# 5 gallon water bottle caps



## Eyes Wide Open (Oct 14, 2010)

I just learned of a spring near me. I have a bunch of 5 gallon water bottles, the kind offices have for their coolers. But the caps that came with them were one-use caps. Are there any good caps I could use to fill these containers with spring water and take them home? Of course I already Googled this and see there are caps but it got me wondering if the caps are any good or if they leak all over the place. So if you've used any and can recommend a brand, I'd love to hear it. 

My husband asked me if this spring is tested for safety and I said "um... I doubt it." I'm thinking it's just one of those things, you don't test your well water every day either. Tap water isn't exactly pure. Spring water is basically as good as it gets, and like everything in life, there is a little risk. Am I right? What do you think? 

:flameproofundies: <- I just put those there because, wow, it's underwear.


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## Common Tator (Feb 19, 2008)

You might want to get a purifier. A Big Berkey if you can afford it,or even a Pur that gets rid of Giardia, Chriptosporidium. Then you should be OK.


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## JuliaAnn (Dec 7, 2004)

Hope somebody answers this, because I have a few I'd like to try using for brew containers, but have no lids to poke an airlock through...


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## Batt (Sep 8, 2006)

Try some of the Scientific supply houses. If there is a college nearby, perhaps the chemistry lab could help, or just look online. And a Big Berkey and you're all set.


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## Just Cliff (Nov 27, 2008)

Have you thought about using a big cork and wiring it down like a bottle of champagne? 

Or you can try one of these. You may have a Brew House supply nearby you may be able to try different ones for the price

http://www.thebeeressentials.com/equipment/carboy-caps.shtml


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## unregistered29228 (Jan 9, 2008)

I don't know if this will help you, but I found several options on the internet when I typed in "5 gallon water bottle caps"

http://www.amazon.com/Easy-Load-No-...5IMM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1292793168&sr=8-1

or maybe this:

http://www.h2osplashwaterfilters.com/stdbottlecaps50.html

http://beprepared.com/product.asp?pn=WS J102&name=WS J102&bhcd2=1292793399


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## mpillow (Jan 24, 2003)

I've heard of making covers for old quart milk bottles with hot glue...havent tried it but it stands to reason....make a big round of glue , press the container into it "to mold" and let it harden...


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## ||Downhome|| (Jan 12, 2009)

you could use seran (or simular) wrap to seal them up. maybe a bit of duck tape for good measure . by no means a permanet or reusable solution but doable.

five gallon buckets equipped with a spigot would be best IMO. easy to clean and stack able. if you install the spigot in the lid you
can just swap the lid from bucket to bucket as needed rather then a spigot per bucket. be real easy to make a rack for it too.


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## MichaelK! (Oct 22, 2010)

Eyes Wide Open said:


> Spring water is basically as good as it gets, and like everything in life, there is a little risk. Am I right?


NO!

Any surface source of water is susceptable to contamination, be it chemical or microbiological. 

Cows can come drink at your spring, dump there, and contaminate the water with E. coli.

Your neighbor might be spraying 2,4-D on poison oak, which drifts over and lands in the spring.

Nitrates from nearby farm fields may have perculated down into the water table, which drains out at your spring.

It might be as natural as the native rock in your area bearing lead, mercury, or arsenic which leachs into the water.

If you can cap the spring, surround the area to keep out animals, and pipe the water into a secured storage tank, you might expect clean water to stay clean. Don't assume anything though untill you've had the water tested.

Good luck though,
Michael


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## manygoatsnmore (Feb 12, 2005)

I have to agree with Michael, and for the same reasons.

If you are set on using the bottles for spring water storage, after testing the water or filtering it properly, how about using a water balloon for a cap? They make balloons specifically for making into water balloons that are stretchier in the neck area (so you can stretch them over a faucet for filling). Something like that should stretch to cover the top of the water cooler bottles, and snap back around the neck of the bottle to form a water-tight seal.

I came across 3 of those cooler bottles a while back and plan to test this idea myself as soon as I remember to pick up a package of balloons in town. In my case, though, I think I'll store rice or salt in the bottles.


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## Esteban29304 (Apr 29, 2003)

I have bought the right size corks from a hardware store & used them. I used those jugs for water storage but have seen some use them for beer/wine making , etc.


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## mpillow (Jan 24, 2003)

Springs in my area are tested by the town and the results are posted usually at the Spring... at least they were in the past..but who knows with the budget cuts?


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