I have heard to store your water then treat it later when you are sure that you need it. Some rationale is that if you store 250 gallons not all of that will even need to be treated so save your treatment devices for drinking and cooking water.

 

I fill mine with tap water after putting in 8 drops of bleach per gallon. Be sure to fill it to the absolute top, leaving no air (or as little as possible). By putting the bleach in first, it mixes with the water. Then if you store it in a location away from the sunlight, it will keep for years. You will hear advice to rotate it ever six months or year; and that's fine, but not really necessary.

I add the bleach when filling as a preventative measure; to nix the problem before it even begins. Why let bacteria grow and THEN treat it?

If I ever do use the water, I will still put it through a water filter; more to remove the bleach taste than anything else. I will also aerate it by pouring it from one container to another; this makes the water more pleasant to drink.

 

Just recycle water every 6 months or so. There is no need to treat treated water unless you want to filter it before you put it in containers. The 7 gallon containers you refer to are actually from Reliance Products and prices will vary by region. In most parts of Texas they run $7.48 each. In Denver, CO they run about $10.95 each. Do not try to stack them. Store them with spigot side up and turn them on side to use them.

Also know that if you plan to use household bleach, it does not store well. Use only Clorox bleach since it has better controls in production and it's life is longer than the generics. Bleach starts to degrade once it has been produced. It loses its effectiveness.

Invest in some purification tablets as a backup. You may also want to invest in some MR. COFFEE type filters. They are cheap and you can pre-filter lake or stream water that has particulate in it. Using a coffee filter will help your water filter extend out it's life a long way. We use a two bucket system where bucket number one takes in lake water and then we pour the water through our coffee filter into bucket number two and that is the water we filter with a Katadyn or other filter.

The nice thing about the 7 gallon containers is they are portable and can be used in a Bug out Kit when needed. Remember that 7 gallons of water weighs almost 70 pounds. a 55 gallon drum weighs 500 pounds. You will need a heavy duty dolly when moving drums of 30 gallons and up.

Good prepping. GB

 

Remember that 7 gallons of water weighs almost 70 pounds. a 55 gallon drum weighs 500 pounds.

That's not right. A U.S gallon of water weighs 8 pounds, so 7 gallons weighs 56 pounds and 55 gallons weighs 440 pounds.

Unless you're a Brit, because the Imperial gallon does weigh 10 pounds. However, very few places officially use Imperial gallons anymore and those that do use it for gasoline. Or petrol, rather.

 

I have several of these stacked in the basement. Why 'leave little or no air'? I left space for expansion.

 

Bacteria needs air to grow, less air = less opportunity for bacteria.

I also fill my stored bottles right to the brim leaving no air space. I have had no troubles with expansion.

 

I stack my Aqua-tainers, but only 2 high. I only have 6 of them now and rotate one out each month, so the oldest is never more than 6 months old. I add a few drops of bleach when filling, but I don't know if they have a taste or not, because they are given to the hens at this point.

 

Do not stack aquitaine more the 2 high...



Major mega ditto.

They will fail if you stack taller than 2, and in as little time as 3 months. It's best to have a shelf in the first place, anyhow. We use 3/8" plywood with separators. This keeps the load off the walls of the containers and makes removal from storage easier.

 

I have a couple of these as well. I haven't used them yet, but I did loan them out to a neighbor who's water was shut off because of a leak.

 

Several years ago I purchased 5 of the tall slender turquoise Reliance water containers from Wal-Mart. They hold 6 gal. 2 of them have developed slow leaks, in spite of simply being filled and placed in a closet or in the basement--never handled roughly. I haven't been able to find the leaks.

 

Same problem with the same container you are describing.

 

i think i would get like a 50 gallon. maybe even 500 gallon tank, i like my water

 

I've got the same containers and if you swap the water out every 6-8 months the city chlorination is fine.

I have also put a teaspoon of bleach into each container (after filling with water) and either way works.

 

How much

 

Sterile water in a sterile container doesn't go bad.

Unless there are biologicals in your container that will use up the chlorine, what comes out of your municipally-treated tap is just fine.

My Aquatainers were rinsed out with chlorinated tap water then filled again with that same water, out of a food-grade hose (the white one).

 

Sterile water in a sterile container doesn't go bad.

Unless there are biologicals in your container that will use up the chlorine, what comes out of your municipally-treated tap is just fine.

City water isn't sterile. It can even get contaminated on the way from the water plant to your house.

Also some cities have recently switched to a new type of chlorine that can degrade lead pipes, btw, not that that has anything to do with sterility.

