Water storage: Forgive me if this is covered elswhere but I

We have 4 people in the house, 1 gallon per person per day for 30 days thats 120 gallons give or take.

Minimum I want to have stored is 100 gallons. Would really like 5 or 6 hundred but well....

Whats the best option? I thought about UNUSED plastic 50 gallon garbage cans sealed with duct tape.

I have seen the commercial 50 gallon water drums they sell but I'm cheap and want to hear everyones opinion.

Lastly storage will be in an unheated detached garage, I've heard wrapping your water in a blanket will keep it from freezing?

Slàinte mhath
-Rob

 

Re: Water storage: Forgive me if this is covered elswhere bu

Blankets will only slow down the freezing process, not stop it. It depends on where you live and what the temperature gets down to. If you use trash cans with duct tape lids you will have to treat it as contaminated water and will have to either filter, boil it, or chemically treat it before drinking, so regardless, you are going to be spening money. You would be better off spending the money on getting good storeage barrels.

 

Re: Water storage: Forgive me if this is covered elswhere bu

Check this out:

http://www.waterbob.com/Welcome.do;jsessionid=80B605D5652151A28E5AC79400D14E12

 

Re: Water storage: Forgive me if this is covered elswhere bu

One gallon per person is very minimal, IF it isn't hot and you are NOT working hard. Figure two gallons, more realistically. And this does NOT factor in washing and toilet usage.

 

Re: Water storage: Forgive me if this is covered elswhere bu

nope i have plain chlorine bleach and a local outside source.

 

Re: Water storage: Forgive me if this is covered elswhere bu

I've been thinking of a couple Waterbobs in big plywood trays beneath my house - got enough craw-space.

 

Re: Water storage: Forgive me if this is covered elswhere bu

I just realized. My water heater is 66 gallons, I'm just going go buy bottled water to top that off.

Tell me can you re-use 2-liter pop bottles for water storage?


-Rob

 

Re: Water storage: Forgive me if this is covered elswhere bu

Pop bottles can be used for very short durations if kept cool. The problem with pop bottles is that they contained sugar. Regardless of how well you clean the bottles, some of this sugar can be retained in the microscopic cracks and crevis in the plastic. This can cause bacterial growth if there are any bacteria in the water you place in the bottle or water to begin with.

 

Re: Water storage: Forgive me if this is covered elswhere bu

I have one of those, but it is a different brand. The plastic is pretty thin, but since you won't be moving it, it really doesn't need to be that thick. I opened the box to check it out, but it is sealed in the box under the sink, ready to be filled if needed.

 

Re: Water storage: Forgive me if this is covered elswhere bu

Completely agree, that is why I have a water purifier sitting atop my stored water. Boiling is the best method for disinfection, no poisons or nasty aftertaste like Iodine. We make our aviators, once a year, drink a dixie cup of iodine treated water so that the first time they taste it isn't in a survival situation.
You are correct, any water can be or get contaminated, but with pop bottles, you have sugar, a prime food for bacteria. Bacteria will only thrive in an environment that contains enough food to allow propegation.

 

Re: Water storage: Forgive me if this is covered elswhere bu

been think ing about the trash can idea with a55 gal plastic "drum liner" bag inside myself, infact you could store two empty trash bins stacked until needed,then fill, we have a laundry sink in the basement with a short hose on the faucet and of course concrete slab floor to support the weight, wouldn't do two barrels upstairs on joists..

Water also makes some of the best radiation shielding material, saw a civil defense video on basement shelters where they used cardboard boxes lined with trash bags and filled them with water as part of the protective roof mass of the small improvised shelter.

we'vestill got the original well and pump in place for "watering the grass"even though our area converted to "city" water and sewer long before we bought the house...justgotta come up with a non electricity dependant pump or a genny

 

Re: Water storage: Forgive me if this is covered elswhere bu

Trash bags are very porous and poorly made for water drinking purposes. Any water you drink from them needs to be filtered to keep from ingesting the plastic residue that sluffs off.

 

Re: Water storage: Forgive me if this is covered elswhere bu

Thanks, perhaps just galvanized steel and a drum liner,