# How long can I store water?



## sparkysarah (Dec 4, 2007)

We have been filling 2 liter soda containers with water. I wash, fill and add 8 drops of bleach. We are storing in our crawl space which stays the same temperature as the house, so no extreme heat or cold. I certainly do not want to drag hundreds of 2 liter bottles out to empty and refill every 6-12 months. Is there a maximum time You would leave them? I'm thinking I should have used 5 gallon jugs at this point, heavier but fewer of them. What are your thoughts?


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## sparkysarah (Dec 4, 2007)

Also...can I just leave them for the long haul as long as it is aerated and filtered before using?


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## Ernie (Jul 22, 2007)

8 drops of bleach in 2 liters of water? Is that even drinkable? Blech.

Do you have the means of getting some sort of storage tank? I paid $150 for a 275 gallon drop tank. It could be put up in a basement on a couple of pallets and filled up at leisure.


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## sparkysarah (Dec 4, 2007)

Uh oh, is that too much? I thought it was the standard. The only place I can store water is in the crawl space. It would freeze in the garage, which would be okay as long as I don't fill it, but it wouldn't be readily available in the winter. Thank you for your input!


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## Ernie (Jul 22, 2007)

sparkysarah said:


> Uh oh, is that too much? I thought it was the standard. The only place I can store water is in the crawl space. It would freeze in the garage, which would be okay as long as I don't fill it, but it wouldn't be readily available in the winter. Thank you for your input!


I'm not sure how much is the standard, but that seems like a lot. 

"Readily available" is going to be the trick. You would have to stop thinking in terms of "I want a drink of water right now" and start thinking in terms of "I will want a drink of water later today." Just take the frozen bottles inside during the day and put them by the woodstove to thaw.


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## sparkysarah (Dec 4, 2007)

I was thinking in terms of a 275 tote in the garage. I have ample space in the crawl space for small containers.
I just now finally got 6 months supply of food stored away only to find I am severely lacking in water storage. We have a large river on the other side of the houses across the street, but I don't want to depend on it. At least not in the short term. 
I might have to rethink things?


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## Ernie (Jul 22, 2007)

sparkysarah said:


> I was thinking in terms of a 275 tote in the garage. I have ample space in the crawl space for small containers.
> I just now finally got 6 months supply of food stored away only to find I am severely lacking in water storage. We have a large river on the other side of the houses across the street, but I don't want to depend on it. At least not in the short term.
> I might have to rethink things?


You have a river?? Why wouldn't you want to depend upon it? Is it contaminated? They make filters and stuff for that.

I guess now we get into your belief system. Are you planning on storing water for a short term emergency or for a long term one? Or a permanent one?


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## sparkysarah (Dec 4, 2007)

More so for short term storage. We are on the downriver side of town. I guess I worry about the whole town needing to use it in various ways if the SHTF. Am I thinking this through wrong? Lol, that's why I'm asking


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## sparkysarah (Dec 4, 2007)

But then, if we were Ina true SHTF scenario, there's no question we would be getting water from the river and filtering. 
I was looking at this wrong...


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## Jim-mi (May 15, 2002)

While your thinking seriously look into a substantial water filter....
There is a couple big reliable names of filters that would be a real prep item to have . . because of that "river"
That could be $$$$ money well spent.

Yes with 8 drops per 2 litre it will store a very long time....
But your sure not going to like the taste........


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## homstdr74 (Jul 4, 2011)

sparkysarah said:


> But then, if we were Ina true SHTF scenario, there's no question we would be getting water from the river and filtering.
> I was looking at this wrong...


Maybe instead of storing so much water (you should have some on hand), just store more bleach or halazone (water purifier) tablets.


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## sparkysarah (Dec 4, 2007)

Right now I have a couple UV steripens in our BOBs. What kind of filter do you recommend? I wanted a berkey and was about to get one but then I started hearing a lot of bad about there filters. So...I haven't made a purchase. I'm fine with just getting the filters and some five gallon buckets if I can find the right filters. Otherwise, right now I would have heat and bleach.


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## Ernie (Jul 22, 2007)

We've got a Berkey we've been using for two years. Haven't had any problems with it. 

I'd get some sealable totes where you could get 5 or 10 gallons at a time. You could always put them in a little wheelbarrow and push them down to the river to fill. 

Being downriver from a large group of people though would worry me. Seems like that's going to end up being the community bathroom.


