# Water storage



## brandonnash (Mar 11, 2013)

What's the best way to store water using 2 liter bottles? When we get sodas that's usually how we buy them and instead of just throwing them away I figure I could start storing water.

What can I do to help prolong the life of the water for clean drinking? I have seen in some catalogs water that has 30 year shelf life. I would be OK with less than that but don't want to have to redo them every 6 months.


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## www.BigBugOutTrucks.com (Mar 14, 2013)

brandonnash said:


> What's the best way to store water using 2 liter bottles? When we get sodas that's usually how we buy them and instead of just throwing them away I figure I could start storing water.
> 
> What can I do to help prolong the life of the water for clean drinking? I have seen in some catalogs water that has 30 year shelf life. I would be OK with less than that but don't want to have to redo them every 6 months.


Buy a few of these Amazon.com: Lifesaver Bottle 4000 Ultra Filtration Water Bottle: Sports & Outdoors 
and then buy a few of these or other type of storage device http://www.govliquidation.com/auction/view?auctionId=6179233&convertTo=USD&addtowatchlist=true


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## paraquack (Mar 1, 2013)

Everything I read says, 6 months is the limit. The only other way I could guess at would be "canning" water as you would food. And that's just a guess.


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## PaulS (Mar 11, 2013)

Water from your tap and sealed in a container with 12 drops of chlorine bleach per gallon will keep for over a year.
I use 1 gallon milk jugs and after the cap is screwed on I seal it with heat shrink tubing - the kind with the sealer in it.


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## www.BigBugOutTrucks.com (Mar 14, 2013)

water does not go bad, its always water but the problem is things contaminating it. Store it in large containers and process it as needed, in that way you will not have to constantly exchange it. The lifesaver4000 is good for 4000 liters of water before filter change. Thats 2 years worth of water for one adult. life saver also has larger units.


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## Verteidiger (Nov 16, 2012)

It depends on your housing situation and storage space available. Reusing soda bottles does work but the water has to be treated to resist algae and staph growth. Staph can infect your brain and kill you. Using chlorine bleach in measured specified ratios will help stop algae and staph. And you can filter the water and re-oxygenate it to improve taste, but water stored for months still has an off-taste; okay in survival situations.

Storing two liter bottles seems like a waste of space compared to other options. But it will work and is economical. If you live in an urban setting, it is a viable option, but I would still rotate your supplies.

Personally, I can take a simple tarp, some rope, and five gallon buckets and catch more water in a rainstorm than can be stored. I bail more storm water off my boat covers after a light rain than most people will need in emergencies. You should filter it before drinking, obviously (rainwater contains bacteria and pollutants, just falling from the sky). But I am always amazed at how so many people are mystified by how to get freshwater - go to any island and see how they collect rainwater for drinking, showers, toilets, and irrigation. Cisterns have existed since Roman legions marched for Rome.... 

If you have adequate rainfall and filtration (or distillation) you have drinking water. Think about it.


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## brandonnash (Mar 11, 2013)

I do have plenty of rain during the year. The summers as of late have been a bit dry but I am also just a short walk away from a creek that always has water and a little further walk from a river. So those can be used if needs be during the summer. Also I could use the humidity of Tennessee summers to my advantage if it came to it. 

I would boil any water I keep anyway. I guess the algae is the thing I think about most. I may end up building a large filter system out back at some point with charcoal and sand.


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## grinder37 (Mar 1, 2013)

Algae,although not desired in your drinking water,is not harmful.It actually helps filter the water further by consuming unwanted and toxic (in high enough concentrations) nitrites,nitrates and phosphates.I run a saltwater reef aquarium and purposely grow algae in a separate tank plumbed into my main display tank for natural water filtration helping prevent algae and cyanobacteria growth in my main tank and helps keep my water cleaner.But I do agree with preventing algae growth in a drinking water container by using a better container.

I have 4 55g BPA free new food grade barrels for long term (flushed and filled once a year) as well as a 4 55g barrel rain collection setup with filters,how ever,even filtered,I would still boil or bleach ANY rain collected water.Do you know how many birds shit on my roof?lol

Also to help improve the taste of stored stale tasting water,simply pour it back and fourth from from one clean container to another,this will re-oxygenate and raise the ph level greatly helping improving the taste.


