Preparing An Emergency Water Supply

The purpose of this article is to demonstrate how to prepare an emergency water supply. We can often survive weeks without adequate food or shelter, but without a clean, safe water supply we often won’t survive days. After air, it is our most precious resource, so it pays to be prepared and have a supply ready for an emergency.

How Much Water Should I Store?
How much to store depends on how long term your plans are, and how comfortable you’d like to be. FEMA recommends 1 liter of water per person per day. This is the bare minimum, other government sites recommend 2-3 liters, as you may need more water if you need to exert yourself or if you’re in a warm environment. You may need water for washing/cleaning as well. So plan on having at least 1 liter (and if possible 2-3 liters) per day for each person during the critical first 3 days of an emergency.

For longer term storage, you’ll want a little more per person per day. You’ll need more for washing and cleaning and other things. Considering how cheap (basically free) water is in the West, and how important it is, it makes sense to be prepared, even over prepared. Plan for 4L per person, per day. If you have the space, try and store as much water as possible. Again, water is so easy to store, and yet so important.

If you’re interested in learning how to make an unknown water source safe to drink, read this article for information on emergency water filtration and purification.

What to Store It In?
There are a few options for long term water storage. The simplest would probably be bottled water. It’s already bottled and sealed, somewhat cheap to buy (although insanely overpriced when you think about it), and even has its shelf life printed on it. There are cheaper options though, and there has been recent evidence that suggest the chemicals in the plastic that seep into the water aren’t the greatest for you.

Another option is to use old containers. 2L pop bottles are a popular choice. To clean them, first add soap and water, swish around, then rinse. Then add 1L of water, 1 teaspoon of unscented household bleach, and rinse (make sure you do so thoroughly). Fill the bottles with tap water. If your water isn’t treated with chlorine, add 2 drops of chlorine bleach to kill any bacteria. Tightly close the cap, and you’re ready to go.

If you’re using empty bottles, avoid anything that’s had juice or milk in it. Sugars and fats and difficult to fully remove, and can be a breeding ground for bacteria.

Where to Store It?
You’ll want to store your water in a cool, dark area. Cover it with a dark plastic bag, to minimize any sunlight it may receive. Keep it away from any gasoline, kerosene or pesticides, as plastic is permeable to hydrocarbon vapors. Avoid placing plastic bottles directly on cement, as this can contaminate it, too.

Inspect your water every 6 months, for leaks or color changes. You should rotate it regularly, as its shelf life will often not be much more than a year.

Good luck and stay prepared!

Read more from RamboMoe at preparedforthat.com

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