How Much Water Should I Store?
6 comments
One of my most commonly addressed subjects that the general public doesn’t seem to know much about is water storage. Storing water is one of the most overlooked items in emergency preparedness, but it is easily one of the most important. Water is commonly one of the first things to become contaminated after a disaster, but it is essential to living. Death caused by dehydration can occur in 5 days or even less in hot weather, but drinking water isn’t the only thing we need to be prepared with. We also use water to clean injuries, cooking and eating supplies, and for personal hygiene.
It’s important to know how much water you should store. The Red Cross recommends a minimum of one gallon per person per day in an
emergency situation. In colder or warmer temperatures the need for water is even greater. The need for water also increases with exertion.
We recommend that you have at least 3 different way to access your water:
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- Large barrels are perfect for storing large amounts of water, but are obviously not portable since when full they can weigh over 400 lbs. In a disaster that allows you to stay in your home, (a ‘Shelter-In-Place’ Emergency Situation), this is the best water storage solution. Even in the United States people have been confined to their homes due to severe storms, ice storms, major blackouts, and in extreme situations earthquakes and tornadoes; and any of these can cause a need for your gas and water to be shut off. It’s also important to remember that Food Grade plastic is only plastic ideal to store water in since it will not contaminate the water andextends it’s storage life.
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- Portable water containers are appropriate when you are forced to evacuate a location. (a.k.a. Grab-N-Go Emergency Situation) An excellent example would be a 5 gallon stackable or collapsible water container. Again, make sure that you are storing your water in “Food Grade” Plastic which can extend your storage time to over 5 years. Other plastics are only good for holding water for about 1-2 years.
- You also need a way to purify water if you have a source, but it’s unsafe to drink due to contamination. An optimal tool to use in this situation would be a water filter. Just remember to get the maintenance kit to keep it functional when you’re on the go since you wouldn’t be able to order replacement parts in an emergency situation. I recommend any of the MSR or Katadyn water filters. I especially like the MSR MiniWorks for what it can do and the cost. Also, chemical purification using water purification tablets like Potable Aqua and AquaMira are a safe, effective and relatively fast way to clean your water.
17 years ago
Comments
17 years ago at 9:23 PM
I am putting together a car kit, and all sorces suggest water. However, I live in a very hot climate, and cannot find anywhere information on if it is okay for the water to get really hot. Does heat lesson storage time? Does heat destroy drinking water? What type of water would be safest - in boxes, in pouches, or in plastic? I worry about plastic leaching. Thanks.
8 years ago at 3:18 PM
Water is fine -- heat cannot destroy water or it's potability.
Generally the issue is water loss - if not sealed or vapor build up if sealed.
The containers might be affected by the heat -- it might degrade the plastic.
These plastic containers have almost nothing to leach - hence the food grade label. Even if they did, no water -- you die quickly. The chemicals might affect you over many years.
10 years ago at 7:28 AM
I have heard that purchased bottled water is not a good thing to keep in your trunk in a hot climate. I have heard of a few women getting breast cancer that was contributed to them storing bottled water in their vehicles for long times and then drinking it as their sole water source for a long time.. I am a nurse (have been for 34 years) and this came from a reputable source in the health care industry.
9 years ago at 10:56 AM
Will the metal water bags that come with the collapsible water storage kit split or break if the water freezes? We have hot summers and cold winters where I live and before I purchase the storage kits, I was wondering how do the bags react to freezing and thawing?
4 years ago at 7:31 PM
If a container is in danger of freezing, don't fill it completely full. Always leave about 15% capacity unfilled to allow the water to expand as it freezes. If you live in a cold climate and don't already know that, it's time to start paying attention. You do insulate your outside faucets in the winter, don't you? If the heating is going to be out for any length of time you do turn on your faucets and let them run in the house if the temps are going to be below freezing, especially if you have pipes in the overhead instead of in the slab or if you have pipes in an uninsulated crawl space. If you have not been doing that, you have been skating on the edge of having your house flooded when the pipes thaw out. If you let the water run, it won't freeze.
Water doesn't expand that much when heated. Especially the kind of ambient outdoor heating you are talking about. While115 is incredibly hot for us, it still is 103 degrees away from boiling. That's not very hot. If the water actually somehow miraculously get to boiling, I doubt that the water container will melt. It might get soft, but ask yourself under what circumstances will the water reach boiling temps sitting in a closed up car? If your answer is: Never. You winn the prize.
4 years ago at 7:24 PM
You have two choices. Don't drink plastic bottled water and die of dehydration immediately. Or, door number 2: Take a chance and drink the plastic bottled water and worry about dying of cancer in 20 or 30 years. MAYBE. Perhaps the women would have gotten cancer anyway.
There is so much urban legend about cancer, its causes and so-called cures. Did you ever notice that the cancer that the substance is supposed to cure or cause is never delineated? There are so many types of cancers unique to the part of the body where it develops. Pancreatic cancer is different from brain cancer and they both are treated differently. As a nurse, you should have been trained to peer beyond the stated. The next time you hear somebody telling you a substance cures or causes cancer, pin it down. What kind of cancer? What is the statistical occurrence in the general population viz a viz what you are telling me.