Q&A for How to Store Water Long Term

Yes. This is especially important if you are pouring it into a plastic or soft sided container.

For storage, add 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) of unscented household bleach to 5 gallons (19 liters) of water. A 50 gallon (190 liter) container would require 5 teaspoons (25 ml). Double the amount of teaspoons or milliliters if water is cloudy.

Fill it up to the top. The less air inside the bottle the better.

No. Milk and fruit juice leave residue that is difficult to remove and encourages bacterial growth. Do not reuse containers that held these drinks.

Yes, keep the bottle sealed airtight. Then pop it in the fridge to keep it cool.

Yes. Adding a tiny bit of chlorine and sealing the water tight should keep it clean. Make sure bugs don't get into the tank.

Municipalities also use bleach to disinfect water. Much like fluoride, bleach in small amounts does not harm you. If you think about alcohol, it is a poison. One or two drinks of alcohol a day, though, is good for your digestion.

No, the FDA recommends rotating the supply every 6 months if you have bottled it yourself.

I researched this for myself and got different answers depending on the source. I was unable to find a definitive source that I would definitely trust. Some said no problem unless it had oil, gasoline or chemical spills like in a garage. Others said never. All agreed it was safe with a barrier like layers of cardboard or wood slats. Since it isn't too difficult to create said barrier, that is what I went with.

Yes, however, you must still purify the water. Filter first, purify with bleach, then air seal.

Not really as you need to approach 20% to stop all bacteria and yeast. This would make the water unsuitable for most normal uses.

Not while it is hot. Cool the water first before putting into the plastic container so that chemicals don't leach out of the plastic.

For regular water, the FDA recommends rotating the supply every 6 months if you have bottled it yourself, whatever the container you've put it into.

Ingesting undiluted hydrogen peroxide can burn your internal organs and cause internal bleeding. However, if you accidentally swallow some diluted hydrogen peroxide, such as the 3% solution widely available at drug stores, you’ll likely only notice some mild stomach pain. You may also vomit a slightly foamy substance, which is normal. Do not use it to sanitize water.

Ideally, 1.) If possible, water should be filtered by an activated charcoal filter that is certified to remove chemical contaminants, bacteria, and viruses. (Note a .1 micron filter will filter all bacteria, but viruses are much smaller than most water filters can stop) Use filtering to remove chemical contaminants and most bacteria, but not viruses. 2.) Water should be boiled for at least 3 minutes and allowed to cool before storing (that will kill all viruses and bacteria, but not remove chemical contaminants). 3.) Add1/2 TSP of unscented bleach (5-6% Sodium Hypochlorite and make sure there are no additives of any kind!). This should make water safe for storage for 6 months.

Yes old glass bottles cleaned properly are good. Be sure to clean the lids as well.