Water Storage Solutions for Emergency Preparedness Scenarios

In the likely event of an emergency or disaster, fresh drinking water will become the most vital necessity of life and survival, and at the same time probably the least accessible.

Water would become very scarce and any available water would be at a premium - for what we take for granted now on a daily basis, will become a priceless commodity in times of emergency or disaster!

A Likely Scenario

Imagine for a moment trying to exist without water. Water lines are busted and the supply of water has been cut off. It may not be back on for days or weeks or longer. Under such conditions the government agencies and rescue services would be overwhelmed and most likely out of service. In a severe earthquake or some other disaster, freeways, roads and overpasses could be destroyed or shut down and multiple automobile accidents could hinder transportation and emergency aid attempts. Assuredly, we would be on our own for some time before food and water reached everyone. Chaos and riots are breaking out in supermarkets - making it an ideal place to stay away from.

Ask yourself..... would I ever want to be in a situation whereby I would be willing to beg for water from a neighbor's precious supply! Probably not. Nor would you want to have the situation reversed! Many could survive a week without food, but few could live more than 2 or 3 days without water. Not only do you need water for drinking, but also for bathing, cleaning, cooking, food preparation, and sanitation. And don't forgets the pets!- what will they drink once they've emptied the toilets?

Conserve and Collect Water

There are, however, ways to help survive in such a situation. Paper plates and plastic utensils are a start. This would save on washing dishes. Water could be filtered and used from the hot water heaters, using special filters to first screen out the sediment, rust & dirty water that will have collected at the bottom of the tank. These will attach directly to the water faucet valve or bib on the lower half of the tank. Water could also be drained from the lines in your home, by slightly opening the upper most faucet to release pressure and draining the water from the lowermost faucet in the home. And water could be siphoned from the toilet tanks (not the bowls) and purified with tablets or a micro- filter. And finally, used water, say from bathing, brushing your teeth, or washing dishes could be used to flush toilets, providing they're still flushable.

If you have any warning at all of an oncoming crisis, you should immediately collect as much water as possible by filling up bathtubs, sinks and other water containers that you may have around the house, before the water has been completely shut down or is no longer flowing. The Aquapod is prime for such an occasion - see right hand column.

Reconditioned water drums, in our opinion, should never be used to store drinking water, regardless of what others may tell you. Only brand new FDA food approved plastic containers should be used for long term storage of drinking water. Remember, anything previously stored in these drums could still be present in the microscopic pores of the polyethylene plastic and might provide an environment for bacterial growth. If you don't believe that, then just ask yourself this question: Why do companies, then, not reuse these drums? Why do they sell them off very cheap, or give them away once they've been used? This is true even when using them to store the same substance as before. See also "Cleaning Water Barrels" below.

It might be also be wise to ensure that your neighbor has one also - as you will be hesitant to share when water becomes scarce! We believe that these storage barrels are the single most important investment one can make at this time. If you haven't already read these articles from the California practice Shakeout which occurred statewide during this past November -

Some things to keep in mind about Water Storage:

Most recommend storing at least 1 gallon of water per person per day for at least 3 days. However, we believe a more realistic length of time would be at least 2 weeks. It's better to be sure than sorry. One 55 gallon water storage barrel will supply enough water to keep a family of 4 alive for 2 weeks or or a couple could survive for a month. Again, the most efficient and cost effective way to store water is by 55 gallon plastic water barrels. We can, however, provide 30 and 15 gallon drums, and smaller containers, such as our 5 gallon Sam Stackers for those who may live in apartments, or areas where space is limited. Figure accordingly.
Take into consideration that age, diet, physical condition, climate and nursing mothers could possibly need more than 1 gallon per day. Summer months could also double the amount of water needed. And don't forget the pets !

When using any type of water preserver concentrate, it is recommended that once the drum is filled and the preserver has been added, to tightly snug the bung caps and then leave the bung caps sealed. Opening and closing the caps after treatment could possibly hinder the effectiveness of the preserver's' ability to keep the water  purified. The only time you would need to open the caps is to change the water after a period of time (5 yrs.), or to use the water in an emergency....hopefully, we will never have to do this!

There should also be at least one or two portable storage containers around to use for siphoning from the drums. You might also want to have at least one filled so that in times of emergency or evacuation it would be ready to grab and go. Remember, without the water preserver they will all need to be rotated or refreshed at least every 6 months!


