# does water go bad?



## kompressor

Does water go bad if you keep it in a sealed barrel for too long? Why would it go bad? Does this mean some amount of chlorine is usually necessary or some other chemical?


----------



## 10101

water does not go "bad" it is only contaminated . When water is stored in plastic containers for too long the plastic will leech chemicals into the water. Their are a number of factors that cause the contamination of water most are easily curable by either boiling or treating with solutions such as bleach.


----------



## Hank

How long is too long, what about using aluminum?


----------



## 10101

Hank said:


> How long is too long, what about using aluminum?


aluminum is great it keeps out the UV rays and is very durable, problem is that the new aluminum cans are lined with a food grade plastic to keep the metallic taste out of the product so you also have the problem of the chemicals leeching out of the plastic this normally does not happen for at least two years or so (take a look at the inside of a beer can) its not always been this way used to have no lining and the beer or soda would develop the metallic taste after about a year or so.

During hurricane Wilma in south Florida FEMA was distributing canned water in beer cans. Budweiser was kind enough to can water and put there logo on the can although the water was a generous offer beer would have been better

Your best bet for long term storage is to use Mylar bags.

Here is a product that claims to have a shelf life of 5+ years but very expensive.

Aqua Bloxâ„¢ 5 YEAR Water Storage - 1 Case (27)

I am not saying the chemicals will kill you but why risk it when water is easily rotated and or used up quickly


----------



## WakingUp

Leeched chemicals are trace amounts and unless you drink this stuff exclusively, highly concentrated, the harm is truly minimal. (young children and infants are more susceptible.) 

Dehydration on the other hand will kill you quick.

I would treat and boil swamp water drained over an outhouse and drink it if need be. I sure as heck am not going to worry about space age chems in my Pepsi bottle - in a pinch.

Call me reckless.


----------



## Denny

WakingUp said:


> Leeched chemicals are trace amounts and unless you drink this stuff exclusively, highly concentrated, the harm is truly minimal. (young children and infants are more susceptible.)
> 
> Dehydration on the other hand will kill you quick.
> 
> I would treat and boil swamp water drained over an outhouse and drink it if need be. I sure as heck am not going to worry about space age chems in my Pepsi bottle - in a pinch.
> 
> Call me reckless.


In extreme climates, the risk can increase. We were seeing that in Kuwait and Iraq near the beginning of the campaign. It is also one of the suspects of a lot of illnesses from the first Gulf War. We had clear plastic bottles by the pallets just sitting under a blistering sun.


----------



## Canadian

If even a small amount of bacterial gets into the container and it sits for long enough the bacteria will breed and get you when you drink it. This is especially true if the water is allowed to fluctuate in temperature.

Even in the wild non moving or "still" water should usually be treated as suspect. When water sits it is easy for bacteria to grow. A fast moving source of water is oxygenated by the movement of the stream and less likely to grow nasty bacteria.


----------



## Chemechie

Canadian said:


> If even a small amount of bacterial gets into the container and it sits for long enough the bacteria will breed and get you when you drink it. This is especially true if the water is allowed to fluctuate in temperature.
> 
> Even in the wild non moving or "still" water should usually be treated as suspect. When water sits it is easy for bacteria to grow. A fast moving source of water is oxygenated by the movement of the stream and less likely to grow nasty bacteria.


My experience agrees with Canadian - it is for bacteria of one form or another to be added to stored water when reusing or refilling containers; I've seen it myself in refilled & stored water bottles. This is a much bigger cause for concern than chemicals leaching out of plastic (unless the bottles were made in China or other places without quality controls; then who knows!). 
Careful rinsing & washing of bottles before reuse can reduce or eliminate this problem. 
Either aluminum or plastic works well, but personally I prefer plastic for less taste.


----------



## The_Blob

I think having a good water purifying filter is a smarter route than storing vast quantities of water...

even if you store water, filtering it is still a good idea IMO


----------



## NaeKid

What about water stored in a camper's fresh-water holding tank. What is the extent of life expectancy of water sitting in there. Will bacteria drain-away when the tank is emptied, or, would the bacteria have the ability to "stay alive" even when dry for extended periods of time?


----------



## The_Blob

NaeKid said:


> What about water stored in a camper's fresh-water holding tank. What is the extent of life expectancy of water sitting in there. Will bacteria drain-away when the tank is emptied, or, would the bacteria have the ability to "stay alive" even when dry for extended periods of time?


You could always use a quart of mild OTC (3%-5%) Hydrogen Peroxide solution to rinse out the tank after emptying it.


----------



## sailaway

The_Blob said:


> You could always use a quart of mild OTC (3%-5%) Hydrogen Peroxide solution to rinse out the tank after emptying it.


Thanx Blob, I am just about to get my campers fresh water holding tank cleaned and running again after 30 years. (if it's any good.) I don't think I would use it for potable water though unless I boiled it. The container is an old metal one. I may even replace it in the future as finances permit. I was thinking of cleaning it with Chlorine and then Hydrogen Peroxide. The last thing I want is some water born bacteria. I guess if it doesn't kill ya it will only make U stronger


----------



## erdocsg

*plastic chemicals*

so the amount that leechs out of the containers i guess would be minimal, if we are in a survival situation... the water preservers that they sell i'm assuming are just bleach, or if not, just one or 2 drops of household bleach into 2 gallons of water, how long do you think it would keep it good for? a year or two?


