I’m on the lookout for one 55 gallon drum initially, two eventually for long term drinking water storage. I’m open as always to any advice on the subject, but I’m mainly looking for recommendations for the barrels themselves. I’ve been reading about them, but they vary from $80 to nearly $200. There’s a site called “Water Prepared” that’s got the best looking ones, but does it do anything another brand won’t do? Here’s a link for reference.

https://waterprepared.com/

Thanks!

It seems to have valves on the barrel for easy drainage and is shaped so you can stack them. I buy used food grade 55 gallon barrels (for diesel) all of the time for around $35-55, they usually had Apple juice concentrate in them. You can't stack them (without fear of one falling), but can easily roll them even full. You're going to need to add a preservative. For long term storage of drinking water, personally I'd rather buy sealed ones with an expiration date from a drinking water company, even if I had to go the 5 gallon route.

^^^ Those are really nice barrels, not the usual run of the mill food grade barrels.

There's nothing wrong with food grade barrels for water storage.

I just bookmarked that site. Thanks for posting.

Before buying the storage, consider the source.

That is, if you're planning you fill it from a filtered and treated source (medical grade); that's one type barrel

Out of your hose; a second type

Off your house's roof (covered in clean plastic of course) , yet a third.

Geez those look awesome ,
" Long term" is a relative term

Are you looking at 30,60 or 90 days ?

And where are you getting the water?
Well ? City tap water ?
Off a truck that comes through?

What chemicals are in the water that may or may not affect the container ?

Everything I’m reading on multiple sites says water does not spoil..only reason it goes “bad” is from contamination. Water would be regular tap from the city with a “preservative/treatment” added and rotated accordingly... which also according to multiple sites say it can last up to a year when sealed *properly*. Hence the need for quality barrels that will seal well. This would be a permanent part of back up supplies, but as mentioned, rotated as needed. Thanks all!

I have been storing water for some time now, mainly in Motor and boat tanks. A few things I learned along the way is not to filter the water going into the tanks, but filter it when it is withdrawn from the tanks. The reason for this is if you are on city water, it most likely has some chlorine content. Filtering out the chlorine when filling the tanks makes for stagnant tasting and rotten egg smelling water later when you want to use it. If you are filling from a well, you might want to add some chlorine to the tanks to keep them fresh. Again filtering the water removing the chlorine when you want to use it.

An alternative to all this is to cycle the water frequently.

Noted.. good info

quote:

Originally posted by nosticks:
I have been storing water for some time now, mainly in Motor and boat tanks. A few things I learned along the way is not to filter the water going into the tanks, but filter it when it is withdrawn from the tanks. The reason for this is if you are on city water, it most likely has some chlorine content. Filtering out the chlorine when filling the tanks makes for stagnant tasting and rotten egg smelling water later when you want to use it. If you are filling from a well, you might want to add some chlorine to the tanks to keep them fresh. Again filtering the water removing the chlorine when you want to use it.

An alternative to all this is to cycle the water frequently.

At one of my units, we stored foods and water for hurricane season, we rotated the drums and small 20oz bottles because after six to eight months the water took on a plastic taste.

So if storing for a season, or over long term, rotate thru the stock every couple of months to avoid the taste.

quote:

Originally posted by nosticks:
I have been storing water for some time now, mainly in Motor and boat tanks. A few things I learned along the way is not to filter the water going into the tanks, but filter it when it is withdrawn from the tanks. The reason for this is if you are on city water, it most likely has some chlorine content. Filtering out the chlorine when filling the tanks makes for stagnant tasting and rotten egg smelling water later when you want to use it. If you are filling from a well, you might want to add some chlorine to the tanks to keep them fresh. Again filtering the water removing the chlorine when you want to use it.

An alternative to all this is to cycle the water frequently.

THIS. On the yachts I manage, if you filter it first and take the chlorine out, the water goes South pretty quick and starts getting stinky and foul......When I come back from the Bahamas I dump the entire water tank (RO water) and immediately fill it with city water.

I think the point being that it's not really the 'pure' water that's going bad but probably both the chemicals in the tank walls as well as bacteria and such in the air that makes the water go bad... I guess if you are going to do it then filtering the outtake makes sense.... but still storing water has to be a gamble in my opinion if you plan to use it for consumption later....

Personally if I was serious about storing water I think I would have two storage systems... one very large one for washing and such and one for consumption....

I came up with a different strategy. I am on a community water system....basically "city water". The water company has a 135,000 gallon tank and a 65,000 gallon storage tank. This water will last about 3 or 4 days if the shit hits the fan and all of our wells go down. If that happens I have 2 bathtub liners that hold about 100 gallons each.

My plan is to fill each of the bath tub liners at that point in time. After thinking about the topic a few years ago, I decided it wasn't worth the effort to store water in my circumstance. If you are also on "city water", you might be in a similar situation.

