how long before bottled water becomes undrinkable?

[taws6]

Hi,

This probably sounds dumb, but........

I am considering stashing some bottled water underground.
I know the stuff you buy has a best before date on, but is that really true?
And if I was to fill bottles from a tap, how long would that be good for drinking, assuming I store it correctly?

I think bottled water from the shops has a best before date of around a year in dark, cool storeage.

Thanks for the help.

 

[Bushwhacker]

Out of curiosity, why do you want to do that?

 

[sapper1]

Bottled water-filtered through thousands of years old rock and sediment over a period of hundreds of years.
Best before?
Maybe the next 1000 years.

 

[British Red]

The only problem with bottled water can be breakdown of the container or algae etc. In an appropriate container water will never "go off" - it might go green though if sun gets to it and it has minor contaminants.

 

[HillBill]

For normal tap water i read you add a little bleach, just standard cheap stuff. Not 100% though so dont take my word for it.

 

[Bushwhacker]

As I asked earlier, what is the purpose of stashing water and for such a long period of time?
I fail to see any need to do so.

 

[wicca]

Taws, if it's any help? I've used water that was part of emergency stores (ship's lifeboat) which was 24 months plus. It was in silver foil sachets, I used it when ashore, boiled to make tea/coffee, it tasted ok, and I'm still here so I assume it was safe to drink.

 

[napoleon1801]

I would consider keeping some water in my bug-out bag if I knew it wouldn't go bad for awhile. I always assumed after about a month that it wasn't good to drink anymore.

 

[Shewie]

I read somewhere once that if it's stored in either a glass or stainless steel container it will last indefinitely. Not sure what would have to be done to the water beforehand but the problems in storage come from chemicals being leached out of the container if it's plastic etc.
Try having look at some of the more remote and dry regions on our planet and see how they do it.

 

[John Fenna]

There you are Bushwacker - lifeboat stores!
Also useful for those who like to keep a few essentials stashed in case of other emergencies such as those living in the Severn Valley who get flooded out on a reular basis, folk who live in other areas - such as around Camelford or Boncath - where the mains water has been known to get contaminatedbe undrinkable, stashing in woods where you want to go for extended stays but which have no "on site" drinking water.
supplies.
Also useful for preparing for TEOTWAWKI...and rabid Zombie attack.... if you are into that kind of thing
I keep bottles of water in my van - but that is mainly for the ruddy radiator/sieve.....been there years now (well - some of it) but I figure that if I realy needed to (break down out in the wilds etc) I could boil it up (to re-oxygenate it and to kill any nasties that may have been breading in there) and drink it without killing myself.
Yes - I also keep a stove, fuel, food, camping kit and some tols, spare fuel etc in my van....it kills the fuel consumption - but it means I always have a place to stay in comfort for the night if I break down (or party too hard) far from home!
Some folk call it "preparedness", I call it "learning from experience"....

 

[Bushwhacker]

Well, lifeboat stores I can understand, but then wouldn't an osmosis pump be more useful?

And I wouldn't have thought it would make sense to stash water underground if there's a flood situation.

It all sounds a bit too 'survivalist' to me.

 

[RAPPLEBY2000]

I've found water tastes "plasticy" after a while,

I reckon glass bottles might be the way to go.

Problems with stashes is....some othe bugger might find them before you need them!

I used to go for long walks with globetrotter, and he strted burying tins of food to eat at a later date, most of it was fine after a year of buriedness,but we did open a tin of "Fizzy"baked beans!

as for water I don't see there's anything to "go off",
just wondering would boiling the water make a difference?
or adding a little salt to kill of plant growth?

 

[helixpteron]

Just use dehydrated water, saves weight too!

 

[Mungo]

Just use dehydrated water, saves weight too!

Or use the gelatinized water - like Rowntree's Jello cubes. Just dissolve in some boiling water and store in the fridge over night.

 

[wicca]

Interesting point about reverse osmosis pumps in lifeboats. I remember tests were done that seemed to indicate that manual pumping of a Katadyn type pump was fine to start with, but as survivors became weaker the effort required to pump made them dehydrate quicker. After a short time they were simply pumping to get the liquid, to give them energy to pump. Individual water rations, it was decided, was the more efficient answer.

My boat has a flexible (black rubber material) fresh water tank and after a period of weeks, and depending where I take on water, a fine green film builds up in the tank and pipework. I use Milton occasionally and flush the whole system through. I have used the water on a long voyage when the 'film' was starting to look like a young lawn, but I confess to not tasting anything nasty coming out of the tank. Perhaps if I leave it a while longer little frogs and things will appear and it will become protein soup...

 

[HillBill]

As I asked earlier, what is the purpose of stashing water and for such a long period of time?
I fail to see any need to do so.

To be fair mate, you don't need to.

 

[sapper1]

I agree with Bushwacker,it does seem a bit survivalist.I mean who needs water?LMAO
I can survive without it....................................for oh 3 days.LOL
I thought the purpose of these threads was to help and advise not to criticise.

 

[wanderingblade]

stuff water - store scotch.
I've got some here thats 18 years old and it tastes great!

 

[Bushwhacker]

stuff water - store scotch.
I've got some here thats 18 years old and it tastes great!

That's more like it, good man!

 

[JohnC]

Would the volume make a difference to storage life?
i.e. a 20litre container versus 20 X 1litre containers or 4 x 5L etc.? I realise that if the 20litre container is "spoiled" its the whole lot, but is there an optimum volume?

BTW I have a barrel of Springbank that will be 12 years old this month. The testing samples we get indicate no reduction in quality so far.....