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## sparkysarah (Dec 4, 2007)

That was my worry Ernie. 
Thank you everyone for your input and helping me "think out loud".
I will look into the berkey filters.
I have also thought about storing charcoal and sand, any input on this?


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## Ernie (Jul 22, 2007)

sparkysarah said:


> That was my worry Ernie.
> Thank you everyone for your input and helping me "think out loud".
> I will look into the berkey filters.
> I have also thought about storing charcoal and sand, any input on this?


In SHTF, the fires you'll need to cook on will produce all of the charcoal you would ever need, and I'm sure there's plenty of sand in your area.


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## Ernie (Jul 22, 2007)

Think about your biggest problems right now, Miss Sarah ... making some assumptions here based on your other posts.

You live in a populated area in Wyoming, along a river. There's multiple rivers there in Wyoming, but the landscape in general isn't conducive to large populations. I would think that, in your town, the vast majority of the food is shipped in from elsewhere.

You have no external source of water, so I am going to go out on a limb here and assume you probably don't have an external source of heat. Maybe a woodstove or a fireplace, but wood doesn't carry itself up to your porch and stack up on its own. And my trips through Wyoming didn't reveal just an enormous number of trees to begin with. Winters in Wyoming, from what I've heard, can be kind of unforgiving.

It seems to me that any prolonged event is going to leave you in a precarious situation just due to your proximity to this community that exists upstream from you. And what if those people in the houses between you and the river decide not to let you pass by? Or if they decide to charge a toll?


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## sparkysarah (Dec 4, 2007)

More to think about Ernie. Thank you.
We are working on getting a wood/coal stove. Lots of coal right here. 
We are definitely behind the game, but trying to catch up. Hoping to buy land in the next ten years, but want to be as prepared as possible in our current home. I have been trying to prep for many years. But the whole family is now on board and that has been ammo in itself.
Yep...lots to think about. Or maybe less thinking more doing


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## unregistered29228 (Jan 9, 2008)

I think the recommended amount of chlorine/Clorox is 10 drops per gallon, so you're a few drops over. But chlorine evaporates, so when you're ready to drink it you can pour it container to container to aerate and leave it overnight for the chlorine to evaporate.

Better to overtreat a little than have something lurking in your stored water!


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## belladulcinea (Jun 21, 2006)

Our water is so chlorinated that I fill my containers without the bleach. We will add some if we need to when they are used.


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## Becka03 (Mar 29, 2009)

interesting informative thread- I am replying to say that and so I can reference it!


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## K.B. (Sep 7, 2012)

ceramic water filter, a couple of 5 gal buckets and a spigot. affordable, long-lasting and easy.

http://www.monolithicmarketplace.co...ction/products/just-water-ceramic-drip-filter


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## Dan B. (Feb 23, 2014)

scribed for reference


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

I like these water jugs, http://www.walmart.com/ip/Blitz-USA-50863-6-Gallon-Plastic-Water-Container/16487628 , I bought some a few years ago , I change out the water about every year , i have tasted it and it seemed fine , I bleach them with a cap full of bleach and a gallon or so of water then seal and roll around , then i dump that out and rinse with chlorinated city water , then dump and fill also with chlorinated city water then put in the basement till next year or camping trip whatever comes first 

I like that one is basically a persons drinking water for 5-6 days and it is easy enough to pour from them into smaller containers like a water bottle without spilling and loosing valuable water 

they are about as big a water container as one person can move without help yet still portable 

I need to get around to ordering more


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## snakeshooter1 (Mar 8, 2009)

Tagged for future reference


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## lmrose (Sep 24, 2009)

sparkysarah said:


> We have been filling 2 liter soda containers with water. I wash, fill and add 8 drops of bleach. We are storing in our crawl space which stays the same temperature as the house, so no extreme heat or cold. I certainly do not want to drag hundreds of 2 liter bottles out to empty and refill every 6-12 months. Is there a maximum time You would leave them? I'm thinking I should have used 5 gallon jugs at this point, heavier but fewer of them. What are your thoughts?



I store water in glass jugs and bottles and keep it where it won't freeze and break. Never would use plastic to store water as chemicals in plastic might leach into the water. I change the water once a month using the old water in the jugs for washing clothes. We store water in case the power goes off.

We also have a dug well and installed a hand pump in the cellar with a pipe to the well. If the power goes off and the electric pump doesn't work we can always use the hand pump. I keep the bottled water for drinking and cooking as the power can go off suddenly. The hand pump works fine except it takes some use before the water runs clear. If it was used everyday it would be okay for drinking too.


