One of the first priorities in emergency preparedness is having an emergency water supply. I hope I don’t have to go into too much detail here about the importance of water.
Okay fine, I will.
The body can lose all of its carbohydrate and fat stores, as well as half of its protein stores, and still survive. Just a 10-20% loss of body weight in water would prove fatal. The effects of dehydration can be severe, including laboured breathing, dizziness, and delirium, potentially turning a difficult situation into a dire one.
Natural water sources, such as streams, wells, lakes, etc. cannot be relied upon as they may be contaminated with diseases or toxins and purification methods may not remove them all. After a stable supply of fresh air, a clean water supply is the next most important priority.
HOW MUCH WATER TO STORE FOR AN EMERGENCY?
How much water to prepare is a personal choice. The bare minimum, as recommended by FEMA, is 1 gallon (3.8L)/person/day or a minimum of 3 days. Other government websites recommend up to 2-3 gallons/person/day. And honestly, considering how cheap (essentially free) water is, and how incredibly important it is, I say err on the side of having too much as opposed to too little.
With more long term water storage, you’ll want more water/person. You can survive on a bit of a deficit for a few days, but don’t want to push it after that. You’ll also need water for washing, hygiene, etc. I suggest at least 4L/person/day. A 2 week supply would be 56L/person; a month’s supply would be 120L; and a year’s supply, if you’re so inclined and have extra space, would be 1460L/person.
HOW TO STORE WATER
Bottled water is an option, as it’s easier, and can be safe and reliable. It will usually have the shelf life printed on the bottles as well. The plastic used is permeable to hydrocarbon vapours though, so you don’t want to store it near gasoline or pesticides. There are also water storage containers for sale designed for long term storage of water.
You can also use old containers to store your water. You’ll want to avoid anything that’s had milk or juice in it, as the sugars and fats are difficult to fully remove, and bacteria can form that will ruin the water. 2L pop bottles work well for storage. To clean them out, first rinse with soap and water. Then add 1L water and 1 teaspoon of unscented household chlorine beach. Swish around, touching all the inner surface of the bottle. Empty, and rinse thoroughly with water. Fill bottles with tap water. If the city treats the water with chlorine, that should be enough to kill any bacteria remaining. If not, add 2 drops of chlorine bleach. Tightly close the cap, and tada, you have 2L of water stored!
THE SHELF LIFE OF STORED WATER
The shelf life of water can vary depending on quality of water, temperature and light exposure. To increase the shelf life, cover the bottles with dark plastic bags in a dark, cool area. Again, keep away from gasoline/kerosene/pesticides to avoid contamination.
Inspect water every 6 months, for leaks/changes in color, and look to rotate this water as its shelf life will often not last much longer than a year.
OTHER SOURCES OF WATER
There are other sources within your home where usable water can be found.
To use the water in your pipes, turn on the faucets in your home to the highest level, to let air in. Collect water from the lowest faucet in the home, where it will come out of.
To use the water in your hot storage tank, turn the electricity or gas off, and open the drain at the bottom of the tank. Turn off the water intake valve and turn on the hot water faucet, and the water should start flowing out. Refill the tank before turning on again.
You can also find some water in your ice cube trays.
Do not use water from toilet bowls or flush tanks, water beds, swimming pools or radiators.
Click here for our article on Emergency Water Filtration and Purification, should you fail to prepare an adequate emergency water supply or if your water supply runs out.
Good luck, and stay prepared!
Just discovered your site. Great job getting some important information out. I work at Big 3 Survival. We specialize in 72 hour emergency preparedness kits that follow the recommendations of virtually every nationally recognized preparedness advocate in America (FEMA, USCG, CDC, DHS, ARC, etc). I noticed on this posting you mention FEMA suggests 1L of water, per person, per day as a minimum. Not sure where you got that info from, but FEMA and every other government agency I know of are all in agreement: 1 gallon, per person, per day, for 3 days is the the minimum they recommend for emergency preparedness.
Other than that,good job.
Thanks Alan, and welcome to the site.
You are right, I mixed up my gallons and liters somewhere in my notes…
Thanks for catching that, fixing it now.
Nice article. I work at a water bottling plant. HDPE containers, such as gallon jugs generally have a 1 year shelf life. PET bottles, such as your standard clear. 5L bottles usually have a 2 year shelf life. The shelf life is determined by the type of plastic the water is stored in. After 2 years, PET bottled water may begin to have an off-taste.