certification by the IBWA (International Bottled Water Association), NSF (National Sanitation Foundation), or UL (Underwriters Laboratories). These demonstrate the product has met safety and quality standards.[4] This is more important in countries that do not regulate bottled water.
  3. Select food grade containers. Plastic food or beverage containers marked "HDPE" or with a #2 recycling symbol are excellent options.[5] Plastics #4 (LDPE) and #5 (PP) are also safe, as is stainless steel.[6] Never reuse a container that held anything besides food and drink, and only use brand-new empty containers if they are marked "food grade," "food safe," or with a knife and fork symbol.
    • Milk and fruit juice leave residue that is difficult to remove and encourages bacterial growth. Do not reuse containers that held these drinks.[7]
    • Glass jars are a last resort, since they can easily break in a disaster.
    • Traditional unglazed pottery jars can help keep the water cool in warm climates. Use one with a narrow mouth, lid, and tap if possible to encourage sanitary handling.[8]
  4. Clean the containers thoroughly. Wash them with soap and hot water, then rinse. If a container previously held food or drink, disinfect it with one of the following methods:
    • Fill with water and mix in 1 tsp (5 mL) liquid household bleach for every quart (liter) of water. Swish to touch all surfaces, then rinse well.[2]
    • For stainless steel or heat-safe glass, submerge in boiling water for 10 minutes, plus 1 minute for each 1,000 ft (300 m) of altitude above the first.[9] This is the best method for steel, since chlorine bleach can corrode the metal.[10]
  5. Disinfect water from unsafe sources. If your tap water is not safe to drink or if you get your water from a well, disinfect it right before storage. The best way to do this is to bring the water to a rolling boil for one minute, or three minutes at elevations above 5,000 ft (1,000 m).[11]
    • If you cannot boil the water, or do not want to lose water by boiling it, bleach is the next best option:[12]
    • Mix in ½ tsp (2.5 mL) of unscented, additive-free bleach for every 5 gallons (19 L) of water. Double the amount of bleach if the water is cloudy or discolored.
    • Let the water sit for half an hour.
    • If you cannot smell a faint chlorine scent, repeat treatment and let sit another 15 minutes.
  6. Filter out contaminants. Boiling or chlorine will kill microorganisms, but they will not remove lead or heavy metals. If your water is contaminated by runoff from farms, mines, or factories, pour it through an activated carbon filter and a reverse osmosis (RO) filter.[12]
    • You can Make-a-Water-Filter filter out of common materials. While not as effective as a commercial filter, it will remove sediment and some toxins.

Storing the Water

  1. Seal the container tightly. Take care not to touch the inside of the cap with your fingers, to avoid contamination.[2]
  2. Label the container. Write "drinking water" on the side, along with the date you bottled it or purchased it.
  3. Store in a cool, dark place. Light and heat can damage containers, especially plastic ones. Sunlight can also cause algae or mold to grow in clear containers, even sealed, store-bought bottles.[13]
    • Do not store plastic containers near chemical products, especially gasoline, kerosene, and pesticides. Vapors can pass through some plastic containers and contaminate the water.[12]
    • Store a three day supply in small containers near an exit, in case of an emergency evacuation.
  4. Check on the supply every six months. Unopened, store-bought bottled water should stay good indefinitely, even if the bottle has an expiration date.[13] If you bottled the water yourself, replace it every six months.[2] Replace plastic containers when the plastic becomes cloudy, discolored, scratched, or scuffed.[6]
    • You can drink or use the old supply of water before replacing it.
  5. Open one container at a time. If you need to use your emergency supply, store open water containers in a refrigerator or cold location. Use an open container within 3 to 5 days in the refrigerator, 1 to 2 days in a cold room, or a few hours in a warm room.[14] After that, purify the remaining water again by boiling it or adding chlorine.
    • Drinking directly from the container or touching the rim with dirty hands increases the risk of contamination.

Tips

  • Consider freezing some of your water so you have a short-term way to store perishables if the power goes out. Freeze water in plastic containers with a couple inches (a few centimeters) of head space, as the expanding ice can break glass or overfilled containers.[12]
  • Water kept in long-term storage can taste "flat" due to the loss of air, especially if it was boiled. Pour the water in long streams between two containers to aerate the water again and improve taste.
  • Keep in mind that you may not be able to stay in your home during an emergency. Store at least some of your water in containers you can transport easily.
  • Bottled water is not necessarily higher quality than tap water — and in some cases, it *is* tap water.[15] The advantage for storage is the commercially sealed bottle.
  • When in doubt about whether a particular container is food grade, you can contact your local water authority for advice.

Warnings

  • If you notice a leak or hole in the containers after having stored the water, do not drink from the container.
  • Do not use scented or color-safe bleach to purify water, or bleach with added cleaners, or bleach with more than 6.0% concentration. Bleach gradually becomes less effective if the bottle has been opened, so use a new container for best results.[2]
  • Iodine tablets and other non-chlorine water treatments are not recommended, since they kill fewer microorganisms than chlorine.[2]

Things You'll Need

  • Food grade containers (see article)
  • Unscented liquid chlorine bleach or a way to boil the water
  • Cool, dark storage location

Related Articles

  • Store Tomatoes (Long Term)
  • Store a Car
  • Make a Chlorine Dosifier for a Cabin

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ http://www.redcross.org/images/MEDIA_CustomProductCatalog/m4440181_Food_and_Water-English.revised_7-09.pdf
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 https://www.fema.gov/pdf/library/f&web.pdf
  3. ↑ http://extension.psu.edu/natural-resources/water/drinking-water/water-testing/pollutants/bottled-water
  4. ↑ https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2015-11/documents/2005_09_14_faq_fs_healthseries_bottledwater.pdf
  5. ↑ http://www-tc.pbs.org/strangedays/pdf/StrangeDaysSmartPlasticsGuide.pdf
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 http://www.superfoodsrx.com/healthyliving/reusing-plastic-is-not-safe/
  7. ↑ https://www.ready.gov/water
  8. ↑ http://web.mit.edu/watsan/Docs/Student%20Theses/Kenya/Suzanne%20Young-Thesis.pdf
  9. ↑ http://nchfp.uga.edu/how/can_01/sterile_jars.html
  10. ↑ http://www.nationalterroralert.com/safewater/
  11. ↑ https://www.epa.gov/ground-water-and-drinking-water/emergency-disinfection-drinking-water
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ss439
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 http://www.bottledwater.org/education/bottled-water-storage
  14. ↑ http://www.eatbydate.com/drinks/how-long-does-water-last-shelf-life-expiration-date/
  15. ↑ http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm203620.htm
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