Water Storage for Emergency Preparedness

Rain, Rain, Go away,
Come again another day.

Tsunami in Japan.....
Historic Flooding in the Mississippi Valley …..
Deadly tornadoes devastate the Midwest ……..
A major slide in the Snake River Canyon......
The Creeks are filling up .......

Water Storage is probably the last thing we want to be thinking of right now.  Whether some places are having fire, drought or floods, hey, water always comes out when I turn the faucet on.  Like most living in the U.S., we take water for granted.  Having left our water storage back east when we moved here, I have delayed my water preps here long enough. Well one reason because there was plenty of snow.  It did come down nearly everyday, but I am told that this is an unusual winter with this much snow. So now we have to be weary of all that snow on top of the mountains melting to fast and flooding the valley.

But it’s time to take the plunge even if water doesn't seem to be at a lost, and I hope this will encourage you to do the same whether it is big or small.        

           Water storage is essential … 

My modest, realistic goal for now is to achieve a solid 3-month supply of  water.  

   MAY I ENCOURAGE YOU TO JOIN ME?  !!!

  Here is how, why, and what about

Water Storage

Water is life 

Water that we take for granted when things are normal becomes absolutely critical in times of an emergency. This is an area you can't afford to overlook in your preparedness preparations. Fact: "The human body can't survive even one week without water". In general terms, the human body requires 4 times as much water as food. Therefore, for every pound of food consumed in one day, it is necessary to consume about 4 pounds of water (which is about 1/2 gallon).

  In an emergency situation you must have an ample supply of clean water – at least one gallon per person per day. You should store, at minimum, a two-week supply for each member of the family. You will use this water for drinking, food preparation and personal hygiene. Store your water in thoroughly washed plastic, glass, fiberglass or enamel-lined metal containers. Never use a container that has held toxic substances.

THE MOST TO THE LEAST for your budget. 

Water Storage Drums The easiest way to store the bulk of your water storage is in 55 or30 gallon polyethylene (plastic) water storage drums (FDA approved for storing drinking water).  The Shelf Reliance Water Storage System provides you with the means to store and access healthy water at home. The coloring of this barrel is specifically designed to block UV rays, preventing the growth of algae and bacteria. Such measures allow for indoor and outdoor storage of your water supply.
      Use your supply of clean water for cooking, cleaning, washing, and drinking needs, and keep yourself hydrated and comfortable in case of an emergency with the Shelf Reliance Water Storage System.

55 gallon WS Drum runs about $65.00
30 gallon WS Drum runs about $55.00
But than you need a siphon pump that runs about $25 to $35.  If you have the money and the room it's worth it.      http://www.storablefoods.com

                                   Basic 25 Gallon Boxed Water

When the emergency requires you to evacuate, this basic 25 gallon boxed water kit possibly is, besides your family, the most important item to take with you. After filling, each water box weighs approximately 40 lbs. The basic 25 gallon boxed water kit includes five heavy-duty (stackable up to three high to save space) box each with its own metalized five-gallon water storage bag with pour spout. In an emergency, the heavy-duty boxes can be converted to portable toilets, making the basic 25 gallon boxed water kit even more useful.
The value is about $40.00    http://beprepared.com 

5-Gallon collapsible Water Bottle or Water Cooler's bottles 

Can be brought at camping stores or Home Depot/ Lowe's  for around  $10 to $25 .



 Canned Drinking Water Canned Emergency Drinking Water with a 30+ year shelf life has become the new disaster preparedness choice for governmental agencies, hospitals, public institutions as well as families and businesses.  This is the type of water yo buy once and never worry about it again.   Case of 12 cans runs about $35 to $40        http://www.safetykitstore.com

Water Boxes  boxes can be stored for 5 years and provide a great source of emergency water. Ideal for 72 hour kits each box comes with a straw and 8.5 oz. of water. Price is any where's from $.85 per box to $10 for a pack of three.  http://www.thereadystore.com

 
Bottled Water is drinking water packaged in plastic bottles or glass bottles.  Did you know that it costs you as much as 75% more to keep your food cold if your freezer is empty? If you are unable to keep your freezer full of food and as a way to have some “extra” water storage, keep small water jugs or containers in your freezer. This will also help save money on electricity and ensure this water is safe. Besides saving money on electricity you will ensure some of your water supply is available in case of an emergency. Water containers can easily be removed if you need additional room for food storage.   If the power goes out, your water storage in the freezer will serve at least three purposes:
    * First, the ice jugs or bottles will keep your food cold to help ensure your food supply stays safe.
    * Second, your water storage will be safe and available. As the water melts you will have drinking water.
    * Third, if you have to leave home and need to take food supplies and keep them cold, the smaller frozen
       jugs or bottles are easily turned into the ice for your ice chest. Their smaller size works better when fitting
       into small or large spaces as needed. 