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## TnAndy (Sep 15, 2005)

I would think plastic soda bottles would break down over time. I KNOW the 1 gallon jugs they sell water in do.....a year or two, and they sprout holes.

I wouldn't count on a plastic container too long term ( the small ones, not the totes )


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## countryfied2011 (Jul 5, 2011)

Becka03 said:


> interesting informative thread- I am replying to say that and so I can reference it!


Ditto


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## unregistered29228 (Jan 9, 2008)

GREENCOUNTYPETE said:


> I like these water jugs, http://www.walmart.com/ip/Blitz-USA-50863-6-Gallon-Plastic-Water-Container/16487628 , I bought some a few years ago , I change out the water about every year , i have tasted it and it seemed fine , I bleach them with a cap full of bleach and a gallon or so of water then seal and roll around , then i dump that out and rinse with chlorinated city water , then dump and fill also with chlorinated city water then put in the basement till next year or camping trip whatever comes first
> 
> I like that one is basically a persons drinking water for 5-6 days and it is easy enough to pour from them into smaller containers like a water bottle without spilling and loosing valuable water
> 
> ...


I have some similar ones - they're food grade, stack nicely, have a handle for easy carrying and pouring, have a vent that keeps the water from "glugging" when you pour, and they have a spout that can be reversed so it stores inside the container to keep it clean and protected. We use them for 1-4 days without water, before I break out the big barrels. I use some teflon tape around the threads of the lid, just to make sure they don't leak when I'm not looking. I got mine at Walmart, too.

http://www.amazon.com/Reliance-941003-Aqua-Tainer-Water-Container/dp/B0009RFMB6/ref=cm_cd_al_qh_dp_t


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## Cookie2 (Feb 21, 2014)

You can store water for as long as the container will hold it - lesson learned. I ended up tearing up my kitchen when we thought the pipes under the sink had frozen and cracked. Nope, it ended it being a plastic water jug that sprung a leak. It had been stored on the other side of the kitchen but water can be sneaky.

I agree with stored water even if you have a running water source near-by. Ask the people in West Virginia what they think about stored water.

Even if a leak would just end up in the soil under your house, you have to consider what effect that might have over the long haul. Water tends to attract critters like termites and rodents. Also, if you need to access under the house (broken pipe, insect inspections, wiring, etc) could you? In the end, I've decided I prefer to not have all my eggs in one basket so I tend to spread out my food storage.

Storing water is never easy. Just keep in mind, even if the water is stale, flat and turning green (dark or opaque containers are best), you can still make it drinkable. Good luck.


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## countryfied2011 (Jul 5, 2011)

We have 4 Aquatainers for in the house, they normally stay full in DH's bathtub since no one never uses it.
http://www.amazon.com/Reliance-Products-Aqua-Tainer-Gallon-Container/dp/B001QC31G6

We also have the WaterBOB 
http://www.amazon.com/waterBOB-Emergency-Drinking-Storage-Gallons/dp/B001AXLUX2

We have 10 50 gallon food grade drums, we use them under the downspots and let rain water collect in them that we can use for the animals.

We keep at least 10 cases of bottle water at all times.

I also keep a case of 4oz Water Pouches-64 to the case
http://beprepared.com/datrex-water-pouches-case-of-64-4-ounce-pouches.html

We have a creek and a lake within walking distance from our place and I have two life straws and two siphon hoses.

As far as long term storage...I have a 50 gallon food grade drum out in my barn office, it has been there about 4 yrs, last year I opened the top and it was still as clear as the day I put the water in it. I havent drank any but it still smelled good.


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## davel745 (Feb 2, 2009)

*How long can I store water?*

until your bladder breaks


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## Jim-mi (May 15, 2002)

My 5 gallon containers all have spigots on then. they of course store upright. But lay them on the counter with the spigot over the sink . . . .and wash the hands or draw a glass of water. Far easier that those "pour" jugs.


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## Dan B. (Feb 23, 2014)

Where is the best place to buy food grade 55 gallon drums?? I'm looking around but the shipping seems to be a killer on the investment.


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## unregistered29228 (Jan 9, 2008)

I haven't checked the shipping in a while, but the best price with shipping I found a year or two ago was Uline.com.

Here's a used, food grade one on ebay for $60, including shipping:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/55-gallon-I...astic-drum-BARREL-ohio-PREPPERS-/281272562397


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## Limon (Aug 25, 2010)

Dan B. said:


> Where is the best place to buy food grade 55 gallon drums?? I'm looking around but the shipping seems to be a killer on the investment.