 

have 5 of em in our supplies.
I filled them with filtered water from the Berky..slow process over a few days.
put the appropriate stabil drops in there and closed em up.

even at that, I don't like to trust the water too long...we redo them periodically.

and yes, agreed, I got them for bug out purposes...if we can stay home, then we have pond, stream, pool for most immediate water needs...and a gallon jug of bleach to treat then run through the berky and take it from there.

 

i have 6 or 7 of them, use them when i go and get free spring water

http://www.findaspring.com

 

I have 2 of the older 5-round Reliance containers, and 2 of the 7-gallon Aquatainers. I really like the 7-gallons, (and I stack them 2 high, but wouldn't do more), but after a earthquake disaster bug-in drill I did recently, I found that I really can't handle them effectively. I had trouble when I first got them and filled them, but didn't realize just how heavy they are and how hard to hoist up to get one on the counter or on a counter. As good as they are, I wouldn't recommend the 7-gallon totes for anyone not in good physical shape, anyone with physical disabilities, children, and small statured adults, if they have to moved once filled.

FYI: They weigh right at 60 pounds when full. Way too much for this bad back.

Just my opinion.

 

perhaps a new thread about the turquoise containers would be better since people are answering a two year old thread?

 

Has the price gone up :xeye:

 

This should help with the bleach question:

http://www.cdc.gov/healthywater/pdf/emergency/09_202278-B_Make_Water_Safe_Flyer_508.pdf

 

If one has to stack them, build the framework first, with nice flat shelves to rest on. And still store them vertically. Such storage impedes rotation and so not desirable. With limited number of 'tainers I would rotate the water as often as reasonable, not once in 6 months. About the expansion: remember, water expands at freezing.

 

We used to carry water in plastic drink containers to a lake house.

Have a few gulps after you've stored water in them for a few weeks. It's likely to have a very potent plastic smell and taste, unless todays plastics are far different.

It takes several fillings, store awhile and refills before that taste and smell dilutes to where it's not as objectionable.

 

Aquatainers do not impart plastic taste, I am still using them as a primary water storage every day.

 

I have Six of the 7-Gallon Aquatainers, which I rinsed with Baking soda and Well-Water, twice each with about a week between each fill. Then I rinsed them with Distilled water, drained, and then filled with Distilled Water. They have been completely Filled, and stored with the Spigots inverted (Within the Container) for well over Two Years. No Taste to the One container we broached, No Growths, and no leaks.

As noted by our Resident Expert, They are Heavy for Folks to handle. I store Mine Two High, and almost never Move or Handle them.

No Problems so far!

I like them for the Inside Storage.

 

Vitamin C Netralises Bleach Smell/Taste

You can get vitamin C crystals at your local friendly health food store, or they can order it for you. Trial and error with the amount of Vit. C to completely kill the bleach taste and smell. If you use too much vitamin C; if you then mix the water with rum it will prevent scurvy, a deadly disease that requires....more rum and Vitamin C. HB of CJ (old coot)

The rum and Vitamin C is supposed to be joke for those who did not get it the first time.

Tap water put into clean containers, (not sterile) will keep for a very long time if you keep the containers from freezing, (breakage) and keep them at a stable cool temp and away from any sunlight. No energy or food. The bugs do die off. Good water becomes better over time.....if stored properly. Glug glug.

 

Well for every action there is an opposite and equal reaction.

I dropped by *mart yesterday to get a package of DVDs.

As usual I went by to check out the ammo situation -> horrible yesterday.

I saw these Aqua containers and bought the two that they had on the shelf. $12 and change each. Very nice deal.

Thanks to you all for discussing them.

 

I've had 4 blue Aquatainers for a good 7 years now. Used em for water storage and took them camping.

The spigots of 2 of them have broken off. I use those to water our small apple trees.

 

I've also had problems with a leaking green Reliance container. After a year ot two,I noticed one had leaked about 50%, so I took it back to Wal-mart, with no reciept, and they let me exchange it for one of the blue Aqua-tainers (of which I already owned several, and highly recommend.)
Like others here, I stack them two high, but wouldn't go higher. I also add a dash of bleach to our already noticably chlorinated country water. I used to rotate about anually, but I never noticed any visible growth or slimy feeling inside the container when I did ,and I'm at least a year late right now. I'm not worried, if i needed to use it I'd probably give it a fresh dash of bleach, and run it through the Big Berkey. No worries.

 

Why did the OP call them Walmart containers, they are made by walmart. Last time i bought one Walmart charged $1 more than even Gander Mountain for them.

 

Fleet Farm has them for $13 and they had at least a dozen on the shelf.

My original ones from 2002 are all still good. Just a drop of bleach is all I added and not a sign of issues.

There are ones that have filter kits, but I have not seen those in some time.