# Water storage



## PipLogan (Apr 25, 2011)

At my work we use 55 gallon blue barrels with bleach and chlorine mixed together. My question is if I clean them out and use I for water storage would that be bad? I know about the leech factor but since chlorine and bleach is used to purify wage it would be ok? Thoughts?


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## hiwall (Jun 15, 2012)

While I can see the logic of your statement, I can not attest to the end result. Or I don't have a clue


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## ZoomZoom (Dec 18, 2009)

I'd give it a try. The chlorine will break down in a period of about 6 months IIRC. If it tastes too much like chlorine during that period, wash your whites with it. After 6 months I'd expect it to be fine.


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## Drumrunner (Sep 25, 2009)

*this may be useful*



PipLogan said:


> At my work we use 55 gallon blue barrels with bleach and chlorine mixed together. My question is if I clean them out and use I for water storage would that be bad? I know about the leech factor but since chlorine and bleach is used to purify wage it would be ok? Thoughts?


you may want to review this document regarding water


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## ZoomZoom (Dec 18, 2009)

Hey Drumrunner - Good to see you again!


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## Lake Windsong (Nov 27, 2009)

Drumrunner! Good to see ya. Good link, too.


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## Drumrunner (Sep 25, 2009)

*Hi again*



Lake Windsong said:


> Drumrunner! Good to see ya. Good link, too.


Hi also. Hope you have been staying busy prepping.


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## Marcus (May 13, 2012)

The only downside I see is you'll end up with whiter than white teeth.


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## LincTex (Apr 1, 2011)

I would just make sure the bleach/chlorine (same thing?) didn't have any other weird impurities.... but other than that, just fine for water. Store away!

You can get a lot of the chlorine out by pouring the water back and forth between two buckets for a spell.


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## PipLogan (Apr 25, 2011)

Thanks, link it's all pure grade stuff. Nothing but those two things being mixed in there


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## Padre (Oct 7, 2011)

PipLogan said:


> At my work we use 55 gallon blue barrels with bleach and chlorine mixed together. My question is if I clean them out and use I for water storage would that be bad? I know about the leech factor but since chlorine and bleach is used to purify wage it would be ok? Thoughts?


Since you would want to add chlorine to your water for storage the only issue with the leeching factor is if there is too much chlorine, I would try storing the water without adding any chlorine, then let it sit a few months before trying the water to see how strong the taste of chlorine is.


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## live4ever (Nov 16, 2012)

Padre said:


> Since you would want to add chlorine to your water for storage the only issue with the leeching factor is if there is too much chlorine, I would try storing the water without adding any chlorine, then let it sit a few months before trying the water to see how strong the taste of chlorine is.


If your barrel is clean no need to add chlorine good water and air tight seal


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## invision (Aug 14, 2012)

Drumrunner said:


> you may want to review this document regarding water


Where did this PDF come from? That is the most estensive thing I have read in a while... wondering if you have other docs like this on other topics...

Thanks for sharing!


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## Lake Windsong (Nov 27, 2009)

invision said:


> Where did this PDF come from? That is the most estensive thing I have read in a while... wondering if you have other docs like this on other topics...
> 
> Thanks for sharing!


Check out his previous posts and the link in his signature line to the drumrunner site. Download extravaganza!


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## Attila (Jan 30, 2011)

Do a search for the MSDS on chlorine. I will tell you from work experience were we used to use chlorine gas for biological control of cooling water, that as temperature increases chlorine gas, or even bleach will dissipate in strength. As chlorine comes into contact with water it starts to combine with water molecules and precipitates out a hydrocholric acid. Chlorine is CL2, when it reacts with H2O and creates HCL. And it is a weak hydrochloric acid. I am guess the drums at your work held sodium hyprochlorite, which is nothing more than industrial strength bleach. Rinsing the barrels and then allowing them to air dry should do the trick, but do a search for the chlorine MSDS for the chlorine and bleach you use at work. Actually, the MSDS should be available for you to read through at your work - this is an OSHA regulation: Right to Know.


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## Drumrunner (Sep 25, 2009)

*your welcome*



invision said:


> Where did this PDF come from? That is the most estensive thing I have read in a while... wondering if you have other docs like this on other topics...
> 
> Thanks for sharing!


Yes, I have a few documents. As for the water treatment pdf, a lot of it I wrote myself; I am a licensed water plant operator for Colorado. Perhaps you may find these of interest as well.


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## PipLogan (Apr 25, 2011)

Attila your right! I found out today that's the stuff. I'll get en rinsed out this weekend and see what's up!


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## Attila (Jan 30, 2011)

Good deal. Rinse them with water a couple of times and then allow the drums to air dry. I'd set them up bung end down with both bungs removed. Set a couple of wooden blocks or bricks on one side so the drum is tilted;this will drain any remaining rinse water and allow air to circulate. Let the drum(s) air our for a week or two, and you should have a nice clean drum.


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## PipLogan (Apr 25, 2011)

Perfect!!!