----------



## illiniman

*does water go bad*

could a person bury a 500 gallon plastic water tank like they sell at farm supply store and store water for a period of time it would be like a cistern would haul water from town so would be treated


----------



## Brimso357

Firstly, water gets contaminated if stored for long time.

Secondly, if you have to store, do not use plastic containers. The chemicals of the plastic contaminates the water a lot.


----------



## kyfarmer

I know folk's that have used plastic 1500 gal tank's from roof water, treated with bleach for years with no problem. They use a low voltage pump and have hot and cold running water, While on the grid after a few years. They still use the tank's. Wells have nasty water down there. Good for garden that's about it. They may grow a third eye a few years from now but the oldest one i know of is 10 years. Still uses it today but does use bottle for drinking. I would suppose a new filter system would not hurt. :dunno:


----------



## Bigdog57

It depends a lot on the plastic too. Some leech enough to really taste it within a short time. Others impart no taste for weeks or longer.
Generally, if the bottle has the "1" recycle code, it's good for potable water. A "2" or "5" is better for dry food storage.

I currently use the blue Coleman Water Cubes (7 gallons) for water storage, as well as one gallon bottled water jugs and Arizona Tea jugs (really heavy duty!) - but am planning to soon add a couple 60 gallon tanks from Tractor Supply. My home is on municipal water, with no well - a few times our water has been airy or dirty from line maintenance. Bottled water comes in handy then!


----------



## Winter

I have four 55 gal. barrels that I fill and empty every 6 mos and don't have any problems with them.


----------



## sailaway

Winter said:


> I have four 55 gal. barrels that I fill and empty every 6 mos and don't have any problems with them.


Do you drink or use any of this water? What kinds of drums do you use? food grade? Where did you get them?


----------



## Winter

I haven't drank the water in the barrels yet. I have only owned them for 8 mos. I purchased them at a container distributor here in Indiana for $48 ea.
I told them I was using them for storing water for drinking and other uses and they said they were fine for this. They are the same blue barrels you see for sale on all the preparedness sites. I filled them up all the way and pushed out as much air as I could and then capped them. I would like to purchase some of the treatment bottles that supposedly will let you store water for 5 years. I read and researched that water in barrels would be fine for six mos. without any additives whatsoever. I hope I have read this right. I have thought about treating with bleach and try to store for a year before changing them out. I would love to hear any suggestions on this because I am still new at water storage and everything else for that matter.


----------



## NCLee

NaeKid said:


> What about water stored in a camper's fresh-water holding tank. What is the extent of life expectancy of water sitting in there. Will bacteria drain-away when the tank is emptied, or, would the bacteria have the ability to "stay alive" even when dry for extended periods of time?


At the start of the camping season (when it's warm enough that lines don't freeze, I hook up the hose to my travel trailer and sanitize the water system.

First, using a food grade hose, flush the entire system with fresh water. Let the water run a few minutes at the kitchen & bath sinks. Flush the toilet, several times, etc.

Next, I add a 50/50 Clorox & water mix to the hose (uphill from the trailer). Then hook up the hose, again to the faucet. Turn on the water to push the bleach solution (and dilute it further) through the system. Turn on the faucets until I can smell the bleach at each point. Shut off the faucet and wait about 20 minutes. Then, flush the system with fresh water.

For the 12v pump / water holding tank, I do something similar. First, flush the system with fresh water. Fill the tank with water, adding bleach at about 2 times the rate per gallon to disinfect water (need to look it up again). Run the pump to get the chlorined water through the lines and to the faucets. Once again, wait about 20 minutes. Flush the system with fresh water.

When this is done, we use the system all through the summer without worry. Just keep the hose capped when not in use. (In the backyard, it stays connected to the faucet full time with the water turned off and the pressure relieved.) If it's been a while since it was used, run the water through the system to flush out any leached plastic, etc.

If we need to fill the tank for long term storage, I'd make sure the system were sanitized, as outlined above. At about the 3/4 full mark, add enough Clorox to sanitize the water. Then finish filling. Doing it at this point makes sure the bleach is well distributed through the tank.

FWIW, I'd feel comfortable using this water for drinking. Due to the potential of it freezing in our camper (unless in use) it would be emptied when outdoor temps get down to about 25 and night. Refill again, when night time temps rise above 25 at night.

Hope these thoughts are helpful.

Lee


----------



## foust1012

I agree with the blob. Get a reliable gravity fed water purifier. In case you have to be on the move a purifier is much more portable than a 55 gallon drum of water. I bought a Berkey system from www. Berkeyproducts.com. I love it. They claim that a system with two elements can purify up to 6000 gallons from pretty much any fresh water source. I tried it with the golf course pond in my neighborhood and it worked great.


----------



## lexsurivor

What about lining sections of pvc or anything really with aluminum foil. Would the water ever get contaminated if no bacteria got in it to start with?


