FoodWaterStorage.com

If you’ve ever ingested unclean water, you probably already know the terrible effects it can render on the human body. Some of the most common side effects from drinking unclean water include dysentery, cholera, typhoid, fluorosis, malaria, etc. If left untreated, these side effects easily lead to death. In virtually all unexpected catastrophes, clean drinking water won’t be available so it’s critical to understand how to purify your drinking water.

The best water storage plan in the world won’t be of any use if you’re away from home when disaster strikes.

With some methods of water storage such as a 55 gallon outdoor rain barrel, you’ll also need to purify the water if you intend to use it for drinking, cooking, or hygienic purposes. If possible, it’s always best to purify water by using two or more purification and disinfection methods to get the cleanest water possible.

Boiling

Obviously the most common method of purifying water in an emergency situation is boiling it. Boiling water can kill harmful pathogens. Boiling won’t remove any debris or sediment, so it’s a good idea to first strain the water you’re boiling using a coffee filter, cheesecloth, or some type of clean, porous material to strain unwanted sediment. Boiling won’t remove chemicals like mercury, lead, etc., nor will it remove toxic metals or nitrates that may have contaminated the water. To purify water via the boiling method, simply bring the water to a boil for one minute. Afterward, ensure the water is covered while it cools off. The primary disadvantages of boiling water is the energy required to bring the water to a boil (especially if the electricity’s out) and the fact that it doesn’t remove chemicals, nitrates, and toxic metals.

Filtration

Filtration systems are another viable option used to treat and purify water. Leaders in the market such as Berkey Water Filtration Systems not only filter harmful contaminants such as Cryptosporidium, Giardia, E. Coli, Vibro Cholerae, Salmonella, etc., but also are a great value because there ceramic filters can be cleaned and reused. Unlike boiling water which doesn’t address issues such as foul odor or taste, a Berkey system uses ceramic or carbon filters (depending on the model) which contains a carbon core
to reduce bad taste and odors. In addition, these filters also remove many types of chemicals such as herbicides, pesticides, etc.

Chemical Treatments

Finally, the last method of water purification this article will address is chemical treatment methods. By far, the most common chemical methods are chlorine and iodine. Chemical treatments are most effective when combined with boiling water first and then treating the water after it has cooled. The portability of chlorine or iodine tablets and powders make them attractive for scenarios in which you’ll be traveling. Although they’re a great supplement to have around, they’re not the best option to rely on to purify our water storage.

Summary

In closing, it’s essential to have a firm understanding of how to not only store water, but also possess the knowledge and equipment to purify it. Never trust the cleanliness of water by its appearance. Even the most pristine mountain creek can be contaminated with chemicals and other harmful pathogens. Try and master at least two methods of purifying water before an unexpected event to not leave anything to chance.

It’s all about perspective.

Hindsight is a unique point of view that intelligent, rational people have used to prepare for the unexpected and come out ahead for centuries. The perspective of looking back to prepare and anticipate what is to come is often ignored in favor of the latest trend as if history will never repeat itself.

This is simply not realistic.

On one hand, any rational individual knows that the unexpected will eventually happen. Disaster in one form or another will eventually strike. Yet, now more than ever, it seems that the vast majority of the population is simply content to let calamity transpire and do nothing to prepare for it.

The loss of ones livelihood, deteriorating macroeconomic conditions, increasingly frequent natural disasters, geopolitical and social unrest haven’t disappeared nor will they. To be blunt, it’s simply not realistic to expect federal or state governments to have the resources required to provide food and water to their citizens in times of need.

So given the widespread availability of water in developed countries, is it really necessary to store water?

Absolutely.

In this article as the title obviously suggests, you’ll learn why storing water should be the first item you accomplish. Without a doubt, water storage and purification is the most important element of being prepared. After all, with the human body consisting of 60% water, a human being will die in just 3-4 days without water.

Yes, storing food is also essential to being prepared for the unexpected but given that most people can last several weeks without eating, it’s clear to see that having clean water on hand takes precedent over having food available to eat. Given the widespread availability of clean water in the U.S., it’s understandable that most people simply don’t think it’s necessary to have any type of water storage plan in place.

If they get thirsty, they can simply go to the faucet and get water straight from the tap. If they’re not at home, they can go to the store or a restaurant and buy water. But what happens when they go to the tap and no water comes out? Or there’s a power outage and the water treatment facilities go offline thus rendering the water unsafe for consumption.

In recent memory is the extended drought in Texas where water is being rationed in some areas, if available at all. The drought has severely impacted water supplies to the extent that the water pressure is so low that in some small, rural town’s the water system simply doesn’t work. All the water has to be distributed in bottles.

Although this example is extreme, there are still many other scenarios that are played out with much greater frequency that cause disruption to the availability of water supplies. Some of the these scenarios include power outages that impact water treatment facilities, water pipelines bursting or being rendered useless to extreme cold weather, contamination to a local water supply that is unable to be treated in the short term,drought conditions, etc.

It’s very easy to take water for granted but as soon as it becomes unavailable you’ll quickly notice just how dependent on it you are in your daily life. Obviously, the most important usage for water is consumption to keep the body hydrated. But water is used in many more ways than just drinking it such as hygienic uses (showers, baths, shaving, etc.), cooking, cleaning, agriculture, and even to create energy!