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## www.BigBugOutTrucks.com (Mar 14, 2013)




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## paraquack (Mar 1, 2013)

Paul S. are you using actual milk jugs that once held milk. Everything I've ever read says it is nearly impossible to wash sufficiently to remove the proteins from the milk and they would contaminate the water. How did you solve that problem or is everything I've read BS?


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## PaulS (Mar 11, 2013)

It is not hard to clean a milk jug. Hot water and detergent is all it takes. The jugs are food containers and unless you let the milk sour in them it it easy to clean.
They stor well in cool dark spaces and if you build shelves it makes it easy to rotate them out. Protein and fats do not bond with food grade plastics.


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## IngaLisa (Jan 31, 2013)

One issue that we have to deal with, besides bacteria and fungal growth, is the fact that any groundwater source is going to have pollutants. I live in what is considered to be a fairly idyllic, water rich, country setting, yet, CAFOs in our area have contaminated pretty much ALL of the wells in our county. Nitrate levels are very high and the water can not be fed to infants under 6 months. If nitrates are high, there are also other pollutants in the form of agricultural chemicals. You can't boil them out. We use an RO system and if the grid is down, I can't power that. I need to find a way clean that out of my water. Other regions of the country where fracking is going on, will have very bad water too. It's very difficult to find good water any more.


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## paraquack (Mar 1, 2013)

What about *activated* charcoal filters for the chemicals, etc?


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## IngaLisa (Jan 31, 2013)

No I don't think that will work for nitrates and pesticides. I believe some one mentioned using a pressure canner and collecting the steam via a rubber tube and then that water is OK to drink. Distilling the water. I do want to point out to those who plan on bugging out to rural areas, that the water quality in rural areas is often poor these days. I am looking at putting in a hand pump, but before I put that kind of money into my well, I want to be assured that distilling that water gets out all the crap that is in it. We have several CAFOs in our area, and they are horrible polluters. My water tests at 22mg/L for nitrates, I can only extrapolate what else is in there. I assume a lot of other stuff is in my water. I have an RO, but, if the SHTF, I assume power will be out and even if I can access water in my well via the pump, it is still not the best water to drink. (It looks and tastes fine, but, it's the stuff you don't see or taste that is the problem.) If SHTF, the CAFO that is about 3/4 miles away could be an issue for us. I have no idea what they do with several hundred thousand chickens and no electric! Ugh.


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## paraquack (Mar 1, 2013)

Anybody know what reverse osmosis does as far as pollutants. I know it takes dissolved salt out of sea water.
I guess if the SHTF I'd be using anything an everything to store water, chest freezer, kiddie pool, garbage cans, etc. Although I know it's possible, I look at a scenario where I would be cut off from assistance for a few months and figure my most likely way to survive is to bug in. Just in case I have to bug out, almost all my preps are stored in 12 gallon to 18 gallon storage tubs. Bugging in would allow me to re-purpose those tubs for water storage. I always keep a few gallons of bleach on the shelf and rotate the stock. Fortunately I also have the capability the catch rail water from roof. My BOL has creek about 150 yards away, a one acre pond. I'm going to check out reverse osmosis. I know it needs the water under pressure, but I figure I could always create an elevated system (homemade water tower) to give the pressure.One of my water filtration systems is a home built "Berkeley" but with one extra stage (settling/disposable activated charcoal filter, 0.2 micron, and a ceramic filter). I'm also thinking or adding a regular disposable water filter.


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## grinder37 (Mar 1, 2013)

paraquack said:


> Anybody know what reverse osmosis does as far as pollutants. I know it takes dissolved salt out of sea water.


 Yes it does.I have a saltwater reef aquarium that I use a reverse osmosis with a de-ionization stage attached.A RO system typically includes a small micron rated sediment filter stage,a small micron rated carbon block filter stage and then the RO membrane itself.When properly setup,they can be 97% efficient at removing most anything harmful in your water.A great brand to check out is Spectrapure.My tap water comes out of my faucet at around 170TDS (total dissolved solids,basically anything in your water that is not water) after coming out of the ro unit (before the DI stage) it puts out around 4TDS,making for excellent tasting drink water.You do not want the DI stage for drinking water as it will strip the water of nessisary elements/minerals that your body needs to properly rehydrate itself.