We keep 3 sterilized 55 gal drums full of water. We will filter it through a life straw if the time comes. All of our food storage (about 1 years worth) is freeze dried so it will require water to prepare a meal. I need to get a propane tank for cooking. We're addressing that next week. It is a very good feeling knowing that we won't be eating grass and insects if the SHTF. Life straws pretty much rock from my research. If a few members think this a bad strategy please let me know. I would hate to find out my strategy is terrible when I need it the most. Advice would be very much appreciated.

When I lived in CA, we kept two 55 gal blue food-safe drums of water in the garage on dollies. At approx. 400lbs, wheels were useful, even though the weight did put flat spots on the wheels. The barrels had a capped opening at the top, a bung wrench was needed to unscrew. A siphon kit rounded out the system. We cleaned the barrels out with water and chlorine, put in a water preservative (shelf life = 5-10 years) and filled with water from a food safe water hose. The water was 11 years old when I emptied them out, but not before tasting and drinking the water; it was fine and dandy, didn't get ill.

In our new home, we had no room for the barrels, gave them to a friend. But we have numerous man-made lakes near our house, so we switched to various water filter systems (Katadyn, Berkey). Plus we have a 14,000 gal swimming pool.

I buy 55 gallon drums from Greece that are food grade and were used to store/transport olives. $15 a piece from a local restaurant owner.

Heavy duty lid and seal. I clean them throughly with a bleach based solution.

I have toyed with the idea of filling one without cleaning it with Tito's vodka and having a 55 gallon Martini drum.

quote:

Originally posted by oddball:
When I lived in CA, we kept two 55 gal blue food-safe drums of water in the garage on dollies. At approx. 400lbs, wheels were useful, even though the weight did put flat spots on the wheels. The barrels had a capped opening at the top, a bung wrench was needed to unscrew. A siphon kit rounded out the system. We cleaned the barrels out with water and chlorine, put in a water preservative (shelf life = 5-10 years) and filled with water from a food safe water hose. The water was 11 years old when I emptied them out, but not before tasting and drinking the water; it was fine and dandy, didn't get ill.

This is how I do it. Big blue "food grade" drum, Aqua Mira chlorine dioxide storage kit, bung wrench, hand siphon pump. The chlorine kit is like $10, so I just empty the barrel when I need to move it.

I've tasted the water after 3 years the last time I cycled the water out. Tasted fine. Might run it through a Brita filter for taste if had to drink it, and I have more than a couple different purification methods if the water becomes contaminated.

At some point though, I'm going to have to build a rack or something for the barrel, as I do worry about a 400 lb barrel getting knocked over in an earthquake and ruining a bunch of stuff in the garage.

Very good info from oddball and Aeteocles..this is right inline with what I’ve read. Thanks!

quote:

Originally posted by Blume9mm:


Personally if I was serious about storing water I think I would have two storage systems... one very large one for washing and such and one for consumption....

agree

i keep 15-18 cases of bottled water on hand and just slowly drink / replace it over time. $3 / case at Big Lots

if SHTF bad enough we get plenty of rain in FL and I could figure something out

---------------------------------------

quote:

Originally posted by Aeteocles:

quote:

Originally posted by oddball:
When I lived in CA, we kept two 55 gal blue food-safe drums of water in the garage on dollies. At approx. 400lbs, wheels were useful, even though the weight did put flat spots on the wheels. The barrels had a capped opening at the top, a bung wrench was needed to unscrew. A siphon kit rounded out the system. We cleaned the barrels out with water and chlorine, put in a water preservative (shelf life = 5-10 years) and filled with water from a food safe water hose. The water was 11 years old when I emptied them out, but not before tasting and drinking the water; it was fine and dandy, didn't get ill.

This is how I do it. Big blue "food grade" drum, Aqua Mira chlorine dioxide storage kit, bung wrench, hand siphon pump. The chlorine kit is like $10, so I just empty the barrel when I need to move it.

I've tasted the water after 3 years the last time I cycled the water out. Tasted fine. Might run it through a Brita filter for taste if had to drink it, and I have more than a couple different purification methods if the water becomes contaminated.

At some point though, I'm going to have to build a rack or something for the barrel, as I do worry about a 400 lb barrel getting knocked over in an earthquake and ruining a bunch of stuff in the garage.

Believe it or not, they roll pretty easy when completely full IF they're on concrete. You can tip them about 30 degrees to the side and roll them on the lip for short distances, or as I've had to do before, put them on their side and roll them down the street.

You guys do it the hard way.

Just buy a bunch of Dehydrated Water from Amazon.

Stores easily, uses less space, much lighter to tote around.

Or you can just make your own Dehydrated Water
it's easy peazy to make, save a few bucks.

It never goes bad or gives an off taste.

.