# Water storage



## trips-man (Apr 26, 2015)

I was reading a Cody Lundin book and it got me thinking more about how i'm gonna store water for a rainy day. I was thinking of refilling water bottles and storing them in a cool, dark place. Thoughts?


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## sideKahr (Oct 15, 2014)

Yes! Start doing it today. The more the better. Fill some 5's with flush water, too, if you have the space.

Tap water is already chlorinated, and will store a long time under those conditions. Well water should be treated with un-perfumed chlorine bleach. The ratio is on the net.


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## Camel923 (Aug 13, 2014)

Store what you can. Great idea.


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## Kauboy (May 12, 2014)

Am I the only one who got a chuckle out of worrying about not having enough water on a "rainy day"?
:mrgreen:


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## paraquack (Mar 1, 2013)

Kauboy said:


> Am I the only one who got a chuckle out of
> worrying about not having enough water on a "rainy day"?
> :mrgreen:


Hit me too, right in the funny bone.
Living in southern AZ, having water available is a real concern. Down by me, 
water towers are not around. They would disrupt the scenic views of the
mountains. If the power goes out, water to houses, etc. will be gone in 
minutes depending on time of day, and hour at best. If you have water towers 
in your area, water would be available for hours or up to a day. A "water bob" 
is a thin plastic bladder that is put into the bathtub for support and then filled, 
60 to 100 gallons, I think. When SHTF you fill the "water bob" while you have 
water flowing. Cost $20 to $30 depending on brand name.
View attachment 11404

https://www.waterbob.com/Welcome.do;jsessionid=D4A3FBD623CE18932602E0CB003CB97C
In a pinch, put a plastic drop clothe in the bathtubs and fill with water but 
remember to keep it covered, put plastic bags in drawers and fill with water. 
Fill garbage cans with water for flushing the toilet. Heck, fill anything with water. 
A lot of people say to reuse milk cartons/jugs and fruit juice cartons/bottles to 
store water, but I offer this quote from the CDC: "Avoid re-using containers that 
have ever held a toxic substance, containers that can break, like glass, containers 
without a tight seal, or plastic milk bottles or cartons that can be difficult to clean 
[because the proteins in the milk and fruit juice are hard to get rid of properly] 
and can break down over time" Read the whole article at
CDC Emergency Preparedness and You | Emergency Water Supplies


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## darsk20 (Jun 1, 2015)

Similarly be careful buying used drums or totes. Always use food grade, preferably new. If you do get used ones find out what chemical they were used for so you can ensure you can find a way to clean them.


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## trips-man (Apr 26, 2015)

Based on what i've been reading, i'm thininking non-transparent container.


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## Maine-Marine (Mar 7, 2014)

trips-man said:


> store water for a rainy day.


Best saying of the year...


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## Illini Warrior (Jan 24, 2015)

no matter how you store your water .... you need at least one 5+ gallon carry jug .... sooner or later you'll be out scrounging water and the small & super large containers won't do the job ....


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## paraquack (Mar 1, 2013)

trips-man said:


> Based on what i've been reading, i'm thininking non-transparent container.


Here is what I went with. A bit expensive, but I know it's safe to hold my drinking water.
View attachment 11405

edit: The tank is designed to fit thru doors so you can put it where ever. Weighs about 75 pounds.


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## Kauboy (May 12, 2014)

paraquack said:


> Here is what I went with. A bit expensive, but I know it's safe to hold my drinking water.
> View attachment 11405


I'll bet expensive is right.
And what about the big blue thing?


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## paraquack (Mar 1, 2013)

Thanks, I needed a laugh.


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## Prepared One (Nov 5, 2014)

Kauboy said:


> I'll bet expensive is right.
> And what about the big blue thing?


Funny!


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## bigwheel (Sep 22, 2014)

Guess we will start out drinking up 10 thousand gallons of pool water..and then worry about it. Also have the hose for the pool vac hooked to one section of one abut 8' section of rain gutter. Know from experience a one inch rain can cough up a bunch of water. Way more than I have buckets to catch it.


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## sideKahr (Oct 15, 2014)

paraquack said:


> Here is what I went with. A bit expensive, but I know it's safe to hold my drinking water.
> View attachment 11405


Excellent, you desert dweller you. You have a porta-potty full of water.


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## CourtSwagger (Jan 3, 2013)

paraquack said:


> Here is what I went with. A bit expensive, but I know it's safe to hold my drinking water.
> View attachment 11405


This is awesome!!! My issue is space. I have several cases of water, and aseveral 2L bottles filled. I have bags that can be filled and then sealed at a gallon each. That was where most of my water was going to come from. That was always dependent on us having a warning and some time before the water stops working. This tank is something I could put in my garage. Thanks for sharing!


