Something that should be high on your priority list when creating a food storage and products storage stockpile is a water stockpile. Every person needs water to survive so it should be one of the first things that you stockpile.
It is recommended that you store enough water for each person in your family for 2 weeks. Each persona should have 1 gallon of water each day in the stockpile so if you have 2 people in your family, you should have 28 gallons of water. If this is too much for you (if space is an issue) you should at least have 3 days of water stored for each person at the bare minimum.
What stockpile water? In case something contaminates your water source, in case you may be out of electricity and your well can't function, in case bad weather comes and freezes your pipes. There are many different reasons to stockpile water, each one of them as important as the last.
If it works well for you, I've seen large food grade 55 gallon drums that you can store water in. If you are short on space but still want a decent water stockpile, this may be a good option for you. You shouldn't use milk jugs to store water long term because they aren't meant to hold liquid long term and the plastic will eventually break down. A good way to store water is in old pop liter containers or gallon size vinegar type plastic jugs. The plastic is thicker on both (and if you order them new you can get BPA free I believe) so they will last longer without breaking down. You can also get nice water storage containers online that hold more than 1 gallon and some are even stackable!
Store the water in a cool, dark area (like a pantry or a basement) to avoid wearing down the containers prematurely.
Learn more about Practical Food Storage and Preparing for Price Increases. And make sure you check out how to save and live better in all areas of your life on the Making the Most page!
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{ 14 comments… read them below or add one }
We store water for flushing toilets in 5 gallon gas cans. We have had them for at least 15 years and they have never leaked. This time of year you can sometimes buy apple cider in gallon glass jugs. I have 10 of them that I keep drinking water in. That 55 gallon drum looks great but the price is what put me off of that
We store water for flushing toilets in 5 gallon gas cans. We have had them for at least 15 years and they have never leaked. This time of year you can sometimes buy apple cider in gallon glass jugs. I have 10 of them that I keep drinking water in. That 55 gallon drum looks great but the price is what put me off of that
How long can you safely store well water in a 5 gallon water jug? (The kind that go on the coolers at the office) Is the storage time different if you use RO purified water?
I would change it out every 6 months or so just so it stays fresh. And I’m not sure on the purified water, hopefully someone else knows!
How long can you safely store well water in a 5 gallon water jug? (The kind that go on the coolers at the office) Is the storage time different if you use RO purified water?
I would change it out every 6 months or so just so it stays fresh. And I’m not sure on the purified water, hopefully someone else knows!
Debbie-we have well water too and I find it gets moldy after a few months. You can put bleach in stored water to keep it longer but I don’t remember the amount per gallon. Those 5 gallon jugs of purified water is a good idea but I wonder about chemicals leeching out of the plastic–anyone know that?
Debbie-we have well water too and I find it gets moldy after a few months. You can put bleach in stored water to keep it longer but I don’t remember the amount per gallon. Those 5 gallon jugs of purified water is a good idea but I wonder about chemicals leeching out of the plastic–anyone know that?
What about water jugs that you get from the store that had water in them to begin with?
Those are ok for a very short term storage but the chemicals from the plastic starts to leach after a few months so they aren’t recommended to refill.
What about water jugs that you get from the store that had water in them to begin with?
Those are ok for a very short term storage but the chemicals from the plastic starts to leach after a few months so they aren’t recommended to refill.
I’m going to be installing a rain barrel next to the house gutters. It is a great way to water the plants but in dire circumstances, the water could be boiled and used for othe purposes.
I’m going to be installing a rain barrel next to the house gutters. It is a great way to water the plants but in dire circumstances, the water could be boiled and used for othe purposes.