Water has a shelf life of approximately 6 mos. After that, bacteria may start to grow and the water may become contaminated to where it is unfit to drink. Just like food, water needs to stay fresh and clean enough to drink. By adding a water preserver concentrate to the plastic drums, the water will easily stay fresh and germ free for a minimum of 5 years before you will need to change it. And it will easily store outside, although not recommended in direct sunlight without a cover, as the sunlight will tend to deteriorate the plastic after a while. We can supply the preserver, bung wrench openers and siphon hose pumps for use with these drums. One simple search through the internet and I'm sure you will realize the significance of our products and prices. Of course we guarantee all our products.

If you happen to be using smaller containers such as milk cartons or thin plastic water containers, be aware that not only is there is a chance that the plastic from some of these containers could seep into the water after sitting for some time, but they must be regularly rotated and constantly checked for leaks. This is especially true of old milk cartons. Some containers could crush, while glass containers could obviously break.

Be sure the containers are FDA food grade for storage. Polyethylene meets or exceeds all EPA requirements for safety, purity, strength and longevity. The blue color provides the water with ultraviolet protection, thus helping to eliminate the growth of bacteria. The polyethylene used to form the drums is very rugged and will last for many years.

Keep in mind, that water can become contaminated, if not protected by a water preserver, so if you are storing water in barrels or containers without a preserver, you may need to treat this water as it is to be used with some type of weater purifier such as Chlorine Dioxide.  

Finally, it is a good idea to place these drums on areas where they will not be exposed to constant ground water. If placing them on concrete, we might suggest raising them off the concrete. This is to ensure that water does not stand for long periods of time at the base where the lime from concrete can eventually etch into the plastic.  It's best to keep drums in an area where direct sunlight will not be bearing down on them. If drums are to be placed where they will receive a lot of direct sunlight, a tarp or one of our drum covers might be placed over them for added protection. This will not only help protect the plastic, but will also help to lengthen the shelf life of the water.

Cleaning Your Water Barrel

First things first. The question of storing long term water in a used water barrel is quite controversial. Many believe it is fine to do so, if properly cleaned, and that anything that was stored in the barrel previously will become neutralized with bleach, vinegar, baking soda, etc. to where it will be clean and safe enough to store your water supply. This may or may not be the case, so we do not argue the method. If you are fine with that, so be it.

I personally would not want to store my drinking water in any container that has been used before (for anything else than water), and obviously there is no way to be 100% sure - but that's just our opinion.

Secondly, if this were not the case, then why wouldn't the food companies simply recondition the barrels for more of the same type of food, instead of giving them away or selling them to vendors at a very cheap price? I know this to be, since we have been approached several times to purchase their used barrels. We have even been given the opportunity to pick up used drums for free, just for the taking. While these drums would be perfect for storing water for bathing, dishes, etc., we believe that they would not be suitable for drinking, but again that's just our opinion. And By the way, we would never consider selling these drums as new, although they make good storage for water that is to be used for anything other than drinking and can be purchased quite cheaply if you do a little research.

That aside, new water barrels should be rinsed out thoroughly with a hose before use.... using only a small amount of unscented bleach, if it makes you feel more comfortable. We do not feel it is necessary to use bleach, when the barrels are new, but if it makes you feel more secure, then have at it. You can do the same in between refilling every 5 years. Be sure to rinse it out thoroughly. If using a preserver concentrate then you can eliminate this process all together.

When you're ready to fill the barrel, it is recommended to use a potable hose, such as the ones used for RV use, rather than a regular hose. This will will cut down on the bacteria count, and chemicals that have leached into the hose from sitting in the sun. Some hoses even warn that they may contain lead. Potable hoses can be purchased at your nearby home center, Walmart, etc.

We Can Help

All of our containers are brand new, FDA food and water approved, high density polyethylene plastic and are ideal for long term water storage. We also can provide an excellent Water Treatment Preservative good for keeping water bacteria free for a minimum of 5 years, a bung wrench for safely opening and closing the caps, and a good siphon pump for draining the drums or for siphoning for drinking water.

The Water Barrels are not only perfect for family survival storage, but are ideal for churches, shelters, offices, schools, etc. But we can't promise to hold these prices forever. They are made from polyethylene, an oil derivative, and their prices will rise dramatically, should there be an oil crisis. Hurry, and stock up while they are still at a good price. A small price to pay for peace of mind !