goal 1(c) - water storage

Our first goal is WATER STORAGE.

Previously:
You purchased or began collecting containers for water storage.

Now:
Fill those containers up! As long as the containers are clean, there is no need to add bleach or anything else. I usually do a quick rinse before adding the water.

I know this information is also included in previous posts, but I thought a quick reminder would be good. Don't place your water containers directly on a concrete floor. Instead place them on untreated wood or pallets. And remember not to store them next to any chemicals. If you are storing them outside leave a little head-room for freezing. One last reminder: It's a good idea to replace the water each year. Water tastes bad after long storage. If you don't, and end up needing to use your water, just pour some of the water back and forth from one container to another (this aerates the water and makes it taste better).

See past posts on water for sanitizing and filling information:(http://iprepared.blogspot.com/search/label/Water).

goal 1(b) - water storage

Our first goal is WATER STORAGE.

Previously:
You should have chosen a type of container(s) for water storage as well as a location(s).

Now:
Begin collecting or purchasing those containers.

This might be a one time purchase or especially in the case of pop bottles, an ongoing endeavor. Containers should be food-grade and clean. You can store an assortment of container sizes and put them in many different places. In an emergency, having a variety might give you some flexibility as you use your water.

Extra Credit:
A siphon pump and wrench (to open the seals) may be helpful for use with the large barrels. These run from $5 to $10. They are not necessary, just helpful. It's not very convenient to tip these barrels just to extract a little water. The siphon pump allows you to leave the barrels upright and move the water into smaller containers. I didn't have a specialized wrench for a long time and would just use the side of my hammer to open the seals.

See previous posts on water for sanitizing methods. (http://iprepared.blogspot.com/search/label/Water).

goal 1(a) - water storage

As I look at the LDS guidelines, water storage seems to me to be the most important. You can go for quite a while without food, but even one day without water is debilitating. So our first goal is going to be water.

Our first goal is WATER STORAGE.

Now:
Determine which containers you will use to store your water. You also need to decide where you are going to store your water. I wanted to separate these two items, but you can't. Which containers you choose depends a lot upon where you have space to store your water.

Some possible containers: 55-gallon barrels, 7-gallon jugs, commercial water bottles, pop bottles.
Some possible locations: In your basement or garage, under your beds, above your kitchen cabinets, in a box at the bottom of a closet.

Don't store plastic milk jugs (or the portable water containers made out of the same plastic). I know from personal experience that they will eventually leak. Also, I wouldn't store water in glass containers because they are prone to breakage in many emergency situations. Don't store water next to chemicals that might leach into the storage. Ideal location of water: in a cool, dark, accessible location. We have our 55-gallon barrels out in our garage. It's not ideal, but it works for us.

How much? Start working towards 14 gallons per person as the minimum. That amount would provide ONLY drinking water for two weeks (one gallon per day).

Need some help figuring that out?
1 person: 14 gallons
2 people: 28 gallons
3 people: 42 gallons
4 people: 56 gallons
5 people: 70 gallons
6 people: 84 gallons
7 people: 98 gallons

If you are storing 2-liter pop/soda bottles, you'll need approximately 2 bottles per gallon requirement. In other words, one person will need 28 pop/soda bottles of water.

Extra Credit:
After you get a minimum of 14 gallons per person, and if you have room to store additional water, 28 gallons per person is a better amount (one gallon a day for drinking and one gallon for cleaning). Do you have room and motivation to do even more? Great, the more water, the better.

This link gives you all the previous posts on water storage.
http://iprepared.blogspot.com/search/label/Water