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!

Water

Water storage is extremely important because water is more essential than food in sustaining life during emergency periods. You can live for several days without food, but it is impossible to survive more than a few days without water. Plan to store at least 1 gallon of water per person per day. Take into consideration the size of the person, the amount of exertion being expended, the climate, and perspiration loss. Don't forget to include sufficient water for the family pets as well.

City tap water may be stored for an indefinite period of time without spoilage if simple precautions are taken. Store water in clean "food-grade" or PETE plastic containers. Do not use milk containers or the water that is sold in "milk" type jugs, the plastic is designed to deteriorate and will leak water all over. Stored water should be checked every few months to determine whether containers have leaked or if any undesirable characteristics have developed in appearance, taste or odor. If so, the water should be replaced. You should rotate/replace your water supply once a year.  The water will still be good beyond that time, but will not be a desirable taste. Do not add bleach to water that is intended for long-term storage. Add it, if necessary, only at the time of use, then if possible, filter the water after it has been purified with bleach.

Clean empty juice jugs and 2-liter soda bottles are a great way to start storing water today. Mix 1 tsp of bleach in a quart of water and swish the solution in the plastic bottles to sanitize them. Rinse and fill with clean water. If you have "empty" space in your freezer, store these containers there. It will help your freezer cool more efficiently, keep the contents frozen longer in the event of a power outage, and give you some cool water to drink. Do not use containers previously used to store non-food products. Such as bleach bottles, or laundry soap. Water stored in these containers, even washed very well, is not safe for consumption.

55 gallon water barrels are another option for water storage. It is recommended to not store these barrels directly on concrete.(yes, the picture is on concrete and outside, but the barrels will not remain there!) The concrete has chemicals in it that can leach into plastic that is stored directly on it. That can then get into the water you are storing in the plastic. Place on cardboard, wood pallets, or other materials. I purchased my barrels from someone on craigslist. Make sure they are food grade and  you know exactly what was stored in them before (if they're not new). Example; if they were used to store milk or fruit juice, you can't use them for storing drinking water because you can't get them clean enough -- the fat from the milk/acid from the juice leaches into the plastic and, eventually, molds (per FEMA). There are many websites to purchase new barrels from.

When filling the barrels, use a potable drinking water hose. They are lead free, and available at your local hardware store. Choose wisely where you will keep your barrels since a full 55 gallon drum will weigh 440 pounds. It is best to store water away from direct light and too much heat. If that is not feasible then make sure to check your water more often.



Here is a chart to follow to treat water with bleach if needed:




Tincture of Iodine 2%  may also be used to treat water:
  Clean water               Cloudy water
 3 drops per quart        6 drops per quart
12 drops per gallon    24 drops per gallon
                                                                                         
Remember that cholera, typhoid fever, dysentery, diarrhea and infectious hepatitis are diseases often associated with unsafe water. Do not take the chance! Under serious disaster conditions, no water- except that which you have properly stored yourself- can be presumed safe, and all drinking and cooking water should be purified, filtered, and distilled.