The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) recommends that we start off by having a 2-week supply of water for each person in our family. We should store a gallon of water per person, per day (1/2 gallon for drinking and 1/2 gallon for sanitation and other purposes). That is 14 gallons per person. People in hotter temperatures, children, nursing mothers, seniors and ill people will need more. This is the bare minimum that we should have stored...more would be even better!
Here is a breakdown fo what 14 gallons would look like. (preparedldsfamily.blogspot.com did the math for me.)
106 - 16.9oz bottles (commercially bottled)
4.4 - 24-count cases of 16.9oz bottles (commercially bottled)
28 - 64oz juice bottles (wash, dry, and refill)
14 - 1 gallon heavy duty bottles (commercially bottled)
27 - 2-liter soda bottles (wash, dry, and refill)
If you don't have any water stored, I suggest you go get a couple cases of water per person today!! Ridley's has 24-count cases of water on sale for $1.99 right now. The sale goes until Monday the 17th. Take advantage of this great price!! 16.9oz water bottles are convenient and more easily rotated. They are also nice to use in your 72-hour kits as well.
Other than going out and just buying cases of water, there are other storage options. You could buy water containers to fill yourself. Eventually I want to get this, because it is so awesome! You can also use soda or juice bottles as well. I have a little bit of a drinking problem (soda that is) and I go through spurts where I buy a lot 2-liter soda. After I was done with the soda, I washed each of them out, filled them back up, and put them in my basement.
If you do package the water yourself, these are some guidelines your should follow. (The following information was taken directly from providentliving.org in their drinking water section.)
Commercially bottled water in PETE (or PET) plastic containers may be purchased. Follow the container’s “best if used by” dates as a rotation guideline. Avoid plastic containers that are not PETE plastic.
If you choose to package water yourself, consider the following guidelines:
Containers
Use only food-grade containers. Smaller containers made of PETE plastic or heavier plastic buckets or drums work well.
Clean, sanitize, and thoroughly rinse all containers prior to use. A sanitizing solution can be prepared by adding 5 ml (1 teaspoon) of liquid household chlorine bleach (5 to 6% sodium hypochlorite) to 1 liter (one quart) of water. Only household bleach without thickeners, scents, or additives should be used.
Do not use plastic milk jugs, because they do not seal well and tend to become brittle over time.
Do not use containers previously used to store non-food products.
Water Pretreatment
Water from a chlorinated municipal water supply does not need further treatment when stored in clean, food-grade containers.
Non-chlorinated water should be treated with bleach. Add 8 drops of liquid household chlorine bleach (5 to 6% sodium hypochlorite) for every 4 liters (one gallon) of water. Only household bleach without thickeners, scents, or additives should be used.
Storage
Containers should be emptied and refilled regularly.
Store water only where potential leakage would not damage your home or apartment.
Protect stored water from light and heat. Some containers may also require protection from freezing.
The taste of stored water can be improved by pouring it back and forth between two containers before use.
In the storage section it says we should empty and refill our water regularly. We have this awesome thing called General Conference that just happens to be every 6 months. Along with rotating food and clothing in our 72-hour kits, we should make it a practice to empty and refill our water supply every General Conference. It's important to keep your water storage fresh, but dumping it every six months might seem like a huge waste. It doesn't necessarily have to be. You could water your plants and trees with it.
There was a comment on one of the blogs I was reading asking why we should rotate our water if it is clean and uncontaminated. The author responded by saying that she doesn't have all the answers, but after some time the water can start tasting like plastic.
I found the following information about alternative water sources in your home on a pdf that FEMA compiled:
When an emergency hits, you can also utilize the water left in your pipes and hot-water heaters. You will need to protect the water sources already in your home from contamination if you hear of broken water or sewage lines, or if local officials advise you of a problem. To shut off incoming water, locate the main valve and turn it to the closed position. Be sure you and your family members know how to do this! To use the water in your pipes, you'll need to let air into the plumbing by turning on the faucet in your home at the highest level. A small amount of water will trickle out. Then go to the lowest faucet in your home to get the remaining water in your pipes.
To use water in your hot-water heater, be sure the electricity or gas is turned off, and open the drain at the bottom of the tank. Start the water flowing by turning off the water intake valve and the tank and turning on a hot-water faucet. Refill the tank before turning the gas or electricity back on. If the gas is turned off, a professional or someone who has done it before will be needed to turn it back on.
On another note, I found a bunch of cool ideas of how to store your water here, here (this one I think you could easily make yourself), and here. You should check them out!
Until next time!!
