Storing Water for 25 Years… No Rotation

(SurvivalDaily.com) – Water is a vital part of life; the human body can’t go much more than 3 or 4 days without it. For this reason it’s important to store water for emergency situations such as hurricanes, tornadoes or earthquakes. Storing water is simple, but some experts recommend rotating your water every 6 months. Do this instead, and you’ll store water for 25 years without rotating.

A question commonly asked is, “How much water should I store?” Well, to answer this question, the minimum recommended amount is 1 gallon per person per day. However, this is the minimum, meaning if you can store more, you should. In fact, store as much as you’re able to; after all, the more, the merrier.

When it comes to storing your water, you should look for the labels “HDPE” and “2”. Of course, containers designed for long-term water storage are always a plus. Be sure to have more than one container to store your water. This precaution will help you avoid compromising your entire water supply with one accident or slip-up.

Cleaning the Container

Clean any containers before using them. Follow these steps:

Wash with water and dish soap.
Rinse the container out.
Mix 1 one teaspoon of unscented liquid bleach with 1 quart of clean water.
Tighten the cap onto the container and shake it, making sure every part of the container is coated with the solution.
Loosen the cap a couple of turns and invert the container.
Hold that position for 30 seconds.
Empty the solution out of the container.
Rinse twice with clean water.

Now you’re ready to start filling your containers.

Filling Your Container

Filling your container is as simple as using tap water to fill it. However, you should avoid using a garden hose to fill your container as it may contain bacteria or contaminants like lead. Now, filling a 55-gallon water container may seem difficult to do without a hose; don’t worry, you can — just make sure it’s an RV drinking water hose.

Container Storage

Your water should always be stored in a cool, dark and dry area. Don’t store the water in direct sunlight. Cover outside containers with a tarp. As with anything you wish to preserve, an air-tight seal is vital to long-term storage. Be sure to moisten the gaskets around the lid periodically to avoid dry-rotting, which will allow air inside.

There’s been some debate over whether you should elevate your container off the ground. Some experts say containers stored on cement or concrete can be subjected to off-gassing chemicals penetrating the barrel and contaminating the water. Elevating the barrels or containers is cheap and easy, and it’s certainly better to be safe than sorry, so elevate your container. Wooden pallets would work great for this.

Water storage is an important part of every prep. However, in the event that your supply has been contaminated or is no longer drinkable, you may need to be able to improvise. Check out how to purify water in a pinch, and be ready for anything.