Clean soda bottles can be used for water storage.
In a disaster such as a hurricane, earthquake or flood, clean drinking water is often not available. According to the American Red Cross, every household should have an emergency preparedness kit. The most important item in the kit is water. The minimum amount to have available is one gallon per person per day, for drinking and sanitation. Keep a three day supply on hand to take with you in case you must evacuate, and a two week supply for your home.
Plastic Bottles
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) suggests that you store water in clean plastic bottles such as plastic soft drink bottles. Bottle it yourself or buy commercially bottled water. Use plastic bottles that previously had juice or other beverages in them. Be sure you clean them thoroughly to insure there is no trace of the previous product (unless it was water) left in the bottle. Scald it and let the bottle dry upside down before filling it with clean water for storage. Cap tightly and store away from light. Do not use bottles that had anything other than food or beverage products in them. Rotate the water so that your supply stays fresh. How often you need to rotate it depends on your particular conditions, but every six months is a good rule of thumb, more often if you live in a hot climate.
Commercial Containers
Emergency water supplies are available in commercially packaged and sterilized containers, usually either boxes or foil pouches. Because these products are packaged under sterile conditions, they generally have a shelf life of five years. Be sure you buy them from a reputable supplier. Most people find commercially packaged water too expensive to use for sanitation purposes, so also store water in bottles or barrels to supplement the sterile water.
Barrels
For large families or people who would like to store larger quantities of water, use food-grade barrels. Buy these from online suppliers or purchase them locally. For large barrels, you can check farm supply stores or food manufacturers for used 40 or 50 gallon barrels that previously had food products such as juice concentrate in them. Clean and disinfect them thoroughly, then fill and store. For all barrels, guidelines put out by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (LDS), a church that tasks all members with keeping a full year's supply of food on hand at all times, say that if you store chlorinated water, such as from a city tap, you can do so without treating. However, if you are storing non-chlorinated water, such as from a well, treat it with 1/8 teaspoon of bleach per gallon of water. Use regular household bleach that has no scent added and has no thickeners or other additives. Empty the barrels and refill on a regular basis, at least twice per year.
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