Are there any soda bottling plants or other food packagers in your area? They often give them away or sell them very cheaply; the soda plants near here used to sell them for $5. If not, check Freecycle or Craigslist. The going rate in this area is $10-$20, depending on whether or not they've been cleaned out already.


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## Dan B. (Feb 23, 2014)

Ah-ha.......yes, there are several bottling companies w/in 30 miles of me. Made a list and will be calling them Tuesday! Thanks.

What about metal food grade barrels? I do have access to metal barrels that were used for fruit juice concentrate. They come with a lid, gasket and metal band locking ring. Bought several to store my animal food back in the barn. Can get them for $15 each.


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## countryfied2011 (Jul 5, 2011)

We had a friend who worked with Rich's (Baked Goods) Plant and ours had cooking oil in them before we got them. We were able to get them for free.

We also have some of the metal ones but DH uses them for corn that we get for the chickens from a farmer we know.


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## Dan B. (Feb 23, 2014)

BTW.....extremely sorry to the OP for the hijack.


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## CajunSunshine (Apr 24, 2007)

I am here to tell you that those 2-liter soda bottles will last for many years without leaking, even under impossibly harsh conditions. I had misplaced a few and found them over ten years later, in a shed...exposed to blistering heat and freezing temps. They were standing upright and because they were not filled all the way to the top, they survived freezing without any problems. I have also had some for years, riding rough-n-ready in my vehicle for emergencies, without a single mishap. 

I have not bought any new soda pop bottles in a few years, so I hope the new ones are as durable as the older models! Speaking of that....

Gallon water and milk jugs are _worthless_ for storing water. They are barely good for short term use! 

And speaking of potential leaks, having an inexpensive water leak alarm in your water storage areas is not a bad idea, regardless of what you store water in.

This alarm has some of the best reviews Out There (pack of 3 for around $30) : http://www.amazon.com/Zircon-Leak-A..._sim_hi_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=1Y6Z1MSDYJN9BDMQ5XR2

Let me tell you about the most durable water containers I have ever met:

For three years I rough-camped on my mountain homestead before my house was built. No running water, or electric, etc. I hauled water for me and my animals in a dozen of the Reliance brand "Aqua-Tainer 7 Gallon Rigid Water Containers." They stood up to rough service, and even withstood being frozen_ solid _in winter without leaking (don't fill them slam up!). 

Once, my truck's tailgate fell down while I was driving over a rough and rocky mountain road--uphill--and most of the filled containers tumbled out. Ouch. Only one of them busted, where it landed "just right", corner side down, smack on top of a pointy rock. That was over 15 years ago and I STILL have the survivors! 

If Reliance still makes them in the same durable way as they were back then, I heartily recommend them! I also like the fact they are BPA-free. Reliance also makes a soft, collapsible container, but I found they didn't hold up to rough service like the rigid ones. (I never tried the 5 gallon Reliance Aqua-Pac.) Tip: Do not stack them unless they are empty. Store upright.

They are widely available. Although a Google search will yield lots of sources, here is a good description and picture of what I have (I never ordered from this site, so I can't personally vouch for this company.) http://overlandsurvival.com/products/reliance-aqua-tainer-7-gallon-rigid-water-container (This picture does not show the handy-dandy spigot in action, but the spigot is hidden beneath the cap, inside the container, which helps to protect it during travel.)











.


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

I have a reliance , have had it for 14 or so years it is holding up well also , i like it to take for my hand washing station any where I am cooking away from good water , food stands , camping , and such the spigot broke many years ago I threaded it out and put a nice brass one that cost almost as much as the hole container but it gave me great control to let just a tickle of water out for hand washing

the blitz containers are easier to carry however , taller narrower , but the reliance do hold up well


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## sparkysarah (Dec 4, 2007)

I guess if soda which is highly acidic can be stored for years, water with a little bleach should be good. Thank you cajunsunshine, your input was helpful to me!


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## Jim-mi (May 15, 2002)

Those 55 gallon drums with the removable lids are the best for critter prof-ing dry stuff. Don't know as I would try to store edible liquids in them . . . .or use as rain catchment for the garden.

There are plastic liners available for the 55 gal drums....


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## texican (Oct 4, 2003)

Water never goes bad... it's still water... Over time, it might get algae or other things growing in it, but it'll still be water. Might not taste good, but if you're thirsty, you won't worry about taste. Been in a few tight spots before w/o water for 24 hours and when I found water, didn't care about how 'good' it was... tasted like nectar of the gods.

