Im so confused I would really love to get my water storage going but I am seriousally confused on how to do it. Everywhere I check they say put some bleach in there and it will make it able to drink after a long time. Um I dont know about anyone else but putting bleach in my water just does not work for me. I know to put my water in food grade containers no plastics like soda bottles and such. Im curious though how do I store the water correctly without the bleach? Also what is the best purifying system to buy so I know the water me and my family will be drinking will be nice and clean from toxic stuff? Refrences would be much appreciated!!
What I've pretty much always heard and done is to use juice and soda bottles(any edible liquid container designed to hold it's contents for a long time). Those are food grade. I don't think they are good enough for like, five plus years, but they work for several years at a time. Like any food storage, they need to be rotated. We just dump them all out and refill them every six months(It's easiest for us to remember if we do it during the LDS General Conference, but whatever you can use to remember. I've heard of people using their 6 month dental cleanings or whatever works.) If you do that, you don't need to use bleach, just clean the container well and fill it with cold water. Then store it where it won't get any direct light(the light is what causes algae to grow).
This might not be the "best" way to store water, but it is safe, effective and economical. I really like it because it gives me a reason to buy juice and soda when I otherwise couldn't justify it! (I really got stocked up while in my first trimester because I couldn't handle water, but diet 7up and sprite were good for keeping me hydrated!)
I also want to start getting some flats of bottled water and get one or two(more if I could figure out where to store it..) 50 gallon barrells of water. For purifying, bleach actually is one of the best methods. I believe it is a few drops of bleach per quart of water. There are lots of other options though. A quick google of it will be informative, or you can find it on most emergency preparedness websites. I know there are all kinds of filters and tablets and who knows what available.
not really sure where this info is from:
Store honey in small containers. Then, if it
crystallizes, you can immerse the containers in hot
(not boiling) water to reliquefy it.
Store granulated sugar in a tightly covered metal or
plastic container or place it on a shelf away from
moisture in its unopened cloth or paper bag.
Occasionally knead the bag to help prevent the sugar
from hardening.
WATER—Water is more essential than food in
sustaining life. Store a minimum of seven gallons of
water per person for drinking and food preparation.
Store an additional seven gallons per person of the
same quality water for bathing, brushing teeth, and
dishwashing. Use heavy plastic containers with
tight-fitting lids. Metal containers, which may
corrode, tend to give water an unpleasant taste.
If you have any doubt as to the bacterial safety of
stored water, you may purify it by boiling vigorously
for one to two minutes or by adding chlorine bleach
(5 percent sodium hypochlorite solution). Generally,
half a teaspoon of bleach will purify five gallons of
clear water, and one teaspoon will purify five gallons
of cloudy water.* If you store it away from sunlight
in clean containers, and if it is safe bacterially at the
time of storage, water will remain pure indefinitely.
STORAGE GUIDELINES—
1. Use storage areas that are well ventilated, clean,
dark, dry, and cool. If your conditions are less
satisfactory, rotate contents more frequently than
recommended. Even though space may be limited,
there are usually “hidden areas” for storage. Use
your imagination!
2. Do not place food storage containers on or against
cement or dirt floors and walls. Place pieces of wood
between the storage containers and the floor or wall
to provide ventilation and protect against moisture.
3. Keep stored food away from products that may
affect the flavor of the food.
4. Rotate and use food storage items regularly. Date
food items as you purchase or can them, then store
new supplies of food at the back of the shelves,
moving earlier purchases forward to be used first.
5. Do not go into debt. Acquire food items
gradually. At the very least, save a few dollars a
week for storage items. Using the basic foods in dayto-
day menus can cut food costs and allow you to
purchase more supplies. Or, as a family, give up
some of the nonessentials for a short time until you
can accumulate additional foods. Through prayer
and concerted effort, you can work out a food storage
plan that will provide you with security and peace of
mind.
DRY-PACK CANNING—With the exception of
foods containing fats, most of the storage items
discussed here can be sealed by a dry-pack method of
canning. Dry-pack canning is easy and inexpensive
and uses containers that are small enough that they
can be easily rotated and handled. In addition to drypack
canning equipment available for use at some
Church canneries, dry-pack canners may be checked
out from the canneries for local use. For more
information, contact your region welfare agent (your
stake president can tell you who it is), welfare
cannery, or bishops’ storehouse.**
*2002 UPDATE –
EPA water treatment
recommendations are for 1/2 teaspoon per gallon for
clear water and 1 teaspoon per gallon if the water is
cloudy or colored
.
