Water Storage Myths & Facts

Myth: Treat your water, then store it. Fact: If you use regular tap water, it’s already treated. 

Myth: Don’t store your water barrels on cement. Fact:  Don’t store on heated cement, Cement only leaches chemicals when hot. If storing in garage/patio, raise them. 

Myth: Stored water tastes bad. Fact: It is merely lacking oxygen. Restore by pouring back/forth.

 Myth: “I’ve got a pool for water storage, so I don’t need more.” Facts:  Big risk in relying upon pool water. Air borne pollutants end up in your pool water.  Risk:  your pool is attractive to others.

Myth: “I have iodine tablets and I know where the river is.” Facts: If you know where a water source is, so do other people.  Relying upon gathering water is a huge risk. You are assuming Iodine tablets take care of whatever is in the outdoor water.  And it makes the water taste bad. 

Myth:  Boiling your water for 10 minutes is the only way to be safe.  Facts:  Water boils at 212 degrees; rolling boil for one minute is sufficient.  However, a temp of 160 degrees for 30 minutes will kill all pathogens, and 185 degrees for only 3 minutes. This is true even at a high altitude. 

Myth: You only need 2 weeks water supply to shelter-in-place safely.  Fact: Two weeks is a start, but grossly insufficient.  A catastrophic disaster could require many months supply. 

Myth: “I don’t drink a gallon of water a day, why is that a minimum?”  Fact: Your water must also be used for sanitation, first aid, hygiene, rehydrating food.  Professionals say 3 gallon-minimum. 

Myth: Food is more important than water.  Fact:  False. A healthy person can go a few weeks without food before their life is threatened; you can’t live without water longer than a few of days without seriously taxing your body -- your muscles lose their elasticity, your organs begin to shut down, your senses are dulled.  Longer than several days and your body may not recover health. 

Myth: “I don’t need water. I’ve stored a supply of Gatorade.”  Fact: Liquid intake is not the same as water intake. Other liquid requires the body to process it, filter it, and THEN use what water is left in the liquid before it can help your body’s hydration. 

NOTE:  There is not uniform agreement about water.  Many suggest you store distilled water if you can, because it has less to process.  Then there is the opinion that re-hydration is best accomplished with a home-made electrolyte solution. (See recipe in different article).   

Myth: "I’ve got 2-liter bottles, old milk jugs, and juice bottles full of water; I’m set." Facts:  FDA requires that the plastic used for juices and soda pop be food grade to prevent plastic leaching into the contents. However, constant exposure to 80 degrees+ will initiate this chemical breakdown. 

It's perfectly safe to use plastic containers which have a "PET or PETE" classification so long as you do not repeatedly empty, wash and then refill again and again. Reusing your bottles once or even twice for water storage is perfectly safe if PET or PETE.  Use clean soda pop or juice containers, fill with tap water and then store in ideal conditions to get the longest, safe shelf-life.  

Milk jugs, on the other hand usually have an "HDPE" rating and are not suitable for potable water storage. Pay attention to rating/classification of the plastic. 

Data about water safety and storage can vary from source to source. To be certain: BOIL.  PLEASE:  DO YOUR OWN HOMEWORK.  Below is one source you could start with; find others. This is a subject you want to be certain of.  

Preparedness Pro