Food and water questions

[Backon4]

For water storage I use old gallon milk jugs (water jugs in my case since I drink a gallon of distilled every day for medical reasons). I refill them and keep them in the basement and in my large chest freezer. I also keep 5 or so cases of kroger bottled water on hand about 90% of the time. Stock up when they are 2 for $5 and it is a cheap water source. Keep a couple of 5 gallon buckets on hand for gray water and use it flush your toilets.

All this is assuming you are bugging in.

So food, I keep a bunch of canned goods on hand as well as the typical rice and beans. Keep a couple extra containers of salt too so that your electrolytes don't get low, plus it's hard to eat bland food every day.

[Oh Shoot]

...water jugs in my case since I drink a gallon of distilled every day for medical reasons). I refill them and keep them in the basement and in my large chest freezer. I also keep 5 or so cases of kroger bottled water on hand about 90% of the time..

Good luck with those. I've had them leak in less than 3 months, hardly anyone claims they'll last much more than a year, year and a half. They develop pinholes, sometimes leak so slowly you don't even notice the water, it just evaporates as it squeezes out.

Milk jug plastic not very archival either.

The 2 liter soft drink bottles, on the other hand, are practically forever if kept out of direct sunlight. Leave a little room in the top and they'll generally not burst even with they freeze if stashed outside.

Course, plastics like the Aquatainer best all around. I keep 12 of the 7 gallon ones stashed, just for bare minimum 3 month survival for one person.

- OS

[exiton]

The 2 liter soft drink bottles, on the other hand, are practically forever if kept out of direct sunlight. Leave a little room in the top and they'll generally not burst even with they freeze if stashed outside.

- OS

I remember leaving fresh apple cider in a 2 liter bottle that got some sunlight. Went on vacation, BOOM!, then lots of paper towels.

[bigwakes]

I just found it on Products - Vitacost for $217 and using coupon code wbten get's $10 off. Total $207 plus shipping. Still looking though.

Just got the Kaytadyn Pocket filter today. Looks very sturdy. Gonna try to purify some water tomorrow. I'll let you know how it goes.

[Guest BungieCord]

I bought a bunch of 7-gallon Reliance Aqua-Tainers at Wally World. They're cheap and stackable and 7 gallons is a good size for this application.

[Oh Shoot]

I bought a bunch of 7-gallon Reliance Aqua-Tainers at Wally World. They're cheap and stackable and 7 gallons is a good size for this application.

NOT designed to stack after filling though, only empty.

I do have some filled ones only two high, but the bottom ones don't really like it.

- OS

[Guest clownsdd]

Here is an interesting link from the Mormons. They recommend a yrs supply on hand.

Food Storage and Emergency Preparedness

[Guest BungieCord]

NOT designed to stack after filling though, only empty.

I do have some filled ones only two high, but the bottom ones don't really like it.

- OS

I've been stacking them filled for years, but only two high, which fits under the lowest shelf in my shed. The bottom ones haven't complained.

[Oh Shoot]

I've been stacking them filled for years, but only two high, which fits under the lowest shelf in my shed. The bottom ones haven't complained.

Well, company will disavow knowledge of your mission, should you decide to accept it :

"Can I stack my Aqua-Tainer when it is filled?

No. This container can only be stacked when it is empty"

Support & Frequently Asked Questions | Reliance Products

- OS

[Guest carbonarcher]

If you all really look, there are better ways to store water...

You don't need a pre-manufactured container. for that .

[Guest Hoppy]

There are several options for water. I believe in redundant systems if possible. If the water supply is turned off you still have lots of potable water in the pipes of your house and 50 gallons in your water heater. To access the water in the pipes, turn on a shower head at the highest point in your house (if the water is off) and then open the hosebib outside and drain the water out of the pipes. The open shower head allows air to enter the system. Do something similar with the water heater. I also recommend to have water purification devices on hand. Pur or Brita Pitchers are good choices and easy to stockpile filters. I'd rather carry 50lbs of filters than 50lbs of water. Store a few large water jugs and follow the other advice about rotating out the water. Also have iodine tablets and chlorine available too.

