Water storage containers: Pros and Cons

When it comes to emergency preparedness there is no "one size fits all" solution. Water storage is one of those items each family must determine the best solution for them. You can read my previous post about water storage. Here are more details on different solutions to help you decide which solution will work for you.

Used 2 liter soda or juice containers 

Pros
– Essentially FREE if you buy them anyway or get from someone else
– Convenient size for smaller water emergencies
– Easy to store anywhere in the house

Cons
– Must rotate every 6 months to 1 year
– Hard to clean out enough so the taste isn't “off”
– Concern about bacteria if not cleaned out well enough

Best Used For
– 72 Hour Kits
– People on a tight budget
– Small spaces storage solutions

Store Bought Water Bottles

Pros
– Great tasting
– Easy to rotate through the individual bottles
– Easy to store anywhere in the house

Cons
– Must rotate every 6 months to 1 year
– Price per gallon can be fairly expensive
– Difficult to store in large quantities
– Bottles will freeze in winter, and chemicals can leach into them in severe heat, so not ideal for car kits in extreme conditions

Best Used For
– 72 hour kits
– People concerned with taste of drinking water
– Small emergencies

Water Pouches or Cartons

Pros
– 5 year shelf life!
– Awesome for 72 hour kits
– Water typically won’t freeze in the pouches or small water boxes

Cons
– Expensive storage method
– Not ideal for large quantities
– Not available in local stores everywhere

Best Used For
– 72 Hour Kits
– Car kits

Found Online

–Datrex Emergency Survival Water Pouch
– Aqua Blox Emergency Water Containers

5/6 Gallon Plastic Jugs

Pros
– Decent price per gallon
– More convenient size than large barrels
– Pretty easy to empty and rotate
– Easy to find in the camping section of most stores

Cons
– Many of these jugs end up having problems with cracking and leaking so beware
– 5 or 6 gallon jugs can be HEAVY if you are trying to pour with them and haul them up and down stairs by yourself
– Must be rotated every 6 months to 1 year
– Take up a lot of space in storage since you can’t stack them

Best Used For
– Smaller storage spaces
– Tighter budgets

Found Online
– Options at Amazon.com

Water Box Kits ( Mylar bags inside cardboard boxes)

Pros
– Good price per gallon
– Stackable up to 3 boxes high
– Only have to rotate every 5 years

Cons
– A little bit complicated to set them up and fill them
– Wasted space in your storage room above the stack of boxes
– Not very convenient for accessing small amounts of your water storage
– Not available in local stores everywhere

Best Used For
– Larger quantities for people who don’t like rotating
– Great for sliding under beds or sticking on closet shelves

Found Online
– Boxed Water Kit

Water Bricks

Pros
– 3.5 gallons per brick makes it more manageable than 5/6 gallon containers
– Stackable from floor to ceiling!
– They are safe to freeze so can be stored outside
– Great size to stash under beds, in closets, etc.

Cons
– A little more expensive per gallon
– Not available in local stores everywhere

Best Used For
– Storage rooms where space is an issue
– Shorter term water emergencies for drinking and cooking
– People without considerable budget restraints

Found Online
– Water Bricks

Water Barrel

Pros
– Best solution for storing LOTS of water
– Available in multiple sizes from 30 gallons up to 250 gallons
– With additives, can extend rotation needs to every 5 years
– Great use of floor space in a storage room with a water barrel tower

Cons
– Slightly difficult to fill and rotate
– Not very accessible when you have to actual USE the water
– Not an ideal solution in small homes/storage areas and can’t be stored outside

Best Used For
– Longer term water shortages
– Large quantities of water storage

Found Online
– Water barrels from emergency essentials
– Water Barrel

There are larger water storage containers available as well. If you have the space available they can be a great option. I use a combination of these containers. Find what works for you and get started on your water storage today!