“When the well is dry, they know the worth of water.” – Benjamin Franklin
Second only to air on Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, having water security is one of the most important parts of being prepared for an emergency. In general, a human being can only go three days without water so, even if outages are rare, they can become really critical really fast. We can take it for granted that we’re going to have water available to us, but that may not always going to be the case. (A week after the Texas snow storm of 2021, more than 1.4 million people were still without a constant source of water and 20,000 of those had no water at all, per this article from The Texas Tribune.)
Water preparedness generally consists of storage and treatment. This article will focus on the storage of potable water, but check out this other article for info on treatment.
How much should you store?
FEMA & Red Cross: 1 Gallon Per Day Per Person for 2 Weeks
Ready.gov: 1 Gallon Per Person Per Day for “Several Days”
beready.utah.gov: A “Minimum” of 1 Gallon Per Person Per Day for a “Minimum” of 2 Weeks
CDC: 1 Gallon Per Person Per Day for At Least 3 Days But Shoot for 2 Weeks
For those in arid climates, we recommend storing two gallons of water per day, per person and pet, for two weeks. Most agencies and experts recommend NOT rationing water as it is so vital for your body to function properly. You should prepare to drink at least one half gallon a day although factors like heat, humidity, altitude and age may necessitate more. Don’t forget water for cooking, bathing, washing hands and dishes, flushing toilets, etc.
The average family in the U.S. uses more than 300 gallons of water each day per this article from the E.P.A. so you can count on making dramatic changes to your usage patterns in an emergency. (For perspective, a bathtub typically holds between 40 – 70 gallons and most of the government recommendations consider 70 gallons sufficient to meet the emergency needs a family of five for two weeks.)
How to best store water:
Treating Water Before It is Stored:
Most water from municipal systems is treated/chlorinated to the point where it can be stored without additional work. However, water from wells, rivers, and even springs should be treated before it is stored. See this article for more information on how to do that.
Water Storage Container Considerations:
For potable water, food grade plastic containers made from a High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) are ideal. It is typically a good idea to have a variety of containers with the means to refill smaller, portable containers from larger containers as needed.
Commercial Water Storage Containers:
If you’re looking for some convenient options for long term water storage you need to calculate your needs and plan accordingly. A good option might be to buy a flat of water bottles from the store, and that should provide you with a good supply of drinking water for any short term emergencies. But if you’re looking for longer term storage you might think of getting larger containers that you can store out of the way.
This Igloo 6 gallon container can store water for years out of the way.
If you’re looking for more water storage you could consider these stackable 5 gallon water tanks.
You may also want to consider a 55 gallon drum. These require a little more preparation, but they provide a lot of storage. When full they weigh about 500 lbs. and should not be placed directly on cement, so consider that when placing them. You will also want to get a food grade siphon that is actually big enough to get to the bottom of the barrel. (Some even come with one.)
Economical Storage Options:
For your economical storage a good recommendation is to re-use existing containers like 2 liter soda bottles (fruit juice bottles are really hard to sanitize sufficiently). Milk jugs are not recommended as they typically become brittle and can leak around the cap. Also, do not use containers that have previously contained chemicals like bleach, detergent, or other toxins, even if you’ve cleaned them thoroughly. You can build up quite a storage just re-using bottles without having to spend a ton of money on storage containers, but keep all of these out of the light. Not only can sunlight make these containers breakdown faster, but their translucent nature tends to foster the growth of microorganisms by letting light in.
Water Storage Accessories:
- A food grade water hose to fill up larger containers (not strictly necessary, but much preferred by some)
- 55 Gallon Drum Wrench to open/close the bung caps
- A food grade siphon sized for a 55 gallon drum
- Cooler with spigot (especially if you have access to ice and want the convenience of cold drinking water)
Where to Store Water:
Where you store your water is also important. Dark, cool and dry is the ideal, so if you’ve got a basement that’s a good place, a garage can be a good place, but storing it in the backyard may be problematic. The sun tends to break down the integrity of water containers, making them brittle and potentially breaking the seal, as well as promoting things like algae growth. If you’re storing water in large containers on concrete it is also suggested that you keep the containers off the ground, this keeps moisture and mold buildups from occurring, but also allows for gases that seep up through the concrete to dissipate. If you have to store water somewhere it might freeze (outside, or in a shed) keep that in account when filling the container and leave about 10% of the container empty. Another important consideration is ease of draining and refilling the containers themselves, especially if they are too large to move when full.
Water Rotation:
Clean water has a potentially indefinite shelf life, but you may want to operate on the assumption that even your drinking water isn’t 100% clean. A lot of recommendations say to rotate your water storage every six months to five years. Even if you don’t plan on rotating your water storage every year you should at least check for leaks every year.
Where You May Already Be Storing Water in Your Home:
- Water heater tank (just fine for drinking)
- Bathtub (good for toilet flushing water, but not recommended for drinking unless you used a WaterBob or Alexapure Emergency Water Bank… and the WaterBob seems to be heavier duty)
- Toilet tanks (generally best for flushing, but can be treated for drinking in emergencies)
Gray Water:
Gray water can be an excellent option for flushing toilets and watering plants. Storing gray water is rarely an ideal use of space; however, a strategy to conserve the potable water you use in an emergency as gray water can be a valuable part of your preparedness plan. For instance, in a water crisis, your dishwater would probably be much more useful for flushing a toilet than simply letting it going down the drain of the kitchen sink.
You Can Lead a Child to Water…
If you ever need to rely on your stored water, you may find a lack of enthusiasm for drinking lukewarm water from children and youth who are used to other beverages or who are just distracted by events. You can re-oxygenate the water by repeatedly pouring it back and forth between containers, but consider adding powdered drink mixes like Gatorade or Tang to your deep pantry to help encourage hydration. For many, hot chocolate that only requires water might help for morale as well as improve the taste.