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## Viking (Mar 16, 2009)

The only thing I would add besides rinsing and airing out the barrel is to make sure the container itself doesn't leach chemicals into the water to be stored. The type of plastic can be an issue and choosing the right one could help as well the following types are rated as Recommended #2 HDPE, #4 LDPE and #5 PP. Others have shown from some studies to leach out some hormone disruptors and carcinogens, most notable being BPA. I'm sure this may be ridiculed but I for one am not going to take a chance, as there is just far too many cases of cancers showing up as we use less glass for storing foods and drinking liquids.


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## upstateprepper (Nov 15, 2012)

Hello fellow doers n shakers... Lol.. I am in the process of plumbing in 4- 275 gallon water containers in the house water line planning stage anyway while I recover from gout. How I see it.. Filter before the first tank plumb them in line with a bypass line around the bank then plan on filling the bank turn the bypass on then once a month turn the bank on an let the bank freshen up.. Any suggestions??


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## Viking (Mar 16, 2009)

upstateprepper said:


> Hello fellow doers n shakers... Lol.. I am in the process of plumbing in 4- 275 gallon water containers in the house water line planning stage anyway while I recover from gout. How I see it.. Filter before the first tank plumb them in line with a bypass line around the bank then plan on filling the bank turn the bypass on then once a month turn the bank on an let the bank freshen up.. Any suggestions??


Are you just filling them and not pressuring them?


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## LincTex (Apr 1, 2011)

upstateprepper said:


> Filter before the first tank plumb them in line with a bypass line around the bank then plan on filling the bank turn the bypass on


HUH? What?? Can you post a sketch?



Viking said:


> Are you just filling them and not pressuring them?


It sounds like he is using 275 gallon IBC totes, you can not pressurize those.


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## upstateprepper (Nov 15, 2012)

The tanks I am planning on using are the super tanks and yes pressurizing but low pressure so the stored water is kept very fresh but not wasted...


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## LincTex (Apr 1, 2011)

upstateprepper said:


> so the stored water is not wasted...


No waste involved or needed... why do you think the water needs to be "wasted" after a period of time?


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## upstateprepper (Nov 15, 2012)

Lol ok wrong choice of words... I want to use the water in the normal course of the day at low pressure in the house system so that the tanks are full n fresh all the time. I have had water stocks of friends go slimy or off because the didn't keep on top of it I want to make it a easy monthly process to cycle fresh through them and cut down on chemical use in the water.


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## Viking (Mar 16, 2009)

The reason I asked about pressurizing was that it doesn't take a lot of pressure to blow out plastic tanks as most larger tanks were not designed for pressure. Now if all tanks were commonly tied a single float cut off valve could be used, mechanical or electrical. My neighbor has this type of system, his water is pumped up out of the well with a submersible pump into a single 1500 gallon tank that pump is controlled by an electrical float switch, a check valved suction line coming from the bottom feeds a 1/2 hp pump which is connected to the pressure tank and out of it is the house water connection. The electrical float switch gives about a foot of water take down before asking for the well pump to kick in, that way there is a fairly frequent inflow of fresh water and in case of well pump failure the house feed pump can still supply water until the failed pump can be taken care of. In case of power failure a hose bib at the bottom can be used for emergency need. I'm trying to get him to put a 2500 gallon tank he has up hill enough for gravity feed with a pump through system like he's already using.


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## upstateprepper (Nov 15, 2012)

Ahh that gives me another idea to stew on... Thanks


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## cas4green (Nov 16, 2012)

Would be nice of you to share the wealth of bleach barrels letting fellow preppers pay for the shipping through UPS or something! LOL

Yes, a family friend once owned a chemical company and he would tell us rinsing a few times after a good dish soap wash would clean it for drinking water.

Caution - Dawn dish soap and bleach causes a gas like that of "mustard gas"!


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## cas4green (Nov 16, 2012)

Lake Windsong said:


> Check out his previous posts and the link in his signature line to the drumrunner site. Download extravaganza!


"Extravaganza"! Where on his site is this? I even did a search and came up with nothing!


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## Lake Windsong (Nov 27, 2009)

cas4green said:


> "Extravaganza"! Where on his site is this? I even did a search and came up with nothing!


http://drum-runners.survivaltimes.info/

That's the link in his signature line. When the site comes up, click on the 'Free Downloads' link right there in the middle of the screen. Bam. Extravaganza.


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## cas4green (Nov 16, 2012)

Lake Windsong said:


> http://drum-runners.survivaltimes.info/
> 
> That's the link in his signature line. When the site comes up, click on the 'Free Downloads' link right there in the middle of the screen. Bam. Extravaganza.


Thank you Lake Windsong,

I went to the page and I looked through the "spectacular" list below, but did not see the magical "Extravaganza" button right in front of me as it appeared to be explained previously!

Yes, I do know your expression for the overwhelming list of free downloads was an Extravaganza, I simply wanted that button to be there as a quick download!


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## Lake Windsong (Nov 27, 2009)

sorry for causing confusion


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