Water, Water Everywhere...
Dehydration can happen quickly and when it does, it can become critical and even fatal in a short amount of time. Those at highest risk are children, with our elderly members close behind. What if there is plenty of water available but it isn't clean? Being prepared with water is crucial to health and hygiene.For an individual's drinking needs, they would need 1 gal/person/day, with a minimum of 5 days worth in storage.
How Much Water Do I Need?
If you can imagine, you use a tremendous amount of water every day without thinking about it. We need clean water for drinking, cooking, bathing and laundering, among other things. (Though the recommended daily amount per person/day is 1 gallon, the minimum survival amount is 8 ounces per person/day. Persons at risk would require more.)
How Do I know It's Safe To Use?
Not Recommended for Storage-
*Plastic milk jugs. The shelf life is only 18 months and they frequently leak.
*Water bottles, juice bottles. These have a limited shelf life and if stored incorrectly, BPA will begin to leech into the water inside the container.
The following are recommended containers from good to better and then best:
Good-
*The larger, thicker plastic Arrowhead or similar bottled waters. Must still be stored in a cool area, out of direct sunlight-2 year shelf life.
Better-
*7 Gallon Aqua-tainer, BPA free-2 year shelf life.
*13 Gallon water containers. Keep out of direct sunlight and in a cool area-2 year shelf life.
*Emergency Drinking Water individual packets-5 year shelf life.
*Commercial Mylar Soda Syrup containers in the box. Must be rinsed and sterilized and filled with potable water-5 year shelf life.
Best-
*Empty, sterilized, 2 liter soda containers, must be rinsed well and allowed to dry before using-2 year shelf life
*55 gallon, sterile drums filled according to directions, using a travel hose (white), or hoses made for drinking water (purple or blue)-Check water once a year for taste changes, foreign bodies (frogs...yes, frogs). If it isn't slimy or doesn't have an odd taste, it's good for another year. Change after 2 years.
*Blue Can Pure Water. This has a 50 year shelf life but is at risk for damage due to the aluminum can.
If You're Unsure of Your Water's Safety...
Many products are available for purifying unsanitary water.
Amazon.com has many of these wonderful products to filter or purify water with their descriptions available. Below are names of some of these purifying water bottles
Mini Sawyer
Life Straw
Saychelle
Katydyn
Berkey
Aquamira
Aquarain
Water Barrels
In some states and counties one can collect rain water for external use. It appears that this is prohibited in our area. Storing water in barrels therefore would need to be water that is purchased through your water company ie: hose or faucet. One easy way to store barreled water is to fill a barrel a bit each week.
Storing bottled water is a good idea but it must be rotated regularly with older water used and to the front of the supply. Water purification tablets need to be stored as well. Do not throw old water away but instead label it for washing and bathing uses.
Fill old detergent and dishwashing liquid bottles with water to use for washing dishes and clothes. Keep bleach on hand both for purification and sanitation
Storing
Water storage can be the most important thing you do, one can live without food for many days, but not without water.
Last Result - when all you have is a muddy pond… Or sea water…