Water storage? | TheaterFire

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Recent-Potato-6926@reddit

We have (12) 3.5 gal WaterBricks and (5) 5 gallon potable Jerry cans. We also have a WaterBob for the bathtub, as well as bottled water and store bought 2 gallon jugs as backup for our “immediate” need for the first few weeks, as there are only two of us. After that, we have water purification tabs, boiling, a water purification bucket/filtering system and a few Grayl Ultrapresses. I agree, that in order to be truly “prepared” for WORST case scenario you should have a nice “diversified” portfolio of options for short and long term, because well, that’s why we’re all in this group!

ALSO, DON’T forget about your pets and their water needs as well as their food needs. My pups drink more water per day than we do as humans, so factor that in as well for your preps, especially when considering getting an extra bag of food every month or so to have on hand.

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Soff10@reddit

I bought a rain barrel and down spout kit from Home Depot. It was full due to the very first mild rain. I played around with it then drained it, added pvc and connected it two several larger totes. Even though the water comes off a compost roof and my gutters are not perfectly clean. The water is pretty clean. I water most of my blueberries and my garden with only a mesh filter.

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fenuxjde@reddit

A lot of people on here will talk about storage, and I'm sure I'll get down voted as usual for saying this, but access to a renewable source with filtration systems will do you way better than a stockpile, which usually gets burnt though pretty fast.

In any crisis you want to estimate a gallon per day per person. For a family of 4 that's 28 gallons per week. 28 gallons takes up a ton of space if stored correctly.

A 100gallon rain barrel that you can run through a micron filter and boil takes up way less space and will replenish itself frequently unless you live in a desert.

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TrilliumHill@reddit

I completely agree in having a refillable solution, but it's worth noting the 1 gallon a day per person is a minimum, and won't be enough for more than about 3 days. Triple that amount for long term needs.

Assuming this is geared towards people in towns or cities, water won't stop immediately (usually). Your hot water heater will have 50 gallons or so in it. Those bathtub buddies or whatever they are called would be my choice for emergency storage if I had to store water

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n_dude1@reddit

Unless you have an Instant hot without a tank…

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ApresMoi_TheFlood@reddit

waterBOB

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Eredani@reddit

The short term advantage of water storage is that you can shelter in place if needed instead of potential exposure to the elements, biological threats, violence or radiation.

It good to have storage and treatment options.

But to your point, this sub often speaks in binary (either/or) terms.

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Jolopy4099@reddit

If you are planning to store long term, might as well start with drinkable water. Hose from a hose is drinkable.

The longer it sits though you will eventually need to clean it before drinking it. Can boil or use purifying tablets they sell at most stores.

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Nyambura8@reddit (OP)

Do you mean water from a hose is drinkable? Or isn't drinkable?

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Eredani@reddit

Some here will argue against a garden hose as a contamination source. I think its fine for emergency water. But there are food grade hoses commonly used in boats and RVs combined with a good inline filter.

Some here will obsess about microplastics and other particulates but in a short term emergency these are not a major concern, IMO. And in an extended emergency there will be much more immediate problems.

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Jolopy4099@reddit

Its drinkable to me. It's the same water that feeds your faucet in the kitchen. Only part that is different is the hose attached or if you fill buckets direct from the spigot.

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I_VAPE_CAT_PISS@reddit

Food grade 55 gallon drums are the move. You can usually find them on Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace from folks who got them from food processing places. Fill from your garden hose, add about 1/4 teaspoon of unscented bleach per gallon, seal it up and forget about it for a year. Rotate annually. Don't put them directly on a concrete floor if you can avoid it, throw a pallet or some 2x4s underneath. The concrete can leach chemicals into the plastic over time apparently.

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Gadgetman_1@reddit

I have a few 10L(2.something Gallons) water cans lined up. All with screw-on lids, and a special lid with a tap that can be moved from can to can.

I picked 10L cans because most people can carry those. The same store also have 5L and 20L cans. 5L is just too impractical, unless there's small children, and my mother can't lift a 20L can.

I slapped on a piece of duct tape and used a sharpie to write the date I filled it on each of them. Never write directly onto a food-safe can. Never know what will or won't seep into the plastic.

note that my most immediate crisis that would require the use of stored water is if the inlet to the well freezes in the winter, and I can't get to it to break it up of melt it for a few days. And the well has a large reservoir...

It was frozen for at least a week back in January, and there was no need to break out the cans. We just didn't do any laundry that week.

Having plenty of underwear is one way to prepare, also...

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whaticism@reddit

There’s a small book dedicated to this, I think it’s even called the preppers guide to water storage or something like that, I picked it up on Amazon for 8 bucks years ago when I lived in the city.

The most important thing is to get organic stuff out of your water before storing it. And you can sanitize before use if storing it clean isn’t an option.

You can make bleach with salt, water, and electricity as well but I digress

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AlphaDisconnect@reddit

Flush your hot water heater. Twice. Now. And yearly. Fill your tub(s). You got two gallons in the back of every toilet.

Chloroflock. Does have a shelf life. But just buy as needed.

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Adorable_Dust3799@reddit

My household of 2 plus a dog uses about 1400 gallons of water a month. I could very easily cut that in half. 700 gallons is an assload of water to store.

