# food-grade buckets for long-term water storage?



## oenopion5763 (Jan 17, 2018)

Hello everyone and greetings from the People's Republic of Connecticut! I'm new here, and I have looked through a lot of the threads and haven't found this exact question - but I apologize if it's a repeat.

I do not have a lot of room for water storage and I am always on the lookout for better ideas. Among a bunch of other containers, I have a dozen of the 7-gallon Aquatainer jugs filled and ready. They are pretty strong and come with a good spigot, but by the manufacturer's own website they are not supposed to be stacked when filled with water, so 12 of these things take up a lot of floor space. I'm not willing to take a chance and stack them anyway. I recently bought a few of the 3.5-gallon Water Bricks, which are nice and stackable but are very expensive for the amount of water they hold. I have seen the 5-gallon Samson Stackers, but I have not bought any. I did see on a couple threads that some people here really like them, but at $18-19 each on Amazon I wonder if there isn't a better way.















Has anyone used the heavy-duty, white, food grade 5-gallon or 6-gallon plastic buckets for water storage? I have many of them for food storage and they are excellent - strong, they take a beating, and they come with a good, secure handle. 
Since they are food-grade I think they absolutely could be used to safely store water, too - but if anyone disagrees then please let me know.

It seems to me that they might have two disadvantages for water storage, though. First, each 6-gallon bucket filled with water would weight around 50lbs, so if you stacked them too high (more than 3, maybe?) then the weight of the upper buckets would probably crack the relatively thin lid of the lowest bucket. But maybe this could be fixed by putting plywood or 2x4s in between each layer to better distribute the weight. Second, I think the buckets are made in plastic molds that leave seams - and over time the seams would fail. I'm not sure what could be done to fix that problem.

Emergency Essentials sells their 6-gallon bucket with a lid for around $11. According to their website their buckets are 90mil plastic, which is thicker than many other buckets that I have seen. Also, I have examined a few empty ones that I have around here and I cannot find a visible seam on the bucket - so maybe they are made in a different process, and the second disadvantage I mentioned is not a problem after all. If this works, I figure I could almost triple the amount of water stored in the same area where I have the Aquatainers now.









What does everyone think? Is this a decent idea? Has anyone tried this, especially with the 90mil buckets? What haven't I thought of?

All help is greatly appreciated - and thanks!


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## Boss Dog (Feb 8, 2013)

Heavy items always go on the bottom anyway. I don't know about 'real long' term as all plastic degrades over time. Some longer than others but, part of the degradation is a release of poly-type chemicals. Find a way to use and rotate your supplies and containers. Somebody will be along who has done the detailed research needed.

Also look into these, to be filled if you get any advance warning. Wouldn't want to keep the tub unavailable on a constant basis. I shopped and waited until I found a couple at $25 each.
https://www.amazon.com/WaterBOB-Emergency-Drinking-Storage-Gallons/dp/B001AXLUX2

Edit: Also, welcome to the forum. How about go here and introduce yourself to us? I'm getting bad about not looking in very often myself but, plenty of folks will tell you hey. 
http://www.prepperforums.net/forum/introduce-yourself/


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## 0rocky (Jan 7, 2018)

Might be much easier to keep a case or 2 of your favorite brand of bottled water on hand. My concern has always been contamination issues associated with long term storage. Thought about it and put $$$'s into a well. Unless nuclear fallout contaminates the aquifer the water problem is moot. ... of course, if any of us has to deal with fallout we have bigger problems on our hands other than water concerns. Unless, at that point, all of my problems go away.

Found an interesting link to water storage AND containers that may answer your question. https://www.artofmanliness.com/2014...how-to-store-water-for-long-term-emergencies/


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## A Watchman (Sep 14, 2015)

Think bigger .... water stores deplete quickly. My household rotates and maintains 20 cases of 20 oz water bottles, along with (2) 55 gallon drums set aside for emergency use. My nest project is to add an outside tank to collect roof runoff.

Those little containers, while handy and cool are not a good buy with their price point.

Welcome, how about an intro in the appropriate thread and tell us about being a prepper in Connecticut?


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## Redneck (Oct 6, 2016)

For long term storage, have you considered the 160 gallon stackable containers? I got mine from Emergency Essentials. I have purchased many of their 6 gallon pails/lids and they are very high quality. I put up my own rice, beans, sugar, etc. but I've used them for short term water storage too.

Was discussed here: http://www.prepperforums.net/forum/food-health-fitness-survival/73321-160-gallon-water-reserve.html


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## RedLion (Sep 23, 2015)

I got two 55 gallon food grade blue barrels with tops and bands for $20 a piece from a reliable source. I keep both full with water and do not rotate them as no reason to do so being stored in a cool and dark basement. I am a fan of the aquatainers for storage and being able to move and transport them. I have gotten them for $7 a piece at Walmart at times.


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## StratMaster (Dec 26, 2017)

Absolutely think bigger. Any room outside? I have an 1100 gallon container hidden in a side yard.


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## Slippy (Nov 14, 2013)

Norwesco 500 gallon tanks!:vs_closedeyes:
View attachment 66706


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## Back Pack Hack (Sep 15, 2016)

A Watchman said:


> .............. My nest project is to add an outside tank to collect roof runoff..............


Plan on treating the living crap out of it all if you're going to ingest it. And I mean living crap. Living, as in bacteria and such, and crap, as in birds and small animals.


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## oenopion5763 (Jan 17, 2018)

Thanks everyone for the replies.

I didn't want to bore everyone in my original post with a full rundown of what else I have - but I do have a couple WaterBOBs, plus a couple of the blue 55-gallon drums (plus a few more destined for rainwater collection come spring time), plus 10-12 cases of water that I rotate regularly. I do appreciate the suggestions, though - you never know what you've never heard of. Oh - and I do have a well here; no city water.

Boss Dog - is it true that all plastic deteriorates over time and releases those poly-type chemicals? Isn't that the whole point of food-grade plastics?? I really don't know. But if the "over time" part means 30 years, then at my age I doubt I will have to worry too much about it 

Thanks again!


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## oenopion5763 (Jan 17, 2018)

Great link to Art of Manliness - I'm on that site all the time but I've never seen that article before. Very interesting to see the old CD picture with bagged water inside a metal barrel. Makes me wonder if - if I do try to use the food buckets for water storage - I should first put the water inside a mylar bag, just as you would for grains?


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## TGus (Sep 18, 2017)

Back Pack Hack said:


> Plan on treating the living crap out of it all if you're going to ingest it. And I mean living crap. Living, as in bacteria and such, and crap, as in birds and small animals.


Where I live, my three 55 gal. rain barrels overflow every time it rains. If you collect roof water, let your excess water run through the barrel (or barrels in series) and out an overflow hose. That way, you'll refresh your water every time it rains. Another way to have cleaner water is to connect to the barrel 15 mins after the rain starts and washes the initial crud off your roof.


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## paraquack (Mar 1, 2013)

******* said:


> For long term storage, have you considered the 160 gallon stackable containers? I got mine from Emergency Essentials. I have purchased many of their 6 gallon pails/lids and they are very high quality. I put up my own rice, beans, sugar, etc. but I've used them for short term water storage too.
> 
> Was discussed here: http://www.prepperforums.net/forum/food-health-fitness-survival/73321-160-gallon-water-reserve.html


I went with the 260 gallon tank like yours. I think it is the greatest thing since sliced cheddar. It is not round. It is oval so it will fit thru a standard 30 inch doorway.
Sure Water $399 + ship
PolyMart 250 Gallon Emergency Plastic Water Storage Tank Same thing for $325


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