**2002 UPDATE
—Church canneries now provide
foil pouch packaging as well as #10 can dry-pack
storage of basic staple food items
Amber
thanks for posting this hun!
Quoting Jambo4:
not really sure where this info is from:
Store honey in small containers. Then, if it
crystallizes, you can immerse the containers in hot
(not boiling) water to reliquefy it.
Store granulated sugar in a tightly covered metal or
plastic container or place it on a shelf away from
moisture in its unopened cloth or paper bag.
Occasionally knead the bag to help prevent the sugar
from hardening.
WATER—Water is more essential than food in
sustaining life. Store a minimum of seven gallons of
water per person for drinking and food preparation.
Store an additional seven gallons per person of the
same quality water for bathing, brushing teeth, and
dishwashing. Use heavy plastic containers with
tight-fitting lids. Metal containers, which may
corrode, tend to give water an unpleasant taste.
If you have any doubt as to the bacterial safety of
stored water, you may purify it by boiling vigorously
for one to two minutes or by adding chlorine bleach
(5 percent sodium hypochlorite solution). Generally,
half a teaspoon of bleach will purify five gallons of
clear water, and one teaspoon will purify five gallons
of cloudy water.* If you store it away from sunlight
in clean containers, and if it is safe bacterially at the
time of storage, water will remain pure indefinitely.
STORAGE GUIDELINES—
1. Use storage areas that are well ventilated, clean,
dark, dry, and cool. If your conditions are less
satisfactory, rotate contents more frequently than
recommended. Even though space may be limited,
there are usually “hidden areas” for storage. Use
your imagination!
2. Do not place food storage containers on or against
cement or dirt floors and walls. Place pieces of wood
between the storage containers and the floor or wall
to provide ventilation and protect against moisture.
3. Keep stored food away from products that may
affect the flavor of the food.
4. Rotate and use food storage items regularly. Date
food items as you purchase or can them, then store
new supplies of food at the back of the shelves,
moving earlier purchases forward to be used first.
5. Do not go into debt. Acquire food items
gradually. At the very least, save a few dollars a
week for storage items. Using the basic foods in dayto-
day menus can cut food costs and allow you to
purchase more supplies. Or, as a family, give up
some of the nonessentials for a short time until you
can accumulate additional foods. Through prayer
and concerted effort, you can work out a food storage
plan that will provide you with security and peace of
mind.
DRY-PACK CANNING—With the exception of
foods containing fats, most of the storage items
discussed here can be sealed by a dry-pack method of
canning. Dry-pack canning is easy and inexpensive
and uses containers that are small enough that they
can be easily rotated and handled. In addition to drypack
canning equipment available for use at some
Church canneries, dry-pack canners may be checked
out from the canneries for local use. For more
information, contact your region welfare agent (your
stake president can tell you who it is), welfare
cannery, or bishops’ storehouse.**
*2002 UPDATE –
EPA water treatment
recommendations are for 1/2 teaspoon per gallon for
clear water and 1 teaspoon per gallon if the water is
cloudy or colored
.
**2002 UPDATE
—Church canneries now provide
foil pouch packaging as well as #10 can dry-pack
storage of basic staple food items
thanks for replying i will have to check out about the tablets.
Quoting sk_tennyson:
you could use iodine tablets instead. we had those in the military. they taste like crap but gross safe water is better than water with cholera or something in it lol.
They were like this
http://www.quakekare.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=26&gclid=CJjgkpCrhp4CFSUMDQodHCfhow
Here are what I consider to be official water storage guidelines (these have been tried, tested, and proven to be true):
Water Storage Guidelines
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
Thanks Clarisse.. you answered my question too about if it's city water... although.. I am not wanting to fill any up right now because we got a notice saying that there have been traces of "coliform bacteria"..not harmful levels..lol they tell us, but I still don't want to be storing it currently. I will want to dump out my other ones too sometime down the line because they said it was in a Sept sampling as well.. lovely
Do you own a generator?
- laurag8707
on Nov. 11, 2009 at 9:34 PM