Storing Water?

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Gamekeeper1

New Member
Aug 13, 2022
2
2
59
Bath
Guys, looking for advice on storing water at home. I have some 5 gallon containers with lids from my keepering days and am thinking that i should fill these and store them in the cupboard under the stairs. Am i nuts? I look at the news and am becoming worried that the mains water might be turned off periodically.
 

Buckshot

Mod
Mod
Jan 19, 2004
6,466
349
Oxford
Hi GK
This isn't really a prepping forum, there are other forums that might be able to answer your question in a different way.
In terms of 5 gallon containers. If they are food/ water containers fit for human consumption grade plastic then i would think they will be fine. Rotate the water through them regularly of course.
 

C_Claycomb

Moderator staff
Mod
Oct 6, 2003
7,391
2,407
Bedfordshire
You might like to get some chlorine dioxide drops (I have used Aquamira, but they are hard to get in the UK, we have other brands here). It is meant to keep water bacteria free for years.

I would be more worried about what those 5 gallon containers were made of and what they held when you were a keeper. Will they leach chemicals if you leave water in for a long time?

A while back there was a big water mains leak in Bedfordshire and water was cut off for days, no warning. They were giving away bottled water in town, it was a bit of an emergency. Living alone I did pretty well with a bunch of 2litre cola bottles I have with water in, and getting top ups at work where there was water. Used rain water butt water for toilet flushing and washing up. Rather harder to do if it was a drought and definitely hard on the families next door. So I don't think its nuts to want to have some water on hand.

ATB

Chris
 

Broch

Life Member
Jan 18, 2009
8,067
7,857
Mid Wales
www.mont-hmg.co.uk
Guys, looking for advice on storing water at home. I have some 5 gallon containers with lids from my keepering days and am thinking that i should fill these and store them in the cupboard under the stairs. Am i nuts? I look at the news and am becoming worried that the mains water might be turned off periodically.

There's been some discussion on the subject here that may have some ideas of interest but mainly talking about larger quantities than I think you're thinking of:

 

Paul_B

Bushcrafter through and through
Jul 14, 2008
6,186
1,557
Cumbria
The current thing is BPA free water bottles. Will your containers and black water jerry cans be BPA free and will it matter anyway?
 

Broch

Life Member
Jan 18, 2009
8,067
7,857
Mid Wales
www.mont-hmg.co.uk
If you store clean water in clean jerrycans, it won't go bad for a long time.

You'd have to define 'clean' first. Most potable water contains some bacteria but in such small quantities that it passes the required levels. Kept in less than ideal conditions they can multiply very quickly even without light in some cases. Water rotation is the way to go depending on what you are using it for.
 

slowworm

Full Member
May 8, 2008
2,011
971
Devon
Personally I buy cheap spring/mineral water, costs about £2.50 for 12 litres and can safely be kept for a couple of years.

If you've not got a water supply the last thing you want to risk is picking up a bug from poorly kept water.
 

Great egret

Full Member
Apr 17, 2017
173
119
Netherlands
You'd have to define 'clean' first. Most potable water contains some bacteria but in such small quantities that it passes the required levels. Kept in less than ideal conditions they can multiply very quickly even without light in some cases. Water rotation is the way to go depending on what you are using it for.
Over here, clean is what comes out of the tap. If stored clean i would rotate it every six months.
 

gra_farmer

Full Member
Mar 29, 2016
1,836
1,042
Kent
Water storage, is always subjective. Ask your local water company.

Ground water from chalk, is normally chlorine treatment and nothing else

Ground water from green sands, is filtered for particals and chlorine

Surface can be anything

Now the main issue is nitrates, in all water everywhere, this is the food for bacterial growth. Cycling water stored is wise, but I would do it no longer than 3 months, and as everyone has said, it has to be a suitable water container

Bottled water lasts longer
 

billycoen

Settler
Jan 26, 2021
704
522
north wales
I buy cheap bottled water,a couple of packs at a time,store them in the garage,good shelf life on them,and you're mostly guaranteed to be squit free,which is always a bonus.
 

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