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## mcangus (Jun 3, 2014)

OMG! That big blue water tank is over $600 bucks!!!!!


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## James m (Mar 11, 2014)

mcangus said:


> OMG! That big blue water tank is over $600 bucks!!!!!


That's nothing compared to the other thing in the picture.


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## PaulS (Mar 11, 2013)

I wondered right away if it came with a redhead...


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## shooter (Dec 25, 2012)

paraquack said:


> Here is what I went with. A bit expensive, but I know it's safe to hold my drinking water.
> View attachment 11405


one could hide a lot of dead hookers in there... oh wait I mean that's a lot of water in there...


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## Slippy (Nov 14, 2013)

Norwesco 500 gallon tanks. Hook 'em up to your downspouts with a "first flush system" and you should have a nice backup. Nothing wrong with storing extra gallon jugs or even extra bottles of water. I like Paraquacks system too. Good luck.

View attachment 11409


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## Stick (Sep 29, 2014)

Illini Warrior said:


> no matter how you store your water .... you need at least one 5+ gallon carry jug .... sooner or later you'll be out scrounging water and the small & super large containers won't do the job ....


Or even more. I use a 125 gallon tank for storage. Seven of those turquoise-colored six gallon H2O containers from Walmart fit right across the back of my pickup, tied in with fillers rearward. Carry a 20' length of garden hose, and whenever I go to town (once a week or so for mail), fill em up at the town park's hydrant, or if I go the other way, at the truck stop, and use them to fill the 125. I can carry three or four of them on a KLR650, likely four to six on an ATV. And lift and dump them alone. There are two wells within a mile, and a spring about three miles away up the mountain. Plus a more recently acquired black rubber stock tank, about 115 gallons, that has been keeping full from rain lately. Laid a sheet of clear plastic over it, and it is now nice and toasty warm and I think I'm gonna go jump in it and do a little plinking with my new Single Seven. With my hat on.


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## Mad Trapper (Feb 12, 2014)

I store/collect rainwater in 275 gal food grade totes ( $75), and have a bunch of 30 and 55 gal food grade barrels ($20). I keep some of the barrels clean and can gravity filter my rainwater into them with a purifier if needed. 

Smaller containers are folding 5-gal jugs and a whole bunch of 1-gal used ice tea jugs ( Arizona iced tea have nice thick plastic, I use them 7/8 filled in my freezers to take up any empty space too). I always have quite a few of the 1-gal jugs filled on hand. 

Plans are to build a bio-sand filter in the basement with a 30-gal barrel that feeds into a second 30-gal barrel. This needs to be inside as winters are harsh here. This water would then be run into a purifier to the smaller containers as needed.


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## Mad Trapper (Feb 12, 2014)

I store/collect rainwater in 275 gal food grade totes ( $75), and have a bunch of 30 and 55 gal food grade barrels ($20). I keep some of the barrels clean and can gravity filter my rainwater into them with a purifier if needed. 

Smaller containers are folding 5-gal jugs and a whole bunch of 1-gal used ice tea jugs ( Arizona iced tea have nice thick plastic, I use them 7/8 filled in my freezers to take up any empty space too). I always have quite a few of the 1-gal jugs filled on hand. 

Plans are to build a bio-sand filter in the basement with a 30-gal barrel that feeds into a second 30-gal barrel. This needs to be inside as winters are harsh here. This water would then be run into a purifier to the smaller containers as needed.


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## Illini Warrior (Jan 24, 2015)

Stick said:


> Or even more. I use a 125 gallon tank for storage. Seven of those turquoise-colored six gallon H2O containers from Walmart fit right across the back of my pickup, tied in with fillers rearward. Carry a 20' length of garden hose, and whenever I go to town (once a week or so for mail), fill em up at the town park's hydrant, or if I go the other way, at the truck stop, and use them to fill the 125. I can carry three or four of them on a KLR650, likely four to six on an ATV. And lift and dump them alone. There are two wells within a mile, and a spring about three miles away up the mountain. Plus a more recently acquired black rubber stock tank, about 115 gallons, that has been keeping full from rain lately. Laid a sheet of clear plastic over it, and it is now nice and toasty warm and I think I'm gonna go jump in it and do a little plinking with my new Single Seven. With my hat on.


all well and good while there's transportation and nobody is shooting .... when the re-supply needs to be done slinky smooth, in the dark, because the bad guys are chewing azz .... even getting out the little red pull wagon won't be possible .... the more water /food /energy/defense you can stockpile to keep your head & butt down - the longer you'll last and better the odds .... the initial & critical die off period will peek after only a few weeks - that should be your 1st prepping goal .....


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