If I were storing water in totes, I'd probably paint them completely black, and store them out of sunlight (in the garage or protected place) so that algae couldn't grow. I'd keep plenty of extra ceramic filters around (make your own, cheaper) and plenty of fuels around to boil (that river water) if necessary.


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## manygoatsnmore (Feb 12, 2005)

texican said:


> Water never goes bad... it's still water... Over time, it might get algae or other things growing in it, but it'll still be water. Might not taste good, but if you're thirsty, you won't worry about taste. Been in a few tight spots before w/o water for 24 hours and when I found water, didn't care about how 'good' it was... tasted like nectar of the gods.
> 
> If I were storing water in totes, I'd probably paint them completely black, and store them out of sunlight (in the garage or protected place) so that algae couldn't grow. I'd keep plenty of extra ceramic filters around (make your own, cheaper) and plenty of fuels around to boil (that river water) if necessary.


^^This^^ is good advice.


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## CajunSunshine (Apr 24, 2007)

It's true, water all by itself may never go bad. But there are a few pathogens that can render the water dangerous (and potentially deadly) to drink. All it takes is a minutely small amount of contamination to render the whole lot unsafe. If it's possible do so, avoid trouble at the pass with good sanitation practices, as Texican brought out.

In the good old days before widespread biological and chemical pollution, unsafe water was never an issue with most people. Their immune systems were also a little different from ours today, on so many levels. For example, their diet was not polluted with certain immune-suppressing chemicals as ours, etc. etc. etc. 


.


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## brewswain (Dec 31, 2006)

A water heater is an easy way to store water. Some hold 55 gallons


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## 1stTexan (Apr 23, 2014)

sparkysarah said:


> More to think about Ernie. Thank you.
> We are working on getting a wood/coal stove. Lots of coal right here.
> We are definitely behind the game, but trying to catch up. Hoping to buy land in the next ten years, but want to be as prepared as possible in our current home. I have been trying to prep for many years. But the whole family is now on board and that has been ammo in itself.
> Yep...lots to think about. Or maybe less thinking more doing


I read your posts and Ernie's feedback, which were good. I saw no mention of preserving the water. It will only store for about 1 year in a stabilized environment like your crawlspace. Consider buying a preservative, which will let it keep for 5 years. But it is not cheap. Enough to preserve 55 gallons is about $16. For heat you might check Military Surplus (Coleman's) stoves. I think the wood burners would also burn coal without problems. The ones I have seen are usually less than $200. They won't heat a large area, but they install easily and are built to last. You may need 1 for each room if you want to be comfy.


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## Becka (Mar 15, 2008)

I stored water in 2-liter soda bottles and it lasted a year and a half, then the bottles started leaking. These were stored in a dark cupboard in the garage, so they did not get direct sunlight, just the temperature changes typical here in West Virginia. The bottles were filled almost to the top, so I don't know if that made a difference.


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## fishhead (Jul 19, 2006)

Does adding a few drops of bleach work to preserve water?


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## sparkysarah (Dec 4, 2007)

Fishhead, that's what I've been doing. I have started purchasing the five gallon jugs when on sale for 3.99. They are too heavy to move around in the crawl space, so I am looking for a storage spot.
My husbands uncle gave us an old wood burning stove. Needs some work, but we are very excited about getting it.
I did purchase a doulton ceramic filter and a sawyer zero point two. The sawyer will last a lifetime, I got the ceramic as a cleanable pre filter. 
We also built a coop and have 10 5 week old chickens in there whom will give us eggs in July/August.
As far as living in town and being near a river, I'm feeling better now than a couple months ago. I do look at the real estate fliers when they come in the mail. Would love to live out of town, it will come when it's suppose to.


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## Darren (May 10, 2002)

As mentioned by others, I'd be more concerned about a chemical leaching out of the plastic. There's a reason for that odd taste. As far as buying a Berkey, the issue was with the filter/candles that went inside the Berkey housing. the housing itself was OK. the filters/candles were probably sourced from China and they came apart when used allowing unfiltered water to bypass the filter.

You can make your own filter housing using deep stainless steel pots or plastic buckets. Just drill them to accept the Doulton filters and a spigot.


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## sparkysarah (Dec 4, 2007)

I had mentioned needing a new stock pot to my husband. Boy did he get me one for Christmas. It's 40? Quarts and a thinner metal, not heavy bottomed. It is absolutely huge and not something I can use on the stove top. You have me thinking it would be good for the lower half of a filter system. It would be a good use, I think.