----------



## wolfwhisper

*water*

one always needs to be safe with drinking water. filtering water through sand and charcoal is a great way, adding a small amount of bleach is also good as does boiling water. 
My question to anyone what layer whould one start with the charcoal or the sand and then how many layers is needed?::wave:


----------



## LadyIvy

What about something like this?

Amazon.com: Reliance Products Desert Patrol 6 Gallon Traditional Jeep Style Rigid Water Container: Sports & Outdoors

I bought something that looks essentially the same at walmart for $10.It says on the jug that it is BPA free.
Would you still need to bleach or rotate water every year? I get squicked out at the thought of drinking bleach or pool shock. I have this :

Amazon.com: Potable Aqua Plus by Wisconsin Pharmacal: Sports & Outdoors

but I don't know if that covers what I am supposed to be worried about. I filled the jug with bottled water, as I only have a Brita pitcher to filter our every day stuff and trying to filter 6 gallons at a time would take forever.

I live in a small bedroom apartment, so I can't do an outdoor water storage system or big 55 gallon drums. There's just no place to put them.
Any ideas on how I could store sufficient water for myself and 2 kids in a small home?


----------



## goshengirl

LadyIvy, for storing water in the home I use empty 2 liter bottles. Not ideal for long-term, I know, but I can't beat the price. That said, we don't go through too many of those, so I also get the 5 gallon containers and aerobic oxygen on this page: Kitchen Storage Kitchen Organization Kitchen Organizer We also have a PUR water pitcher/filter, and I pick up a 3 pack of filters whenever I'm in Meijer - they have the cheapest prices that I've seen for the replacement filters (and my stash has gotten quite big).

Probably not a perfect solution, but do-able. I've got our water in the basement, but if I were in an apartment I would consider putting the 2 liters under the bed, under the kids' beds...


----------



## Bigdog57

I have two of that style Reliance six-gallon water cans, and have had problems with them. They aren't 'rigid' enough. If left full of water for long periods, they will being to collapse and that will cause splitting and leaks.
Walmart carries the dark blue "Aquatainer" seven gallon jugs which are much better - I have had six of them for years, keep them filled with water, and have never had a problem.


----------



## OrangeJuice

No one has mentioned this so far but most everyone has at least 30 gallons of rotated storage already in the house if you have a storage tank hot water heater.
Most have a standard garden hose spigot on them so you can get the water out in a pinch...
The trick is to be able to shut off the supply if you can recognize that there is some external problem that required you to "disconnect" from the muni... easier if you're on a well.

We count on that for some storage, plus I keep 6 to 10 cases of 16oz plastic water bottles (3 gal / case) and then I have 2 55 gal drums of rain water for irrigation that can take over as non potable water if the need arises...

The drinking water we cycle through that many cases in a year and it normally has a 2 year expiration on it... easy to store and manage...

We also have a camper with 110gal storage in it and I keep it about 1/2 full in the warmer months (ironically when I'm least likely to need it).
Amazing how little water you need to survive when forced too...
110 gal lasts a long time in the camper, even with 4. (I suppose we could give up showering and really stretch it but the obvious down side could be problematic in the small camper and cause real unrest.... :flower::flower::flower::flower


----------



## Emerald

wolfwhisper said:


> one always needs to be safe with drinking water. filtering water through sand and charcoal is a great way, adding a small amount of bleach is also good as does boiling water.
> My question to anyone what layer whould one start with the charcoal or the sand and then how many layers is needed?::wave:


I would put the sand on top of the charcoal as the sand will filter out the smaller particles of sediment and the charcoal will filter the bad flavors out.
In many third world countries they use a set up that I have forgotten the name of but it starts with a tub that has a pipe with holes in it in the bottom the pipe will come up the side and have a hook spout for the water to come out thru, then on top of the pipe (think a diamond shaped pipe set up on the bottom going to one pipe going up the side of the container to the hook top) They put pea stone gravel layer and then charcoal and then fine sand. On top of the container/tub they have a pre filter to get out any leaves and sticks etc. They pour the water in till it is full and let it sit till it becomes green ( it becomes a biological filter)on top. Then they pour water thru the prefilter and it kinda slowly sprinkles into the already full tub and slowly perks thru the green down and the water going thru will force water out the pipe into a receptacle. The water going thru will be free of many of the problem bacteria and impurities. But I do know that the health workers would boil theirs anyway due to the fact that their systems usually can't take as many water impurities as natives can.
I know that my description is a bit rough and as soon as I can find the PFD with the pictures on it and the full instructions I'll try to post it.


----------



## Emerald

*I found it!*

Ok I just went surfing thru my old computer and the links and found the name and a link to building one.
They are called Bio Sand filters.
Rain water harvesting Biosand water filter slow sand water filter
I do have all the stuff to build one if needed. They say that they remove tons of stuff that will make life very short after TSHTF.
Study on what they do remove from water.
Biosandfilter.org - Effect on (micro)biological water quality

Why I think it will be of use here is that it removes 99.9% of Giardia cysts which are a big problem in almost every state in the USA and why you shouldn't drink water straight out of any of the lakes or streams... Sure not saying that EVERY lake or stream is has it but unless you have a spring fed creek on your property you don't want to play Russian roulette every time ya take a sip.
Hope this helps.


