Water Storage

Close-up of water splashing on a glass surface with a dark background.

Category 1: Water Storage

Why Water is Priority #1

You can survive weeks without food, but only 3-4 days without water. Water is heavy, takes up space, and is boring to think about—but it's the most critical supply you need.

The CDC recommends 1 gallon per person per day for drinking and sanitation. That's 3 gallons per person for 3 days.

For a family of 4: 12 gallons minimum

How to Store Water

Option 1: Commercially Bottled Water

  • Pros: Already sealed, known safe, easy to grab

  • Cons: More expensive, takes up lots of space, plastic waste

  • Best practice: Buy in bulk from warehouse stores

  • Storage: Cool, dark place away from chemicals

  • Rotation: Technically stable indefinitely, but rotate every 6-12 months for taste

Option 2: Large Water Containers

  • Options: 5-gallon jugs, 7-gallon Aqua-Tainers, 55-gallon barrels

  • Pros: More economical, less packaging waste

  • Cons: Heavy when full, need space to store

  • Best practice: Food-grade containers only, never use containers that held chemicals

  • Storage: Cool, dark, off concrete floor if possible

  • Rotation: Refill every 6-12 months

Option 3: WaterBricks or Stackable Containers

  • Pros: Space-efficient, stackable, easy to transport

  • Cons: More expensive per gallon

  • Best use: Homes with limited storage space

Option 4: Emergency Water Pouches

  • Pros: Long shelf life (5 years), individual servings, Coast Guard approved

  • Cons: Expensive per gallon

  • Best use: Go-bags and vehicles

How Much to Actually Store

Minimum (3 days):

  • 1 gallon per person per day

  • Family of 4 = 12 gallons

Recommended (7 days):

  • Family of 4 = 28 gallons

Consider extra water for:

  • Pets (about half gallon per day for medium dog)

  • Cooking and food preparation

  • Hygiene (washing hands, brushing teeth)

  • Sanitation (flushing toilets)

  • Summer heat (increase by 50% in hot climates)

Emergency Water Sources in Your Home

If you run out of stored water, you can use:

  • Water heater (30-50 gallons of clean water)

  • Toilet tank water (NOT bowl—tank only if no chemicals added)

  • Ice cubes in freezer

  • Canned fruits and vegetables (drink the liquid)

Never drink:

  • Water bed water (chemicals)

  • Pool or hot tub water (chemicals)

  • Flood water (contaminated)

Water Purification Methods

If you need to use questionable water:

Method 1: Boiling

  • Bring to rolling boil for 1 minute (3 minutes at high altitude)

  • Most reliable method

  • Kills bacteria, viruses, parasites

  • Requires heat source

Method 2: Water Filters

  • Sawyer Mini, LifeStraw, Berkey filters

  • Removes bacteria and parasites

  • Most don't remove viruses (not usually an issue in US water)

  • Cost: $20-300

Method 3: Chemical Treatment

  • Water purification tablets (iodine or chlorine dioxide)

  • Bleach (unscented): 8 drops per gallon, wait 30 minutes

  • Kills most pathogens

  • Doesn't remove particles or chemicals

  • Cost: $10-30

Method 4: UV Purification

  • SteriPEN and similar devices

  • Kills pathogens with UV light

  • Requires batteries

  • Cost: $50-150

Have at least one backup purification method.

Resources

  • CDC Water Storage: https://www.cdc.gov/healthywater/emergency/creating-storing-emergency-water-supply.html

  • EPA Emergency Disinfection: https://www.epa.gov/ground-water-and-drinking-water/emergency-disinfection-drinking-water

Building Your 3 Day Home Emergency Kit