It’s surprising to see just how much water is used over the course of a day, you can get an estimate for you or your family by using this handy water consumption calculator the US Geological Survey created. With such a reliance on having clean water, hopefully you’re starting to see why it’s so critical and potentially life saving to have a solid water storage plan in place.

So what can I do about this?

As the site name suggests, FoodWaterStorage.com’s sole purpose is to provide easy to understand, practical information on how to help get you started in storing food and water. It may seem like an impossible task at first, but soon you’ll see just how easy it is to accomplish both of these tasks without breaking your budget.

Now that you understand the main reasons why you should store, learn how the best methods of water storage or read more about methods of water purification.

Storing water along with having the knowledge and capability to purify your stored water should be your top priorities in putting together your long term food storage plan. Although most humans can last 3-4 weeks without eating food, they will die in just 3-4 days without access to clean water. It’s easy to take water and its many uses for granted when it’s readily available, so if you’re not sure why you should be storing water and learning how to purify it, check out our Why Store Water article first.

According to the U.N., the average American uses approximately 105 gallons of water daily. It may sound like an unbelievably high estimate, but when you stop to think about the convenience of running water for its many uses such as drinking, baths/showers,lawns & gardens, pets, etc.; it makes sense. Based off the large daily amount of water consumed, it’s clear to see that for 99% of the U.S., it’s unrealistic to store up enough water to cover much more than a few weeks at best. Just to store enough water for a household of 2 adults under normal levels of consumption for month would require several thousand gallons of water.

As we mentioned before, having the capability to store thousands (or even hundreds) of gallons of water is simply unrealistic for most people. Yet, it’s essential to have some water on hand to anticipate the unexpected. It only takes one catastrophic event to truly appreciate how much water is taken for granted. There’s a few steps of planning you’ll want to tackle before you take any action of storing away water. First, decide how many individuals (including pets if relevant) you’ll be storing water for. Once that figure is determined, try and store away three days worth of water for each covered individual. In a true emergency hopefully you won’t be using your stored water for unnecessary uses such as extended baths/showers or watering your lawn so plan on storing between 5-6 gallons of water per person, per day. These 5-6 gallons will cover drinking water as well as extra water for cooking, cleaning, and hygienic uses. Assuming once again there are two adults, it will require 30 gallons of stored water to cover three full days.

Methods of Water Storage

There are several options for how to actually store the water. First, let’s start with common mistakes that many people new to water or food storage make – storing cases of water bottles or 1 gallon jugs. Besides the common problem of BPA and other toxins found in plastic water bottles and jugs, they simply aren’t designed for long term storage or use. In many instances, 1 gallon jugs are only designed to last about 12 months. After that, they’ll begin to break down rendering them ineffective for storage purposes. Cases of water bottles or jugs are bulky and are difficult to store in bulk. If you do choose to store some water bottles or jugs, ensure they are composed of a food grade plastic quality. Also, be sure to observe the expiration date on the plastic to rotate them out of your water storage. Take care not to stack your cases more than 3 high to avoid the cases on the bottom slowly being crushed over time.

For homeowners or those who have a bit of extra space such as a garage or yard, a far more efficient option is to store your water in 50-55 gallon sized rain barrels designed for water storage. These barrels are composed of HDPE (the same plastic resin as food grade buckets), and many also include basic features such as a spigot for dispensing the water and a mesh lining on top to keep out yard debris and insects. There are many styles of rain barrels available to match any type of outdoor house decor if style is a factor to you. One of these barrels supplies enough water for two adults for 3+ days. Your buildings gutter system can be routed into the barrel to collect the excess water or you can simply fill it up from an outdoor spigot. Keep in mind that water weighs about 8 lbs per gallon, so a full barrel will weigh approximately 400 lbs!

WaterBrick

Another water storage option is the WaterBrick. WaterBricks have traditionally been used for humanitarian and relief purposes but have gained popularity for preparedness uses. Unlike water bottles or jugs, WaterBricks are designed to stack on top of each other enabling them to be stored efficiently in closets, under beds, etc. They are also made of HDPE food grade plastic and can also be used to store food or water. WaterBricks come with a handle that makes moving them around very manageable. The main drawback to using the WaterBrick system is their price. Coming in at approximately $18 for the standard 3.5 gallon size, it puts it out of some people’s price range. Bottom line is if you can afford it, the WaterBrick system is among the best method of storing water.

WaterBOB

Finally, a great back-up option to add to any solid food and water storage program is the waterBOB.  The waterBOB consists of a food grade liner that is attached to your bathtub.  It’s important to understand that the waterBOB is a great supplement to add to your water storage plan but it’s certainly not the only source of water storage you should be counting on. They’re not re-useable and in some instances if no water is dispensing from the tap, it’s useless. Scenarios that would provide you with advanced warnings such as oncoming storm systems, planned water line disruptions, etc are the most likely events in which the waterBOB would be extremely useful.n an emergency you simply attach the waterBOB to the bathtub faucet and fill it up. It will store up to 100 gallons of water and includes a spigot for dispensing the stored water.

Now that you know how much water you want store and the type (or types) of vessels you’ll use to store the water in, it’s time to cover a few methods of water purification.