Plastic containers, such as recycled soft drink bottles, are best to for short term storage. Seal water containers tightly(can dip cap area in melted wax if you like),  label them and store them in a cool, dark place. Rotate water every six months.    

Can your own water  I had gather free canning jars from people who were moving and many came from yard sales.  Use standard canning jars, but I have used mayonnaise jars as long as lids fit properly. Bottles should be throughly cleaned and placed in boiling water.  Separate boiling water is than placed in the clean jar and a hot flat lid place on it and than a clean screw on lid tightly. My water had at the time I moved was 3 years old and still tasted clean.

Seal A Meal I use my Seal A Meal to store water on one side of the pouch and than the food on the other.  Perfect for 72 hour kits.  Or just doing water alone.  Using the plastic bags to create 8oz pouches which are easy to take with you if needing to leave your home.

  THAT DISASTER HITS HOME

If, for some reason, disaster catches you without a stored supply of clean water, you can use the water from the ice cubes in your freezer, the water in your pipes and the water in your hot water tank. If you have time before the event (disaster) you can fill the bathtub and sinks with water. As a last resort, you can use water in the reservoir tank of your toilet (not the bowl). To use the water in your pipes, let air into the plumbing by turning on the faucet at the highest level (upstairs) in your house. A small amount of water will trickle out. After doing this you will be able to draw water from a faucet at the lowest level of the house (downstairs). To use the water in your hot-water tank, to be sure electricity or gas is off, and open the drain at the bottom of the tank. Start water flowing by turning off the water intake valve and turning on a hot –water faucet. Do not turn on the gas or electricity when the tank is empty.

You can find water outside your home from the following sources – rainwater; streams, rivers and other moving bodies of water, ponds; lakes and natural springs. This water must be purified for drinking purposes. Avoid water with floating material, an odor or dark color. Use saltwater only after it has been distilled. You should not drink floodwater.  

 Purify Your Water Before Use
You should purify all water of uncertain purity before using it for drinking, food preparation or personal hygiene use. There are different ways to purify your water. None is perfect. Often the best solution is a combination of methods.

If you don't have a purification system, boiling and disinfecting and distillation are methods that will kill most microbes in water.

Boiling and disinfecting are two methods that will kill most microbes in water. Distillation is another method that removes the microbes that resist boiling and disinfecting. It also removes heavy metals, salts and most other chemicals. Boiling is the safest method of purifying water. Bring water to a rolling boil for 3-5 minutes, keeping in mind that some water will evaporate. Let the water cool before drinking. Boiled water will taste better if you put oxygen back into it by pouring the water back and forth between two clean containers. This will also improve the taste of stored food.

Disinfecting involves using household bleach to kill microorganisms. Use only regular household liquid bleach that contains 5.25 percent sodium hypochlorite. Do not use scented bleaches, color-safe bleaches or bleaches with added cleaners. Add 16 drops of bleach per gallon of water, stir and let stand for 30 minutes. If the water does not have a slight bleach odor, repeat the dosage and let stand another 15 minutes. Again, the only agent used to purify water should be household liquid bleach. Other chemicals – such as iodine or water treatment products sold in camping or surplus stores that do not contain 5.25 percent sodium hypochlorite as the only active ingredient – are not recommended and should not be used.

Distillation involves boiling water and then collecting the vapor that condenses back to water. The condensed vapor will not include salt and other impurities. To distill, fill a pot halfway with water. Tie a cup to the handle on the pot’s lid so that the cup will hang right side up when the lid is upside-down (make sure the cup is dangling into the water) and boil the water for 20 minutes. The water that drips from the lid into the cup is distilled. Distillation actually removes some microbes that resist boiling and disinfecting. It also removes heavy metals, salts and most other chemicals.

You cannot eat and not drink. I strongly recommend you have water on hand at your house.

This was a merchant who sold pills that had been invented to quench thirst. You need only swallow one pill a week, and you would feel no need of anything to drink. "Why are you selling those?" asked the little prince. "Because they save a tremendous amount of time," said the merchant. "Computations have been made by experts. With these pills, you save fifty-three minutes in every week." "And what do I do with those fifty-three minutes?" "Anything you like..." "As for me," said the little prince to himself, "if I had fifty-three minutes to spend as I liked, I should walk at my leisure toward a spring of fresh water." Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, The Little Prince, 1943