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 By Pantry Patty, a new transplant to Concord from the mid-west via Boston. Pantry Patty has been canning, pickling, and dehydrating her family's food for many years. See her last food storage article here.
Storing water is not as simple as it might seem. There are several factors to take into consideration:
The average person needs a minimum of 2 quarts of water to drink each day.
For storage purposes it is best to store at least three gallons of water for
hygiene and drinking per person per day. Using this little water takes some
getting used to. The average household uses 350 gallons of water per day
during normal circumstances.Water is best stored in plastic or glass containers. Plastic is usually preferable. Do not store water in metal containers. If you buy water in gallon jugs at the grocery store keep in mind that these jugs do have a shelf life and will degrade overtime. A basement full of burst water containers can be a real headache. Alternately, store water in food-grade containers that have been sterilized. You can also buy water storage drums and bladders. Make sure any large container has a good spigot, and that you consider how you will move the water from the large storage container to the place you will use the water. Water is heavy and the floor on which you store a full drum or bladder should be capable of carrying the weight. A basement floor is usually best. Keep containers of water in the dark and cool since sunlight and warmth spurs the growth of waterborne organisms.
In the absence of a source of heat for boiling you can also add 8 drops of bleach per gallon of water before use. Agitate the water and let it sit for five minutes. Bleach for water sterilization should contain sodium hypochlorite (5.25 solution), but no soap additives, perfumes, or phosphates. Unfortunately, bleach is a poison and long-term exposure is not recommended. There are other ways of treating water for drinking which include using iodine, aerobic oxygen and filtration. In order to determine which will work best for you, you may want to do some research. Below are some further resources to start you on your way.
Hyatt, Michael S., The Y2K Personal Survival Guide: Everything You Need to
Know to Get from this Side of the Crisis to the Other, Washington, DC, 1998. 0895263017
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The average human being can only survive for three days without water. As a
result, water is the most important ingredient to any food storage plan. If
you do not have water, a pantry full of food will make no difference to you
and your family's survival.
If you are at all concerned about the effects Y2K may have on infrastructure
then your primary concern should be for the water supply. Concord's
municipal water system is delivered to homes through a pumping station.
While the pumping station has a temporary back-up generator, a loss of power
for any duration would make the water system inoperable. Private wells
usually function with electric pumps. In case of a power outage these will
not operate unless there is a back-up hand pump or alternate source of
electricity like a home generator. In addition, should there be no heat in a
home pipes can freeze, ceasing the delivery of water.
Water stored for drinking needs to be protected from bacteria that can cause
illnesses including cholera and dysentery. When storing water it is best to
add eight drops of bleach per gallon to inhibit bacterial growth after
sterilizing the container with a solution of boiling water and 1 Tablespoon
of bleach. When you need to use the water for drinking it should be boiled
at a rolling boil for 7 minutes. If it tastes flat, pour the water back and
forth between two containers to oxygenate it after boiling. 