----------



## goshengirl

Fantastic info, Emerald - Thank you! Just the kind of info I'm looking for.


----------



## ReadyMom

Here's MORE on filtering, hope it helps:

Water Purification: Filtering


----------



## Virgil_cain

Canadian said:


> If even a small amount of bacterial gets into the container and it sits for long enough the bacteria will breed and get you when you drink it. This is especially true if the water is allowed to fluctuate in temperature.
> 
> Even in the wild non moving or "still" water should usually be treated as suspect. When water sits it is easy for bacteria to grow. A fast moving source of water is oxygenated by the movement of the stream and less likely to grow nasty bacteria.


This depends on how clean/pure the water is. If I took a gallon of distilled water and dropped some bacteria in it (say some _e. coli_) they would divide and reproduce initially, but would quickly stop reproducing within a short period of time. The reason being, without any organic material in the water, there is nothing for them to consume and use to reproduce themselves.

Now, understand that no water is completely free of organics needed for cellular reproduction, but you can get water very very pure if you are diligent you can make water very inhospitable for bacteria if you get it very pure and you throw in an anti-bacterial like chlorine or iodine.

Clean water stored in good containers will store very well. If you then filter the water prior to using it then your water will practically keep almost indefinitely (depending on the quality of the container).


----------



## GXLancer

So I have a question, I am out here in AFG and we have pallets of water that sit outside in the sun. We keep a couple boxes of water in our work center but when we run out we go grab a couple more off the pallet. Is this going to cause health issues after drinking it for 6 months? The bottled water that sits in the sun is our only option for fresh water. Even at the "food yard" where we get the water, its still just sitting outside in the sun. Im guessing that the water probally sits outside for around a month before its finally drank, at the moment outside temp is ranging from 50 degrees at night and mid 90s during the day.


----------



## Emerald

GXLancer said:


> So I have a question, I am out here in AFG and we have pallets of water that sit outside in the sun. We keep a couple boxes of water in our work center but when we run out we go grab a couple more off the pallet. Is this going to cause health issues after drinking it for 6 months? The bottled water that sits in the sun is our only option for fresh water. Even at the "food yard" where we get the water, its still just sitting outside in the sun. Im guessing that the water probally sits outside for around a month before its finally drank, at the moment outside temp is ranging from 50 degrees at night and mid 90s during the day.


I hate to say this but I sure wouldn't want to drink it--unless it is an emergency I don't drink water from plastic bottles and am trying to go a bit more plastic free. Just think of the heat on those bottles is going to be much higher than 90's while sitting in the sun--just like your car heats up in the sun, so does the water in those bottles...all that plastic leaching chemicals into the water... ewwww. bpa is really bad stuff and the studies being done on it just keep showing it to be worse and worse.


----------



## Bigdog57

Sadly, if it's the ONLY source of water for the troops, they don't have a choice.

The good thing is, if it's in clear bottles, the UV from sunlight is a great purifying method. Used in the Third World a lot, if true filtration isn't available.
Kills the microbugs.

But as said, does nothing for chemical leeching.


----------



## Emerald

I know... But if that is all I had I would be drinking it.. Can't cut off my nose to spite my face! But you would think that they could find a better place to store it other than in the heat of the sun.


----------



## GXLancer

Well I guess im screwed. Ill keep you guys updated on long term health effects of drinking old bottled water thats been in the sun for a month.....


----------



## ReadyMom

I checked on this a little more. _I'm really hating to post this, with our military members reading this information._ They have enough to worry about with adding this on top of it, with each sip of water they take  -k

*Can Cases of Water Bottles Sit in the Sun?*

It doesn't seem like leaving a water bottle out in the sun for any extended period of time--say a week or more--would bring any harm to the water. After all, it's sterilized and in a sealed environment--the bottle. The bottle, however, proves to be the problem when it comes to sun exposure.

Read more: Can Cases of Water Bottles Sit in the Sun? | eHow.com Can Cases of Water Bottles Sit in the Sun? | eHow.com


----------



## a1bigtuna

Does anyone know about the clear 5 gal water jugs from Walmart? They are sealed at the cap and say they are only for water. They are made in Mexico. I plan on storing filtered water in my garage (covered against light). I plan on a possible 5 year at the most for storage, and will have a ceramic filter with charcoal and silver ingredient in the filter used prior to any use. Does this sound safe?


----------



## Domeguy

A few months ago i ran across 275gal totes used to transport flavoring for a popular bottled spirit. True food grade totes. A little research turned up that they were made of a special stabilized, inert plastic to resist the alcohol in the mix. They would would empty them, then put them out for recycle. Weren't cheap, $120 each, but 550 gal stackable storage on about 4' x 4' footprint, priceless.


