Welcome to BabySteps Checklist #3. For this checklist we are going to be working on our water storage which is one of the most important aspects of food storage. You can live for weeks without food, but only a few days without water. There are many different recommendations for the amount of water to store. A general guideline to follow is to store 1 gallon per person for 3-14 days for drinking. Three days should be the bare minimum, and you’ll want to store extra for cleaning, cooking, etc.
Water is difficult to store in large quantities and yet it is necessary to have access to a lot of it in a true emergency situation. Typically disaster aid organizations are able to make it into affected areas within 3 days, thus the 3 day minimum you’ll often see recommended. However, it is always good to have some backup plans in place for how you would deal with an extended water shortage situation. Start with the basics of water storage and move on to the more advanced topics such as purification/filtration as you feel more comfortable.
 Purchase or collect water storage containers (for pros and cons of each type view this post)
- Used 2 liter pop or juice bottles (clean thoroughly first)
- Store-bought water bottles (purchase in cases)
- Small mylar pouches or water cartons
- 5/6 gallon plastic jugs
- Water box kits
- Water Bricks
- Water barrels
Purchase inexpensive purification/filtration products
- A bottle of bleach works great
- Aquamira Water Treatment Drops
- Sawer Mini Water Purification System
- Filtration Straw
- SteriPen
Purchase some drink mixes to help improve the taste of stored water
Kool-Aid, fruit drink mixes, hot cocoa, tang, etc. are all great options
Fill your water containers and store them in a couple different areas in your home
Don't forget to add some bleach or other purification additive using the chart below
Read our WATER STORAGE FAQ post for detailed information on these topics:
- Water Saving Tips
- Water Rotation Ideas
- Water Filtration Versus Purification
- Alternate Water Sources
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