Water Storage Guidelines

[thermocouple]

Water Storage Guidelines
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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 usehttp://www.providentliving.org/content/display/0,11666,7534-1-4065-1,00.html


*I would like to add that it's a very good idea to filter all stored water before consumption. Factory sealed water before it's use-by date does not need this, but in my house we have two good water filters, and all of the water in our storage barrels will be filtered before it's consumed, despite it being treated as recommended above.

[Laura]

Thanks!

[DMGNUT]

Water should be stored at least 3" above the floor to allow for air flow. This is to prevent contamination by Radon Gas, which seeps naturally from the ground. Once entering an air space, Radon Gas will disperse harmlessly. However, Radon Gas will become trapped in water, causing it to be dangerous to drink, in as little as 1 years time. Pallets work well to fill this need.
This is not necessary in areas where Radon Gas is not known to be common. I know in AZ, much of the southwest, and parts of the east coast, it's a big problem.

By the way, our water is from a chlorinated source, but I still add bleach before storing it anyway. Call it added insurance, as the bleach will just harmlessly disipate over time anyway.

[Lucy]

OK, I need to know how much we're counseled to store now. I know that it was a bare minimum of 14 gal per person before but what now?

[NRA]

That's the last word I've heard. 14 gallons per person, for drinking.

[mirkwood]

When All Is Safely Gathered In was published, they removed the 14 gallons (days) statement and just said store water. I would say that 14 gallons is the bare minimum.

[DMGNUT]

I know before they pulled the exact amount from the pamphlet, they said 2 weeks... but, I always figured if I have a years worth of food, I should at least strive to achieve something close to that with water... especially here in the desert.

[NRA]

I believe that would be around 365 gallons per person just for drinking water. Not to mention any water for sanitation purposes. That's a tall order.

[sunsinger]

Water should be stored at least 3" above the floor to allow for air flow. This is to prevent contamination by Radon Gas, which seeps naturally from the ground. Once entering an air space, Radon Gas will disperse harmlessly. However, Radon Gas will become trapped in water, causing it to be dangerous to drink, in as little as 1 years time. Pallets work well to fill this need.
This is not necessary in areas where Radon Gas is not known to be common. I know in AZ, much of the southwest, and parts of the east coast, it's a big problem.

By the way, our water is from a chlorinated source, but I still add bleach before storing it anyway. Call it added insurance, as the bleach will just harmlessly disipate over time anyway.


Is this a problem in UTAH? Can it be filtered or evaporated out of the water?

[KF7EEC]

I believe that would be around 365 gallons per person just for drinking water. Not to mention any water for sanitation purposes. That's a tall order.

I have my 2 weeks for my family, plus I'm working on another 4 weeks. That will give me 6 weeks of water, about 168 gallons. I look at it (2 weeks in water bottles, 4 weeks in 55 gallon drums) and I am surprised at how much room such a little amount of water takes up. I really don't know how a city dweller such as my self could get a year supply of water per person.

[mirkwood]

We have about a 6 month supply. If I pushed it larger it would begin to encroach on living space. But I also have the means to purify and/or go get more from a water source (if available). I believe if you store what is truly reasonable in your home the Lord will take care of the rest.

[DMGNUT]

NRA, You are definitely right. I have 12 of the 55 gallon drums and several nice filters (the largest being the Katadyn Gravidyn) for water that I bring back from questionable sources. I figure with a family of 4, the drums will give us the first 4 months, and beyond that, we'll be filtering whatever water we can find, and also use shortwave radio to see whats happening elsewhere. If I'm still using my stored water after 4 months, then things have really gone horribly wrong, and relocating to another local might become necessary.

Sunsinger, I'm not familiar with the level of Radon Gas emissions in Utah. As I understand it, water contaminated with Radon should be dumped, but if you rotate your water supply every six months or so, which some people suggest, then it shouldn't be a problem (unless you're in an area of extremely high emissions, and for what it's worth, there are several of those in AZ). I find it easier to simply put my drums on pallets and will then only rotate them every 2 years (or there abouts). Ideally, I'd rather live in the mountains and have my own well, and if things will last that long, I'll be on a spot of land just outside of Snowflake, AZ (with the afore mentioned well).

[gorbat]

Regarding the radon, would placing a tarp under the containers prevent the gas from filtering up? But, if the gas can migrate into sealed polyethylene containers how is letting air circulate under them, if it is truly circulating in a basement or garage, going to prevent radon from still entering the containers? In the long run, what would the actual concentration of exposure be if the entire family is using the water over a relatively short period of time? I mean, the water pipes are buried underground, so our tap water, if we live in an area of high radon concentrations, is exposed, too, and we don't seem the worse for wear. I googled this but it was 99.99% about the radon in our houses, I couldn't come up with a query that would isolate water. Help!