----------



## paladinFL

*Totally Agree*



The_Blob said:


> I think having a good water purifying filter is a smarter route than storing vast quantities of water...
> 
> even if you store water, filtering it is still a good idea IMO


I totally agree even though I have a spring and have been drinking that water for 50+ years I still don't store much but rather depend upon filtering and the iodine/chlorine treatment. The spring (actually there are three on the property) has never run dry so I'm not worried about that, or contamination. Just call me lucky in that regard.


----------



## musketjim

*freezer*

We usually have 3-4 gals in our freezer, standard plastic jugs. No more than 3/4 full, takes up space but helps with efficiency. We also have 6-7 gals. frozen outside, easy enough here in Ak. In the spring when they thaw, water the dogs and chickens.


----------



## NaeKid

The_Blob said:


> You could always use a quart of mild OTC (3%-5%) Hydrogen Peroxide solution to rinse out the tank after emptying it.


I just found a product that is supposed to be good for cleaning water coolers, so, purchased without looking at the label (inside the cardboard container) and put it to use.

Afterwards, I looked at the label beyond the instructions and found that it was approx. 15ml of Hydrogen Peroxide and 85ml of water ... that's it!

Next time, I'll just use plain old HP for the water cooler and I'll do the same on my holding-tanks in my camper/trailer

BTW: I had totally forgot about this post till I re-read it today


----------



## RamboMoe

Yeah as stated above, it's more an issue of 1) bacteria already in the water, or 2) chemicals leaking from the container.

Either way, a common recommendation in rotating the water so it never sits longer than 6 months to 1 year.


----------



## JayJay

foust1012 said:


> I agree with the blob. Get a reliable gravity fed water purifier. In case you have to be on the move a purifier is much more portable than a 55 gallon drum of water. I bought a Berkey system from www. Berkeyproducts.com. I love it. They claim that a system with two elements can purify up to 6000 gallons from pretty much any fresh water source. I tried it with the golf course pond in my neighborhood and it worked great.


OMG---you used pond water in your Berkey?? That's great to know..I was told that in Haiti with the flood they used Berkey for sludge, nasty, gutter water (probably all many could find)and it worked.
I have the 3 sports bottles free with my Berkey and 2 are in our BOB.

Thanks for this info---even if it is old.:2thumb:


----------



## CatWoman

I have about 20 or so gallon plastic jugs of water that I got from Kroger. I'm mainly storing those for bathing and such, so i think I'm okay on just keeping them stored. They're in my closet and it's dark in there all the time and they're never rotated. If I'm wrong about that, please let me know!

I've also collected "a lot" of regular bottled water stored in the same place and I just started rotating them recently after I read somewhere about the possibility of them turning bad over time. How long of a time should they be considered good for drinking?


----------



## VUnder

CatWoman said:


> I have about 20 or so gallon plastic jugs of water that I got from Kroger. I'm mainly storing those for bathing and such, so i think I'm okay on just keeping them stored. They're in my closet and it's dark in there all the time and they're never rotated. If I'm wrong about that, please let me know!
> 
> I've also collected "a lot" of regular bottled water stored in the same place and I just started rotating them recently after I read somewhere about the possibility of them turning bad over time. How long of a time should they be considered good for drinking?


Key thing, you have water. Even if you have to boil it or filter it, you still have the water. Put a barrel under the edge of your overhang and keep it full, you can filter and drink it too. My neighbor keeps one and they use it for coffee and tea, likes that fresh water. Got to noticing that everything was tasting funny, ended up having an old tom cat in the bottom of the barrel, so keep a wire top on it. But, good thing is it didn't even make them sick, just sick to think about it. Cat woman likes those tom cat stories.


----------



## jjwilson72000

I keep a good supply of the 5 gallon jugs that are used for a water cooler. I leave them sealed in a dark corner of the basement where they get no sunlight. Culligans says the water will be drinkable indefinetly, but I plan on switching them out every few years.


----------



## JayJay

jjwilson72000 said:


> I keep a good supply of the 5 gallon jugs that are used for a water cooler. I leave them sealed in a dark corner of the basement where they get no sunlight. Culligans says the water will be drinkable indefinetly, but I plan on switching them out every few years.


jjwilson...what is the difference in your water in the basement and my water from the faucet in 30 gallon drums that I keep in the garage??


----------



## Norse

The thing about water is, YOU WILL EVENTUALLY RUN OUT. Storage water does go bad. In some cases really fast.

If you live in a large city, lack of drinking water will most likely kill you first, unless some roving band of maggots shoots you for what water you did store.

The trick for storing water is TO ROTATE IT VERY OFTEN.............and make sure it is sterile.

At any rate, you can only store so much water. Even if you had a indoor pool.

Best bet is to PLAN AHEAD< and locate possible inexhaustible sources of water.
Eventually in any long term situation, YOU WILL RUN OUT and need to either secure a source, or go to a place water is available. 

Perhaps design a system to capture runoff through your roof gutters, down to a filter system, and a possible UV light source, and, or a chemical disinfectant setup. 


Even if you live in the desert there are certainly known water sources.

Stored water should simply be changed out often enough to not worry about it going bad. After that ALWAYS HAVE SEVERAL OPTIONS OF OBTAINING MORE.


