Water storage

[ckelly78z]

Besides storing water you would want to have at least one water filter (can be a cheap $20 one like the Sawyer Mini). Then if your stored water "goes bad" you can still filter it and drink it. Plus you could capture rain water, filter it, and drink it. Or use pond. lake. or river water after you filter it. And the water filter would last a looong time.

I bought two Life Straw water filters earlier this year to keep in my BOB/GHB.

[Illini Warrior]

Have a IBC tote for water storage? - for rainwater collection? >>> here's a handy dandy addition for getting that water out


https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...2ae82d063096d7

[bruss01]

Plastic milk jugs are made of a substance that is designed to break down over time to be environment friendly. They're good for a few weeks, maybe a few months... but I would not trust them for anything longer. Two liter soda bottles are tough and will hold up if you need small storage units. Wash them out and sterilize with bleach, they will be good to go nearly indefinitely. For long term water storage we are using blue 55 gallon food-safe drums which I got second-hand. I rinse them out thoroughly and sanitize with bleach, then seal the bung. The wife and I have both drunk water from these that was north of 7 years old, no ill effects. I've just expanded the stable from 2 to 6 barrels (in addition to what we keep in smaller containers indoors). Don't forget you need a way to be able to get the water out, a simple hand-pump/siphon combo is inexpensive and should get the job done... you'll have your work cut out trying to move one of those babies when full. Put them where you need them before filling.

[Illini Warrior]

Plastic milk jugs are made of a substance that is designed to break down over time to be environment friendly. They're good for a few weeks, maybe a few months... but I would not trust them for anything longer. Two liter soda bottles are tough and will hold up if you need small storage units. Wash them out and sterilize with bleach, they will be good to go nearly indefinitely. For long term water storage we are using blue 55 gallon food-safe drums which I got second-hand. I rinse them out thoroughly and sanitize with bleach, then seal the bung. The wife and I have both drunk water from these that was north of 7 years old, no ill effects. I've just expanded the stable from 2 to 6 barrels (in addition to what we keep in smaller containers indoors). Don't forget you need a way to be able to get the water out, a simple hand-pump/siphon combo is inexpensive and should get the job done... you'll have your work cut out trying to move one of those babies when full. Put them where you need them before filling.

shouldn't re-use any container that had beverages in them that could be mold growth media - that's both dairy and sweets ....

black mold is already a problem for some of us - the dark & moist makes it perfect ....

"last minute" water storage? >>> anything goes - you can't have too much water - even grey water will have a use ....

[ckelly78z]

"last minute" water storage? >>> anything goes - you can't have too much water - even grey water will have a use ....

This is the reason I will keep my above ground pool up, and standing over this next Winter...even half full, it has 3000-4000 gallons of useable water that could be treated, and purified for drinking/cooking use. Our creek is running a decent flow of water most of the year for water to flush toilets, and the septic system doesn't require power.

[bruss01]

shouldn't re-use any container that had beverages in them that could be mold growth media - that's both dairy and sweets ....

black mold is already a problem for some of us - the dark & moist makes it perfect ....

"last minute" water storage? >>> anything goes - you can't have too much water - even grey water will have a use ....

I think the ones I have were used for malt vinegar. They were rinsed THOROUGHLY and bleached hard before use. You are right to caution about things like curdled dairy that can't be cleaned out well enough. It is always good to re-purify long term storage water before drinking when possible (filter, boil or bleach). Don't forget to bung the barrels with a couple gallons of bleach inside and stand upside down to sanitize the top inside. And roll them around.

[Illini Warrior]

I think the ones I have were used for malt vinegar. They were rinsed THOROUGHLY and bleached hard before use. You are right to caution about things like curdled dairy that can't be cleaned out well enough. It is always good to re-purify long term storage water before drinking when possible (filter, boil or bleach). Don't forget to bung the barrels with a couple gallons of bleach inside and stand upside down to sanitize the top inside. And roll them around.

the dairy & sweetner contamination isn't anything you'll be observing - and can't be soaked free - it's into the poly pourous sidewalls - same reason why the containers need to be food grade and can't be just any re-cycled container ...