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Sweet-Leadership-290@reddit

Holy crap. I have a household of 3, four dogs, 7 chickens and six goats. We go through about 750 gallons of water a month during the heat of the summer. I know because I haul water. I suggest you lost k for where you're wasting water!

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Adorable_Dust3799@reddit

Watering, wastful washing machine, and i love my showers, which is why i said i could halve that very easily. We're way below the US average for 2, but could also cut back.

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Sweet-Leadership-290@reddit

If you live in the desert SW it is imperative. If you live beside the Mississippi River - mehhh..

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NoFee7023@reddit

I keep 10 5 gal. jugs of purified drinking water at a minimum. I also keep camping jugs with tap water for non-drinking, and this (https://www.homedepot.com/p/Terra-Cotta-Rain-Barrel-55-gal-Model-TC-55-TC-55/312999960) rain barrel outside. I would love to expand, but space is my issue lately.

I also just realized recently that I can store water in water bottles that I'm not using. I had a stainless steel water bottle just sitting in my garage. That's when I thought about the fact that it doesn't have to sit there empty.

You will need more water than you think for drinking, and even more for non-drinking uses. Also, good to keep a little extra for your neighbors/family/friends who probably won't be as prepared.

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Remarkable_Chip_99@reddit

Something to consider if you have the space is getting a water cooler for your kitchen and keeping a rotation of 5 gallon jugs going from the grocery store. I keep at least 10 in my basement at all times and pull from it then get new ones on the weekly grocery run to keep the par level.

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NoFee7023@reddit

I thought I was being dramatic by keeping 10 at a minimum, but you just made me feel normal!

I used to hate having to go to the store and haul the jugs around. I always thought delivery was probably too expensive. I just found a guy that delivers $6 a bottle with a $2 delivery charge. I'm paying less and having it delivered! Definitely worth checking in your area for something similar.

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WhereDidAllTheSnowGo@reddit

Water. Diversity is key: - Case of water in yer car trunk - 70 gallons for 2 person-weeks at home, say in 1-7 gallon jugs, to cover typical suburban conserved drink, cook, wash, and flush needs - Blue, used, food-grade, 55 gallon barrels (~$15) sanitized w/ pool shock.
- Rotate all above yearly. - Bathtub, trash bins, sinks, or other large, hasty-tap-filled containers - Local, bulk source (stream, lake, swimming pool, well, rain collectors - Sawyer filter w/ Micropur tablets backup (or similar combo, see: - https://www.outdoorgearlab.com/topics/camping-and-hiking/best-backpacking-water-filter - https://www.wideners.com/blog/water-filter-tests-for-survival - To really get into this, watch GearSkeptic on YouTube

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Skoalmintpouches@reddit

Many urban/suburban creeks/streams/river are considered “impaired” and not actually cleanable short of charcoal filters or distillation. Many have unsafe concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorus, or other run off from sewage treatment or agriculture.

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WhereDidAllTheSnowGo@reddit

As are many wilderness one where once was mining and petroleum

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whats_in_the_boxlady@reddit

You are better off putting an inline storage vessel within your house's current plumbing. This will keep it constantly fresh and when the pumping stops, you can drain it out. Easiest one is another water heater tank and you dont hook up the heater. Next best is a well pressure tank that doesnt have a bladder.

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OutlanderMom@reddit

We bought three of those camping cubes. They have a spigot and they’re square so they stack. Ours are 5 gallons each but I think they have other sizes. We use those for power outages (we’re on a well, so no power = no water pump) like hurricanes and branches down on power lines. We’ve also got a couple of food grade 50-gallon drums. I replace the water in those about every three years, and add a little plain bleach to prevent any algae or cooties growing. I fill them with the garden hose after letting it run a few minutes. If we use barrel water for drinking, I leave the water in an open pitcher overnight so the chlorine can evaporate. And then pour the water back and forth between pitchers a few times, to aerate it. Flat water isn’t very tasty.

If you get barrels, be sure to get a bung wrench for removing the cap, and a hand pump or siphon hose for getting the water out.

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GunnCelt@reddit

Tbh, my go to recommendation is 5 gallon jugs of water from Walmart and a rack storage system. Silicon reusable lids are a must, imo. I can refill each jug for $1 in the next town over and cycle through 9 jugs.

water

rack

reusable lids

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Nyambura8@reddit (OP)

Thank you!

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Chainsawsas70@reddit

You can often find 55 gal Blue food grade barrels for sale for $10+ (depending on your area and how much stock is on hand) but many of them have been used for storing vinegar so you will need to wash them out and use a bunch of water and baking soda to eliminate the smell and taste. (You could just rinse it out and fill it with water if you don't mind the vinegar aftertaste)

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MrMaker1123@reddit

I got food grade 5 gal buckets from a local bakery for free. I just had to clean them out. Then I bought a water spigot for $4, made a small hole, and put it on.

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LeanUntilBlue@reddit

I buy these water drums from Amazon. Arrived clean inside and out. Don’t forget to buy a wrench for the bung screws.

This is one of the cheapest $/gallon solutions.