----------



## JayJay

Norse said:


> The thing about water is, YOU WILL EVENTUALLY RUN OUT. Storage water does go bad. In some cases really fast.
> 
> If you live in a large city, lack of drinking water will most likely kill you first, unless some roving band of maggots shoots you for what water you did store.
> 
> The trick for storing water is TO ROTATE IT VERY OFTEN.............and make sure it is sterile.
> 
> At any rate, you can only store so much water. Even if you had a indoor pool.
> 
> Best bet is to PLAN AHEAD< and locate possible inexhaustible sources of water.
> Eventually in any long term situation, YOU WILL RUN OUT and need to either secure a source, or go to a place water is available.
> 
> Perhaps design a system to capture runoff through your roof gutters, down to a filter system, and a possible UV light source, and, or a chemical disinfectant setup.
> 
> Even if you live in the desert there are certainly known water sources.
> 
> Stored water should simply be changed out often enough to not worry about it going bad. After that ALWAYS HAVE SEVERAL OPTIONS OF OBTAINING MORE.


Why can't the stored water be left in the sealed drums and when needed, have the calcium hypochlorite treatment or run it through my Berkey.
I have 600 gallons in 30 gallon drums along with 2 liters, juice containers, bleach containers, lots of containers full.


----------



## Norse

JayJay said:


> Why can't the stored water be left in the sealed drums and when needed,


That is fine, but if it sits still for a long time, it will taste like shit because of oxygen stagnation.

You can fix this provided you can simply oxygenate it by agitation, but most advocates simply suggest keeping it FRESH.

Most municipals supply very clean water that is fit for storage right from the tap, and very cheap in most cases.

It is just simply a better and more effective means of making sure your water is fresh and ready to use.

I personally would not want to have to rely on water in a plastic barrel that has sat for 10 years compared to 2 or 3 months.



JayJay said:


> have the calcium hypochlorite treatment or run it through my Berkey.
> I have 600 gallons in 30 gallon drums along with 2 liters, juice containers, bleach containers, lots of containers full.


That is fine, but remember, YOU WILL EVENTUALLY run out. Ever drink water that has been stored in one of those blue barrels for a couple of years?

IT TASTES JUST LIKE THE BARREL.

Unless you are using something like glass or stainless steel for a container, your water will eventually taste just like your container.

This could potentially be fatal for very young children who will not drink unfamiliar, strange tasting water.

Even using water sparingly, 1000 gallons is not really that much. if shit gets really bad.

ALWAYS ATTEMPT TO OPTION SEVERAL SOURCES OF WATER.

A person, depending on body fat content and overall mass, can go a long time without food, but you are toast without water in two days.

Never underestimate the importance of survival sources of water, it is the #1 priority below securing personal safety in a hazardous situation.


----------



## JayJay

That is fine, but remember, YOU WILL EVENTUALLY run out. Ever drink water that has been stored in one of those blue barrels for a couple of years?

IT TASTES JUST LIKE THE BARREL.
(that's why I have enough Tang, Koolaid, Country Time, Fruit Punch mixes, and instant tea and coffee to feed the county--with the Berkey and yes, I have extra filters)

Unless you are using something like glass or stainless steel for a container, your water will eventually taste just like your container.

This could potentially be fatal for very young children who will not drink unfamiliar, strange tasting water.
(I have no children)

Even using water sparingly, 1000 gallons is not really that much. if shit gets really bad.
( I plan on using the 30 gallon drums for rain catchment---and you didn't answer my question about the Berkey.)

ALWAYS ATTEMPT TO OPTION SEVERAL SOURCES OF WATER.
( I know where the creek is and have found a pond or two)

Now, your turn---how much water you got stored????

Ever see the movie 127 hours?? NOtice the nasty water the hiker drank from the rocks when he released himself...we will not be in a sterile or perfect environment; get used to it--I'm a country girl and a little plastic 'twang' taste from my drums is fine with me; even if the Berkey, boiling, or calcium hypo doesn't remove it.
Peace..JayJay


----------



## Norse

JayJay said:


> That is fine, but remember, YOU WILL EVENTUALLY run out. Ever drink water that has been stored in one of those blue barrels for a couple of years?
> 
> IT TASTES JUST LIKE THE BARREL.
> (that's why I have enough Tang, Koolaid, Country Time, Fruit Punch mixes, and instant tea and coffee to feed the county)with the Berkey and yes, I have extra filters.
> 
> Unless you are using something like glass or stainless steel for a container, your water will eventually taste just like your container.
> 
> This could potentially be fatal for very young children who will not drink unfamiliar, strange tasting water.
> (I have no children)
> 
> Even using water sparingly, 1000 gallons is not really that much. if shit gets really bad.
> ( I plan on using the 30 gallon drums for rain catchment---and you didn't answer my question about the Berkey.)
> 
> ALWAYS ATTEMPT TO OPTION SEVERAL SOURCES OF WATER.
> ( I know where the creek is and have found a pond or two)
> 
> Now, your turn---how much water you got stored????


Not much, because I have numerous places to access the largest aquifer on the North American continent.

Also, I am quite adept at treating water from anything, from the local creek that runs through my property, to stagnant pond water.