The downside in a shtf scenario is they require at least 40 to 80 psi of pressure to operate,so without a strong booster pump to feed it,it would be useless.


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## paraquack (Mar 1, 2013)

Thanks for info, 90 foot tall "water tower" would only give me about 45 PSI. Possible but not plausible. Will have to think about that.


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## grinder37 (Mar 1, 2013)

Berkey makes drinking water ro systems that are gravity fed with no power or pressure required.My unit is more setup to my aquarium needs than for drinking water..


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## Will2 (Mar 20, 2013)

water is water, you won't die immediately form drinking water that has been around for 6 months, if you can filter and/or boil it, it is still water. You might have some toxins or bacteria in the water, adding a little bit of high proof alchohol (liqour) to top off the bottle may help.

you could shock it but personally I'm not a fan of chlorine shocking water.. with bleach I have a 0.02 micron filter 
I'd sooner pour old piss in it and inhale, well not really but it is a lasts resort.

So yes you can use water that has been stored for more than six months. Last year I drank my full container of more than 6 month stored water and I'm still alive. It was actually 8 months old so, if you are in a disaster and your like I CAN'T drink that bottled water it has been stored for more than 6 months, slap yourself hard and drink it, purify it if you can but DO not for a second think water stored for more than 6 months will kill you, drink fresher safer water sources if you have them but it is still better than piss, which if also is not desalted will also dehydrate you.. drink the water not the piss. its only BPA's people have been getting this stuff in plastic bottled stuff for years and cancer rates are not an epidemic. bacteria is free protein, if you can't see it just eat some mushrooms after or a little silver, or some vodka, works for spetznatz.. run it through a silver footed antibacterial militia sock if you have to or some level 2 ecws undies or shirt. I'm pretty sure they are all antibacterial treated.

bpa plastics are apparently banned in Canada now anyway, in baby bottles ....


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## Rambo Moe (May 9, 2013)

For old 2 L pop bottles, add 1 L of water and 1 teaspoon of unscented household bleach. Swish around to get all of the inside area.

Wash out thoroughly with water.

Fill the bottles with tap water. If your city doesn't treat water with chlorine, add in 2 drops of chlorine and screw the cap on tightly.

You probably shouldn't use any container that has had juice or milk in it before, as sugars are fats can be very difficult to fully remove, and they will breed bacteria.


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## paraquack (Mar 1, 2013)

Rambo Moe said:


> For old 2 L pop bottles, add 1 L of water and 1 teaspoon of unscented household bleach. Swish around to get all of the inside area.
> 
> Wash out thoroughly with water.
> 
> ...


I know some will disagree with Rambo's advice, but I've read the same advice against milk and juice jugs in a couple of different places that milk and fruit juice jugs can't be cleaned sufficiently to get rid of the proteins that attach and leech into the poly.


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## PrepperDogs (May 12, 2013)

paraquack said:


> I know some will disagree with Rambo's advice, but I've read the same advice against milk and juice jugs in a couple of different places that milk and fruit juice jugs can't be cleaned sufficiently to get rid of the proteins that attach and leech into the poly.


I've read about the milk jug issues as well. The wife was quite miffed because she cleaned and sterilized approximately 50 milk jugs. But it wasn't worth the "if factor".


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## PaulS (Mar 11, 2013)

Well I have heard about problems with milk jugs too but I have personally stored water treated with 12 drops of liquid bleachfor over three years and the water was fine - the bleach was a bit strong but it was drinkable. I stored them one level three deep with a piece of 1/2" plywood on top and another level on top of that in a basement. Never had a leak, never had any failure at all. I washed them with dish soap and hot water and rinsed with hot water. I let them dry after that (I washed them as soon as I emptied them) If you feel the need to remove stubborn proteins then rinse them with Hydrogen Peroxide and then with hot water. I never did that but I know that Peroxide will break down any protein. the fats are completely removed with hot water and liquid dish soap. The soap is anti-bacterial and biodegradeable and it's made to rinse freely without a residue.
Your mileage may vary but in the six years I stored it I never had a problem and at three years I would use the water and refill with fresh. I stored 72 gallons that way and when you add the 50 gallon hot water heater it was over 100 gallons ready for use.


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