As for chlorine, I read that sodium hypochlorite (the 4-6% we buy at the grocery) loses some 20-50% of its activity in six months. The powder form that you get at the pool store is much more stable and can last years. I've not used the chlorine powder so any helps here would be great.

When I was more outdoorsy, I used to make the water for large groups by over-chlorinating river water (due to sediment which will bind with your chlorine instead of to the bacteria), then letting it sit all day (in the closed container, of course) while we were having fun, then ridding the water of the free chlorine still remaining (and its lovely taste - yuk) by adding a few drops of 30% hydrogen peroxide. The peroxide binds with the chlorine and precipitates out (forms a solid and drops to the bottom of the container). You can't see the precipitate as there isn't enough to be visible - at least it never has to me. It makes the water taste great.

If we did not use all of the water that evening, more chlorine was added and the H2O2 repeated if needed in the a.m. Never had a case of dysentery over many trips. I read about this method in a wilderness medicine journal. Keep in mind the peroxide itself is not the sterilizer, the chlorine is.

Now, I can't advocate that everyone handle 30% hydrogen peroxide. It can act like meat tenderizer on your skin and you must wear eye safety. It is a strong oxidizer at that concentration and must be kept in a proper container. But if one already has a background in chemistry or biology it is no big deal to use proper technique and you can certainly educate yourself as to proper handling using the MSDS. To me, this method allows the proper concentrations of chlorine to be used in order to kill the bacteria, cysts and viruses without that awful taste, which can be really tiresome after a week or more, juice mix or not. Hydrogen peroxide breaks down to water and oxygen, nothing evil in that mix.

[DMGNUT]

Gorbat, In regards to the Radon Gas, I?ve heard it from a couple of different sources (and read it somewhere as well), one source being a couple who have callings within the Humanitarian efforts of the Church. If I understood correctly, the Radon will opt for an ?air? passage over any ?solid?. If your drums are stored outside, in an area of the home that has circulation, or perhaps the garage (where the main door is opened regularly), the Radon will eventually pass outside and dissipate harmlessly. I?m certainly no biologist, but as it was explained, it is attracted to water over solids. Moving water allowed it to continue to move about, where as it tended to ?take up residence? as it were, in still water. I can?t (other than from what I?ve heard and read) account for the veracity of this, but the pallets seemed like cheap insurance, and allowed me to clean around my drums much easier (and even use a leave blower as well).

As for the bleach question, here?s the info I?ve gathered concerning it, and it?s use for water.
Regular liquid bleach is not stable. It breaks down gradually and becomes just salt water in about 2 years time (or less). It?s still usable at 1 year, but you must use about twice as much. Keep in mind this is only an approximation of the time required for it to loose it?s potency, as the temperature at which it is stored, plays a big role in the process. The higher the temperature, the quicker it breaks down. Using the dry swimming pool bleach (also known as ?shock treatment? or by its chemical name, calcium hypochlorite) will allow for a 10 year shelf life. When using this dry bleach, you can mix your own ?fresh? liquid bleach, as needed. You must be sure to use only 65% Calcium Hypochlorite with no anti-fungals or clarifiers added. This product must be stored in an EXTREMELY well ventilated area (Hint: outside).
To make liquid bleach from powdered calcium hypochlorite, add ? teaspoon of your dry pool bleach, to 1 gallon of water.
A 5 lb container of dry pool bleach will cost about $15. Needless to say, 5 lbs of this product will last you a long time.
To treat water that is questionable, add 1 tsp of bleach per gallon of water, mix thoroughly, and let stand for 30 minutes or more. If there is no bleach smell present, repeat the process. If the bleach smell is too strong, allow the water to stand for a much longer period of time, or simply pour the water back and forth between 2 clean containers.
To treat water that is already known to be clean (to prep it for long term storage), add ? tsp of bleach per gallon of water, or for the larger 50 to 55 gallon drums, add a total of 3 Tbsp of bleach.

I hope this helps.

[gorbat]

DMGNUT, thank you for the good info :). Water really is a sticking point due to its bulk. I maintain several methods for disinfection that will reduce the total amount I need to store. Just don't have room for it. Each method has pros and cons, but altogether

I feel better about the radon issue thanks to your information. I will get some pallets this weekend. This brings up a secondary issue not for this thread, but for food storage in a dirt basement that is always bone dry visually, but soil has moisture in it that is not visible.

Thanks again to everyone for so many helpful hints. G.