Storing Water for
Emergencies
Water is one of the most necessary
items that you need to store for emergencies. It is the easiest to
obtain, but the hardest to store. A gallon of water weights 8 pounds.
The 2-week recommended minimum supply of water for one person is 14 gallons,
including both
drinking water, and water for household use.
Water can be stored in the garage,
but in strong plastic containers it can be put in closets or under the bed.
If you purchase a 55 gallon storage container, you can put one of them in your garage and
it will be enough emergency water to last 4 people for 2 weeks.
HERE IS MORE INFORMATION YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT
FRUGAL WATER STORAGE
Other Emergency Sources of Water
ice cubes
canned goods
water heaters
hot tubs
swimming
pools
roof
gutters
Here is
the link to an article on how to capture rain water from your roof from the
Saving Money on Utilities
page of Frugal Happy Families.com
Rain
Barrels and Rain Barrel Cisterns: 5 Reasons You Should Install One,
Storage Containers
Glass is not recommended, because it
can break during an emergency. Also, do not use empty milk containers.
You can use food quality plastic, but make
sure that it is clean. Never use the garden hose to fill water containers.
If you need to fill a big water container in your garage, buy a new hose and use it only
for that purpose. You can also buy a siphon that will
easily remove the water.
Keep your container tightly closed,
and out of direct sunlight.
You can purchase chemicals to add to
water that will keep it potable (drinkable) for up to 5 years. These make
for easier storage of large water containers.
Treating Water
Water gets dated. There are several
ways to treat it before you use it. One way it to use ordinary household
bleach. Add 4 drops of bleach per quart of water.
You should also have a water filter.
This can be used to treat water at home, but is also necessary to put in your emergency travel kit,
and can be used for camping.
Rotating Water
If your water comes from a source
where the water has been chemically treated, like city municipal water, you only
need to rotate it once a year. Again, you can add your chemicals for long
term storage. If your water comes from a well, you
may not be able to store it.
Emergencies Requiring Water
Water supply is often interrupted or contaminated
by the following events:
Earthquakes
Flooding
and Heavy Rain
Hurricanes
Power
Failure
You cannot
survive more than a few days without water. See
The Untold Story of Hurricane Andrew to see how difficult it was for my
husband to find some water to take his medication when he arrived in Miami. Make this a priority in your
emergency preparedness plans.
