Can I store water in red plastic gas containers?..

[Noahs ARK]

If I clearly mark them "WATER", can I store water in the 5-gallon red plastic gas containers or the yellow plastic diesel containers?

My local hardware store sells them for $10.99 and they're cheaper than anywhere else, BUT I don't know if the red plastic is a good container for water storage.

I was looking at the 5 & 7-gallon blue containers at Emergency Essentials, but if I can do it cheaper, I will.

[KF7EEC]

depends on if its food grade plastic or not.

http://www.providentliving.org/content/print/0,11722,7534-1-4065-1,00.html

Commercially bottled water in PETE (or PET) plastic containers may be purchased. Follow the container’s “best if used by” dates as a rotation guideline. Avoid plastic containers that are not PETE plastic.

If you choose to package water yourself, consider the following guidelines:

Containers

Use only food-grade containers. Smaller containers made of PETE plastic or heavier plastic buckets or drums work well.
Clean, sanitize, and thoroughly rinse all containers prior to use. A sanitizing solution can be prepared by adding 1 teaspoon (5 ml) of liquid household chlorine bleach (5 to 6% sodium hypochlorite) to one quart (1 liter) of water. Only household bleach without thickeners, scents, or additives should be used.
Do not use plastic milk jugs, because they do not seal well and tend to become brittle over time.
Do not use containers previously used to store non-food products.
Water Pretreatment

Water from a chlorinated municipal water supply does not need further treatment when stored in clean, food-grade containers.
Non-chlorinated water should be treated with bleach. Add 1/8 of a teaspoon (8 drops) of liquid household chlorine bleach (5 to 6% sodium hypochlorite) for every gallon (4 liters) of water. Only household bleach without thickeners, scents, or additives should be used.
Storage

Containers should be emptied and refilled regularly.
Store water only where potential leakage would not damage your home or apartment.
Protect stored water from light and heat. Some containers may also require protection from freezing.
The taste of stored water can be improved by pouring it back and forth between two containers before use.

[prairiemom]

I use three criteria to choose water storage containers:
food grade
if it's a manageable size
and
cost

The gas containers fit #1 and 2 but not #3. For me, I have to be able to store for $1.50 or less. EE has lots of storage containers that do that. Someone just posted storage tanks here that are on sale that would store for under $1.50/gal. A lot of our storage is in 5-gal buckets from the bakery--manageable size, food grade and costs about 20¢/gal to store.

[Toni]

My concern is that the word "water" might wear off after a while, unless you etch/melt it into the container and, even moreso, that someone might accidently grab a real gas can, thinking it's water. Or, if you have kids around and they see you using it for drinking purposes, might drink out of someone else's gas can.

[LEVE]

Do you have any space where a PVC Pipe Manifold could be constructed?

[Noahs ARK]

Store water only where potential leakage would not damage your home or apartment.

I learned this the hard way! I bought some of those 2.5 gallon jugs of drinking water at the store and stored them under the sink in my upstairs bathroom.

One day I noticed 1 of the jugs was empty. To this day I have no idea where the water went cuz I couldn't find any water marks on the ceiling downstairs.

[Noahs ARK]

The gas containers fit #1 and 2 but not #3. For me, I have to be able to store for $1.50 or less. .

Ok - I'll try to stay within that $1.50. Thx.

[Noahs ARK]

My concern is that the word "water" might wear off after a while, unless you etch/melt it into the container and, even moreso, that someone might accidently grab a real gas can, thinking it's water. Or, if you have kids around and they see you using it for drinking purposes, might drink out of someone else's gas can.

I was going to write "WATER" on the plastic container with one of those thick black markers.

No kids around here, so no worries there.

I'd done some measuring down in my crawlspace and some of the headspace is perfect for those 5-gal gas containers. I'd be able to fit more water storage down there cuz I wouldn't be wasting any space.

AND if they leaked for any reason, I have an automatic sump pump. Nothing would get damaged.

I'm just trying to think of other options for water storage. Something manageable for a woman since hubby can't help me get it stored away.

The 5 & 7-gallon containers at EE are more expensive, but they ARE food grade.

Ach.

Thanks, everyone.

[hiccups]

I just had a thought... would a 5 gallon bucket like the kind you can get wheat in work for water storage? Because I've been able to collect those (and some smaller sized buckets) for free from bakeries in grocery stores. Would that work in this space?

[Noahs ARK]

Do you have any space where a PVC Pipe Manifold could be constructed?

:confused: I'm a girl - am I supposed to know about this stuff?

I have so much to learn. :sosp:

[Noahs ARK]

I just had a thought... would a 5 gallon bucket like the kind you can get wheat in work for water storage? Because I've been able to collect those (and some smaller sizes buckets) for free from bakeries in grocery stores. Would that work in this space?

Yes, I think it would work. They're about the same height. Some of the headspace isn't too tall cuz of venting pipes running here & there, but in those places I can store the 1-gallon jugs of water with no problem.

Hiccups - would you put a liner in the bucket before adding the water? Like maybe a leaf bag or tall kitchen garbage bag?

[LEVE]

:confused: I'm a girl - am I supposed to know about this stuff? You cant take white PVC pipe and make a manifold, or lots of lengths glued together so that they drain out the bottom and fill from the top. As example a 4" section, 8 feet long gives you about 5gal of storage. The more sections joined together the more storage. The greater the diameter of the pipe, the greater the storage. It's a reasonable gal/$ storage and can be made portable.

Imagine something like this, without the holes:

http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w278/adamloj/DSC01648.jpg

The more pipe, the more storage. I'm planning doing this for my garage's back wall....

[phylm]

Yes, I think it would work. They're about the same height. Some of the headspace isn't too tall cuz of venting pipes running here & there, but in those places I can store the 1-gallon jugs of water with no problem.

Hiccups - would you put a liner in the bucket before adding the water? Like maybe a leaf bag or tall kitchen garbage bag?

Those buckets are food grade, so only need a good cleaning. We use them for wheat, beans, flour, oat meal, sugar, etc. No odor or off taste from them.

[Noahs ARK]

You cant take white PVC pipe and make a manifold, or lots of lengths glued together so that they drain out the bottom and fill from the top. As example a 4" section, 8 feet long gives you about 5gal of storage. The more sections joined together the more storage. The greater the diameter of the pipe, the greater the storage. It's a reasonable gal/$ storage and can be made portable.

Imagine something like this, without the holes:

*snipped the picture*

The more pipe, the more storage. I'm planning doing this for my garage's back wall....

Believe it or not, I think I can do this - doesn't scare me even one little bit!!

Where do people come up with these ideas? Amazing.

Tx.

[hiccups]

Those buckets are food grade, so only need a good cleaning. We use them for wheat, beans, flour, oat meal, sugar, etc. No odor or off taste from them.
Yep. That's what I was going to say.

[Noahs ARK]

Those buckets are food grade, so only need a good cleaning. We use them for wheat, beans, flour, oat meal, sugar, etc. No odor or off taste from them.


Yep. That's what I was going to say.

I was thinking that maybe the plastic liner would help keep the water from absorbing odors from my crawlspace. I have a built-in dehumidifier down there, but sometimes it still smells a bit musty.

Then again, I do have those water purifying drops from EE.