What people don't realize that if it comes to that, most people "Lock up" when it comes to drinking strange water.If you have not spent time in the woods drinking out of a creek through a filter, don't wait till it is under stress to learn the 'Do's and Don'ts. Remember, even if you have access to say well water or some other "Wild" source, its makeup, taste and content can give you digestion problems, and diarrhea. Even chemically safe water can affect your system, be prepared to deal with constipation and diarrhea.

A old woodsman trick, if you are in a pinch and have life threatening diarrhea from drinking strange water, take charcoal from a wood fire 'Make sure the wood you are burning is not pressure treated with chemicals, like railroad ties"
and grind it into a paste and mix it in with your water. The carbon in the ash neutralizes the various impurities in the makeup of anything you are digesting, and passes it out of your system bonded to the carbon molecules.

READ THIS BEFORE USING CHARCOAL AS A REMEDY< IT WILL MAKE YOU PUKE.......

Sword Of Survival: Medicinal Use Of Charcoal


----------



## jjwilson72000

JayJay said:


> jjwilson...what is the difference in your water in the basement and my water from the faucet in 30 gallon drums that I keep in the garage??


The only thing I could think that could be different is if you have city water they usually put flouride in it. Other than that I pay 4$ for 5 gallons of water and you pay pennies for the same. I guess I am just paying someone else to seal it for me.

On the taste topic...I dont really care what my water tastes like as long as it won't kill me. I will have higher priorities in that situation and taste is a luxury. In survival situations people will drink urine, blood, pretty much anything wet to avoid dying.


----------



## BridenSolutions

Norse said:


> That is fine, but if it sits still for a long time, it will taste like shit because of oxygen stagnation.
> 
> You can fix this provided you can simply oxygenate it by agitation, but most advocates simply suggest keeping it FRESH.
> 
> Most municipals supply very clean water that is fit for storage right from the tap, and very cheap in most cases.


As I understand it, normal municipal tap water has a shelf life of 12 - 18 months. You can actually add oxygen to the water with a product called Aerobic Oxygen, and this can give you a water shelf life of up to 5 years.

Either way you are going to need to rotate often and as others have said, have multiple options. Store what you can, and then have various methods of purifying/filtering to extend your stock.


----------



## Saiga12_489

I have a buffer of 5,000 gallons of water. The deep well fills the tanks, and the tanks feeds the house. The water is always circulating and being replenished. It also has gravity feed in case of power outage, however I do have a portable generator to provide power for the pumps to refill the tanks. I am working on getting PV Solar to provide power a a primary source of electricity.


----------



## goshengirl

Saiga, that is so impressive! Gotta show those pictures to DH..... !


----------



## Norse

Saiga12_489 said:


> I have a buffer of 5,000 gallons of water. The deep well fills the tanks, and the tanks feeds the house. The water is always circulating and being replenished. It also has gravity feed in case of power outage, however I do have a portable generator to provide power for the pumps to refill the tanks. I am working on getting PV Solar to provide power a a primary source of electricity.


Unless some idiot with a .50 cal comes by and just to be a *******, shoots your tanks full of holes.


----------



## AlabamaGal

I keep "regular" storage in Aquatainers and replace every 6 months. I also have rainwater collection with about 600 gallons of capacity, which I use to water the edibles (gravity-fed) that need it but generally speaking would provide about double the capacity I'd need for drinking and cooking between rains here. The tanks are semi-hidden, meaning you'd have to pretty much know they were there and go looking for them.

Since rainwater is not the cleanest, I have gravity filters in storage, too.


----------



## JayJay

Norse said:


> Unless some idiot with a .50 cal comes by and just to be a *******, shoots your tanks full of holes.


Exactly why my 20 drums with other containers are in the 2 car attached garage...noone knows they're there unless they come inside the garage---they're not in view from the road even with the doors open.


----------



## wolfer

I recently purchased a pair of Berkey Black Filters and made my own berkey filter system with one of the filters and two plastic food grade 2 gallon buckets with lids. They stack one on top of the other with the top bucket containing the filter and a lid. Another lid attached to the bottom of the top bucket by the berkey filter and a bottom bucket with a berkey spiquet near the bottom. I am also in the process of building a 3 55 gallon blue plastic drum rain barrel system with a manifold at the bottom and a faucet. I can use it to water the garden or fill a bucket and take it to my Berkey filter system to make it potable. I was warned not to use white or clear barrels because the sun will make them get algae inside. The blue are better. I will take some pictures of both systems however I did get the idea off u-tube videos. I adapted them to suit me.


----------



## ReconCraftTheta

No, not really. 

Like 10101 said, it can only be contaminated.


----------



## prep4daworst

Why dose the gov and other sources on the internet tell you that stored water only lasts 6 months? Would it still be good longer if canned in mason jars?


----------



## Saiga12_489

Norse said:


> Unless some idiot with a .50 cal comes by and just to be a *******, shoots your tanks full of holes.


I'm out in the country, and the tanks are now safely hidden in a building that looks more like a garage than any thing else. Plus they were never in view from the road. Farmers in the area have similar tanks for storing liquid fertilizer and such, so most people in the area would think that my water tanks are for that use too.


