Content

• To step
• Part 1 of 2: Preparing clean bottles
• Part 2 of 2: Storing the water
• Tips
• Warnings
• Necessities

Due to a natural disaster or other emergency, you may not have access to clean drinking water for weeks. If you build your own water supply, you can meet your most important need in this situation. Water doesn't spoil the way food does, but harmful bacteria can grow in it if you don't purify the water and store it in a safe way. The other risk is chemical contamination from bottles made of certain plastics or from chemical fumes that pass through the plastic of the bottles.

To step

Part 1 of 2: Preparing clean bottles

1. Determine how much water to keep. The average person needs 4 liters of water per day, half of which is for drinking and the other half for washing and preparing food. Count on 5.5 liters per person when it comes to children, nursing mothers and sick people, as well as living at a high altitude or in a place with a warm climate. Try to build a water supply for your family for 2 weeks based on these figures. Keep a water supply for 3 days in easy-to-carry bottles in case you need to be evacuated.
   • For example, two healthy adults and 1 child need 4 liters per adult x 2 adults + 5.5 liters per child x 1 child = 13.5 liters per day. For a water supply for two weeks for this family, 13.5 liters per day x 14 days = 189 liters of water is needed. For a stock for 3 days, 13.5 liters per day x 3 days = 40.5 liters of water is needed.
2. Consider getting bottled water. Water sold in our country must comply with strict EU rules. This means that closed bottles of spring water are already clean and the water can be stored indefinitely. If you choose this, you don't have to worry about choosing suitable bottles or purifying the water.
   • Check the label to see if the bottled water has a quality mark. This means that the product meets certain safety and quality requirements. This is especially important in countries where bottled water is not regulated.
3. Opt for food-safe bottles or containers. Plastic food and bottle storage boxes marked with the abbreviation "HDPE" or a recycling symbol (3 arrows) are excellent options. Plastics such as LDPE and PP are also safe, as are stainless steel. Never use a bottle or container that has contained anything other than food and drink. Also, only use new bottles or containers if they are classified as food safe or if they have a symbol with a knife and fork on them.
   • Milk and fruit juice leave residues that are difficult to remove and which can cause bacteria to grow. Do not use bottles that contain milk or fruit juice.
   • Glass jars are a last resort as they can easily break in a disaster.
   • Traditional unglazed earthenware pots can keep water cool in warm climates. If possible, use pots with a narrow opening, lid and tap to make sure the water stays clean.
4. Do not use bottles or containers made of harmful plastics. On plastic bins and bottles, look for the recycling code, which usually looks like a triangle shaped like three arrows with a number in the center. Do not use bottles and containers with the numbers 3 (for polyvinyl chloride, or PVC), 6 (for polystyrene, or PS) and 7 (for polycarbonate, among others). These materials can be harmful to health.
5. Thoroughly clean the bottles or containers. Wash them with soap and hot water, then rinse. If food or drink has previously been in the bottle or container, disinfect it using one of the following methods:
   • Fill the bottle with water and add 1 teaspoon (5 ml) of liquid household bleach for every gallon of water. Shake the bottle so that the mixture touches all surfaces, then rinse the bottle thoroughly.
   • In the case of stainless steel or heat-resistant glass, immerse the bottle or container in boiling water for 10 minutes, plus an extra minute for every 300 meters above sea level. This is the best method for steel, as chlorine bleach can cause the metal to corrode.
6. Pure water from unsafe sources. If you live in a country where tap water is not safe to drink or you get your water from a well, disinfect the water before putting it away. The best way to do this is to let the water boil vigorously for 1 minute, or 3 minutes if you are at an altitude above 1000 meters.
   • If you cannot boil the water or do not want to lose water by boiling it, it is also a good option:
   • Add 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) of unscented bleach without additives for every 20 liters of water. If the water is cloudy or discolored, double the amount of bleach.
   • Let the water sit for half an hour.
   • If you don't smell a light bleach, repeat the treatment and let the water sit for another 15 minutes.
   • In an emergency, you can also disinfect small amounts of water with water purification tablets. However, do not overuse these, as overuse can affect your thyroid function.
7. Filter pollutants from the water. Boiling and bleaching the water will kill microorganisms, but will not remove lead and other heavy metals. If your water is contaminated with substances from farms, mines or factories, pour it through a filter with activated carbon and a filter that uses reverse osmosis.
   • You can make your own filter from common materials. This filter is less effective than a commercial filter, but it does remove sediment and some toxins.

Part 2 of 2: Storing the water

1. Close the bottle or container tightly. Avoid touching the inside of the cap with your fingers to avoid contaminating the water.
2. Label the bottle or container. Write the word drinking water on the label and the date you put or bought the water in the bottle.
3. Keep the water in a cool, dark place. Bottles and containers can be damaged by light and heat, especially if the bottles and containers are made of plastic. Sunlight also allows algae and fungi to grow in clear bottles or containers, even in sealed store bought bottles.
   • Keep plastic containers and bottles away from chemicals, especially gasoline, kerosene and pesticides. The fumes can pass through some plastics and contaminate the water.
   • Keep a water supply in small bottles near an exit for 3 days in case you need to be evacuated.
4. Check stock every 6 months. Unopened bottled mineral water from the store should last indefinitely if properly stored, even if the bottles have an expiration date. If you have put the water in the bottles yourself, change the water every 6 months. Get new bottles or containers if the plastic becomes cloudy, discolored, scratched, or scuffed.
   • You can drink and use your old water supply before adding new water to the bottles or containers.
5. Open 1 bottle or container at the same time. If you need to use your emergency supplies, keep open bottles or bins in a refrigerator or other cool place. Clean up an open bottle or container within 3-5 days if you keep it in the refrigerator, within 1 to 2 days if you keep it in a cold place, and within a few hours if it's in a warm room. Then purify the water again by boiling it or adding bleach.
   • Drinking from the bottle and touching the rim with dirty hands increases the risk of contamination of the water.

Tips

• Consider freezing some of the water so you have a way to keep perishable foods short when the electricity goes out. Freeze the water in plastic bottles or containers, leaving a few inches of space. The ice expands, which can break glasses and bottles or containers that are too full.
• Water that has been stored for a long time can have a "flat" taste due to the loss of oxygen, especially when the water is boiled. Pour the water between two containers to re-aerate the water and improve the flavor.
• Keep in mind that you may not be able to stay in your home in the event of an emergency or disaster. Keep some of your water in bottles or containers that you can easily take with you.
• Bottled water is not always of a better quality than tap water, and in some cases is the tap water. The advantage of bottled water is that the bottle is sealed in a factory.
• If you are unsure whether a particular bottle or container is food safe, do research on the internet and see what symbols are on the bottle or container.

Warnings

• If, after storing the water, you see that there is a hole or leak in one of the bottles or containers, do not drink water from that bottle or container.
• Do not use perfumed or colourfast bleach, bleach with added cleansers, or bleach greater than 6% strength to purify water. Bleach is less and less effective once the bottle is opened, so use a new bottle for best results.
• It is not recommended to use iodine tablets and other agents other than chlorine to purify water, as these agents kill less microorganisms than chlorine.

Necessities

• Food-safe bottles or bins (see article)
• Unscented liquid chlorine bleach or a way to boil the water
• Cool, dark storage place