For surface water, I recommend to boil it for 10 minutes, cool, then filter in pur filter. I know that you only need to bring the water to boiling to kill pathogens, but there are other things in surface water that are nasty other than pathogens. Have you ever heard of volatile organic compounds (VOC's)? This is basically petroleum products. Due to my knowledge of distilling, I know that more volatile compounds boil at lower temps than water, but not all of them release quickly. Boiling for 10 minutes will kill pathogens and will release most of the VOC's. Then filter for best results.

I hope that helps.

[perstare]

My wife and I have printed your message, and we'll add your ideas to our plans to guarantee good drinking water in the event of emergency.

[dash80 to dash8]

I just purchased and stored a couple kits from Emergency Essentials - Be Prepared Emergency Preparedness Food Storage. I got the kit that has the Mylar bags and boxes to store them in 5 gallon cubes. I was pretty happy with the setup and I feel its an easy way to do some long term storage of water. No rotating planned either. Granted I know that on the back end there might need to be some filtering required if there is any mold are funk growing. Give it a look

[perstare]

I just purchased and stored a couple kits from Emergency Essentials - Be Prepared Emergency Preparedness Food Storage. I got the kit that has the Mylar bags and boxes to store them in 5 gallon cubes. Give it a look

This is very important. It seems to fulfill all the requirements for the water-supply problem. It is simple and streamlined.

Please -- if you could locate the **stock numbers** of the " Mylar bags and boxes," it would be easier to purchase -- for the rest of us. I tried to locate what you described, and I could not locate it.

Thank you

Mike B

[greenego]

Has anyone considered using water from rain barrels? I put three, 50 gal barrels, around my house mainly to water plants during the summer. I purchased a Katadyn filter with the idea of using the water in the barrels, if we had to for drinking water.

[perstare]

You mentioned the use of rain barrels to collect water....

You need to think through the "path" that the water took to get to the barrel.

Running over the surface of the roofing material would not be good. Going down the path of the gutters, leaders and downspouts wouldn't be good either.

I've considered the collection of rain water myself and (at least for the time being) I don't have any answers there.

[bigwakes]

I had a guy tell me to have a kit in each bathroom that consists of painter's plastic, a zip tie, and a small hose. When a disaster happens you can put the plastic in your bathtub, fill with water and zip tie the plastic to keep water from evaporating or slowly going down the drain if there is a small leak. The hose is to push through the zip tie when you need water to syphon it out. Makes sense and it's something I have added to my water plan. The first thing I did with the recent floods was fill my tubs with water in case the water was shut off at some point.

[G27]

Or you could just get these: WaterBOB®: emergency drinking water storage

[greenego]

You mentioned the use of rain barrels to collect water....

You need to think through the "path" that the water took to get to the barrel.

Running over the surface of the roofing material would not be good. Going down the path of the gutters, leaders and downspouts wouldn't be good either.

I've considered the collection of rain water myself and (at least for the time being) I don't have any answers there.

Good points. I may run some of the water through my filter and have it tested. With what just happened in Japan it's time to take this seriously.

[Oh Shoot]

Good points. I may run some of the water through my filter and have it tested. With what just happened in Japan it's time to take this seriously.

You're really concerned about a tsunami making it to TN?

- OS

[dash80 to dash8]

You're really concerned about a tsunami making it to TN?

- OS

I don't think its a Tsunami he's really worried about. Don't forget Memphis and St. Louis are on the New Mardid fault that will most likely completely destroy both cities when the earthquake comes. It's not a matter of IF but WHEN. It will come and I pray none of my family is there because its going to be really ugly.

As for the water link:

Basic 25 Gallon Boxed Water Kit

Maybe that link will work better. Its in the water section and called the 25 Gallon Boxed Water Kit. Hope that helps.

[Guest bkelm18]

You're really concerned about a tsunami making it to TN?

- OS

Don't forget that an earthquake started everything.

[Oh Shoot]

Don't forget that an earthquake started everything.

Yeah, I forgot the smiley. Although the quake off Japan doesn't hold a candle to the tsunami damage.

Not much significant activity in middle and east TN over last couple hundred years. Little history from the USGS:

Tennessee

But on the other hand I was surprised to learn we are the Eastern Tennessee Seismic Zone which is "one of the most active earthquake zones in the eastern US"!

Eastern Tennessee Seismic Zone - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

- OS

[greenego]

You're really concerned about a tsunami making it to TN?

- OS

Not so much a tsunami but, to plan for the unexpected.