----------



## Saiga12_489

goshengirl said:


> Saiga, that is so impressive! Gotta show those pictures to DH..... !


Thanks GoshenGirl.


----------



## nanosilver

Bacteria, yeasts, even moss will eventually grow in stored water, if the organisms are present in it when it is stored. They knew thousands of years ago to use silver lined casks or to put pure silver coins in in stored water. Napoleon, Alexander, etc., all did this on their military campaigns. The more savvy American settlers moving west did the same. Silver colloids added to water will greatly extend its storage time.


----------



## BillM

Water never goes bad. You might have to clean it or disinfect it but it won't go bad !


----------



## BavinD

Has anyone tried the Super Tanker water storage. They hold up to 250 gals and take less room than a couple of blue barrels


----------



## bgblok68

BavinD if you're talking about 55 gallon blue barrels there is no way 250 gallons can take up less room than 110 gallons.


----------



## BillS

bgblok68 said:


> BavinD if you're talking about 55 gallon blue barrels there is no way 250 gallons can take up less room than 110 gallons.


Not unless you're buying dehydrated water from this site 

http://www.buydehydratedwater.com/

(If you search for "dehydrated water" Google will warn you that the site contains fictitious information.)


----------



## fondini

That is bogus, PM me and I will send you solar dried water in 125 gallon batches. 

I'm selling it for $19.99 plus s&h of 11.95 

Buy now and get my seceret to a solar clothes dryer! At no additional charge! Just pay seperate s&h of $7.95


----------



## LincTex

bgblok68 said:


> BavinD if you're talking about 55 gallon blue barrels there is no way 250 gallons can take up less room than 110 gallons.


Just for the record, one 275 gallon IBC tote takes up the same amount of space (slightly less in one dimension, slightly more in another) than (4) 55 gallon poly barrels.


----------



## LadyIvy

So, I had several of these stored :
http://www.amazon.com/Reliance-Products-Desert-Traditional-Container/dp/B0002IW6IY

Went to rotate the water in them this past December, and several of the containers smelled REALLY moldy. Crap. So are these containers even useful at this point? or are they garbage. I am still trying to figure out long term water storage apartment style. I have a few large jugs of water (5 gallon) but it sounds like those large water jugs aren't any more sound than a 2 liter bottle. Glass would be an option but that is heavier than s*&t and I am concerned about my kids not being able to access the water if something were to happen to me and they were on their own.


----------



## swjohnsey

Send them to me, I will dispose of them.


----------



## Dakine

LadyIvy said:


> So, I had several of these stored :
> http://www.amazon.com/Reliance-Products-Desert-Traditional-Container/dp/B0002IW6IY
> 
> Went to rotate the water in them this past December, and several of the containers smelled REALLY moldy. Crap. So are these containers even useful at this point? or are they garbage. I am still trying to figure out long term water storage apartment style. I have a few large jugs of water (5 gallon) but it sounds like those large water jugs aren't any more sound than a 2 liter bottle. Glass would be an option but that is heavier than s*&t and I am concerned about my kids not being able to access the water if something were to happen to me and they were on their own.


I had some of those myself and my experience was extremely disappointing.

Some eventually leaked, others became unstable and leaked at the seams after having been moved (hand carried) while full. The plastic is thin, cheap and fragile! and I highly recommend people RUN away from this container as fast as possible. Do not spend any money on this. It's better than nothing, but it's not better than something dependable! and used food grade blue barrels in a variety of sizes are available for much better prices!


----------



## LincTex

LadyIvy said:


> I have a few large jugs of water (5 gallon) but it sounds like those large water jugs aren't any more sound than a 2 liter bottle.


There is nothing wrong with either of those options! 
Both are great water storage containers.


----------



## readytogo

As per the EPA,Water that has not been commercially bottled should be replaced every six months. But after Hurricane Andrew here in Florida, donated bottle water(many brands) was store in our warehouse(non-air condition),after 5 years management decided to dump it, I and many had some of that water ,never had a problem ,just as fresh as ever.


----------



## Halloween

It's water. If collected in a sanitary way it should last a long time. Point is sanitary! To be Honest if I were in 10 years of turmoil and discovered a case of water I would drink it and not second guess. Sometimes survival outweighs death by dehydration. We adapt - that is what we do!


----------



## Dakine

Halloween said:


> It's water. If collected in a sanitary way it should last a long time. Point is sanitary! To be Honest if I were in 10 years of turmoil and discovered a case of water I would drink it and not second guess. Sometimes survival outweighs death by dehydration. We adapt - that is what we do!


you may want to reconsider that position...

people do NOT "adapt" to giardia, they get poisoned and then suffer horribly!

people do not adapt to many other things that are flowing downstream either, so good luck with that unless you're filtering and inspecting.

Camping is different than SHTF survival, only in regards to volume. either way you do not want to get poisoned by "Its water"...


----------



## unbill

I have drank water 10 years old stored in plastic tank and treated with 8 drops of bleach per gallon of water, the water tasted fine and showed no signs of contamination.


----------

