Disasters can strike at any moment, and they can come in different forms. Situations like hurricanes and quakes can leave you isolated, where power and water get cut off even in a situation where your home maintains its structural integrity. For that, you need to find a secure way to stockpile water for these kinds of disasters.
To help you look in long-term disaster situations, we will look at ways on how to store safe drinking water. These methods and tips can help you combat water shortage in such a crisis. Read on to learn how to store water today!
How Much Water Should You Store?
This is one question that you should start with if you wonder about how to store safe drinking water. To start, think about how many people are in your household. For each person, store up to one gallon of water per day as a general rule.
Now, for how long you should do this, consider these time periods. You can go from a three-day to a two-week period to stockpile for your water supply.
Which Containers to Use?
The containers for storing water would vary in size. You can use water bottles that can hold up to a gallon or more. Water jugs are also a great option to have for drinking water
You can also use smaller water bottles, usually capable of holding 16 to 32 ounces. If you need a larger amount of water for storage, consider using massive drums of water. Some of these can store up to 55 gallons of water per drum.
Once you have containers available, make sure to clean and prepare them for water storage. Follow these guidelines for sanitizing the water containers.
Store-Bought Water vs. Non-Store-Bought Water
For the case of bottled water purchased from stores, you have them as your safest source of drinking water in such emergencies. One tidbit for this is to check the expiration date printed on the bottles. This way, you can check if you can still consume the bottled water without issue.
Another source of drinking water would be from a public water supplier. For such cases, storing them in various containers would need proper labeling. Make sure to label these containers as Drinking Water, and also include the storage date.
For non-store-purchased water, these do not have an expiration date indicated on them. With that said, the rule of thumb is to replace the unused water stored in the container after six months.
Storing Water and Other Pointers
Part of this preparation is in finding a clean water source. In the case that there isn’t one and what was within reach is a contaminated source, you have to disinfect the water. You can do this by boiling the water or with the use of disinfectants.
For storing water, keep these water containers stored in an area with a 50-70°F room temperature. Use fresh and clean containers to avoid contamination.
Learn How to Store Safe Drinking Water Today
Once you know how to store safe drinking water, you have the knowledge needed to prepare for emergencies. This way, you can address the water situation when such a problem comes up.
Want to learn how to store drinking water? There’s more to learn about stockpiling water. Check out more of our guides to learn how you can stockpile water and other items in case of emergencies today!