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## Calico Katie (Sep 12, 2003)

BTW, when you empty a bottle of bleach don't rinse it out or throw it away, just fill the jug with water and store it as is. That was a tip given to me about 40 years ago when I lived in Salt Lake City. If you wouldn't feel comfortable drinking it, use it for washing with.


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## simi-steading (Sep 27, 2012)

If you have the river close by, you can make a filter similar to this... I have a 55 gallon drum I'm going to make one from since I am on a well, and power goes out often, some times for days... 

I have a creek on our property that is almost always running, even when it's not rained in a while.. I can almost bet when it runs clear it is drinkable, but I don't want to take that chance... 

Anyway, here's a graphic of a simple one.. You can also alternate layers, and place a cloth between them to keep the charcoal out of the sand and stone.. 

This would be great for you to use to filter the river water..


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## Harry Chickpea (Dec 19, 2008)

The _useful_ life of the soda bottles is about three years, but can vary a lot. The plastic degrades over time. If the water tastes vaguely "smokey" it is time to retire the bottle as a storage container for water.


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## terri9630 (Mar 12, 2012)

1stTexan said:


> I read your posts and Ernie's feedback, which were good. I saw no mention of preserving the water. It will only store for about 1 year in a stabilized environment like your crawlspace. Consider buying a preservative, which will let it keep for 5 years. But it is not cheap. Enough to preserve 55 gallons is about $16. For heat you might check Military Surplus (Coleman's) stoves. I think the wood burners would also burn coal without problems. The ones I have seen are usually less than $200. They won't heat a large area, but they install easily and are built to last. You may need 1 for each room if you want to be comfy.



Water will store forever if the containers dont break. You may have to filter/boil or aeriate it to make it taste fresh but it doesn't spoil.


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## Spinner (Jul 19, 2003)

I watched a video this morning where a guy compared several filters and decided the berkey is far the best and cheapest to use. Others had varrious problems, including one that had to be tossed and replaced after filtering 1000 gallons.

He did a few tests with the berkey. One of them was filtering water that had been stored in plastic barrels for 5 years, another was river water, one was swimming pool water that had been treated, and one was rain water IIRC. Berkey passed all tests with flying colors. I posted the addy of the video below. 

So my answer for how long can you store water would be that you can store it as long as the container will hold it, IF you have a berkey to filter it when it comes time to use it. 

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xC9iN_Kyico[/ame]


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## Harry Chickpea (Dec 19, 2008)

Spinner, you haven't been listening. The Berkey flaws have been discussed repeatedly. The Berkey blacks are the filter I would NEVER allow in our house.


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## unregistered41671 (Dec 29, 2009)

I have a Berky. My filters are some of the few good ones. I test often. When I purchase some more black filters it will be from aquarain.


http://www.aquarain.com/


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## Cyngbaeld (May 20, 2004)

THE number one killer of infants and children worldwide is diarrhea, mainly from unsafe water sources! Prior to the introduction of proper septic systems in the US, it was just as bad here. Check some of the mortality records of rural counties particularly before people had access to safe, clean water. 

You cannot store enough water to last till the grid is up and the water treatment plants are working again. If your source is surface water or a well that could be contaminated, be sure you have proper filters, or ONLY drink and cook with water that has been boiled.


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## Spinner (Jul 19, 2003)

Harry Chickpea said:


> Spinner, you haven't been listening. The Berkey flaws have been discussed repeatedly. The Berkey blacks are the filter I would NEVER allow in our house.


I understood that the problem was the glue that was used in older filters and it has now been fixed. Are the new filters still having the problem? I know several people who use berkey, including myself, and we've all tested ours and found no problems with them. Maybe we all got lucky and bought ours before or after the bad filters were out there.


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## Harry Chickpea (Dec 19, 2008)

The material in the filter itself is the concern. In all likelihood it is carbon block or primarily carbon. While not as bad as trying to glue something to teflon, gluing something to a material as weak as this is a problem. The glue could hold fine and the filter shear right next to it.


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## SugarMag (Jun 30, 2011)

If your source is surface water or a well that could be contaminated, be sure you have proper filters, or ONLY drink and cook with water that has been boiled.[/QUOTE]

Boiling does not kill giardia, present in many creeks and streams, because it encysts. Really, filter to be safe.
Just a heads up.


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