I have some 5 gal pails that are square and have a 2 1/2" filler hole in the top and a small capped vent. I've used these for water on small camping trips and they seem to work great. My question is, how do you store water and keep it from getting stagnant for long periods of time? I want to get somewhere around 50 of these full and stocked up......any ideas on how to store H2O for long periods?

I would recommend not trying to store water for longer than a month. Even if you treat the water with chlorine or iodine, it will begin to deteriorate almost immediately. I mark each container with the date and rotate the stores periodically. I figure on two gallons per person per day, and keep two weeks worth of water on hand.

If I haven't figured out another source of water after fourteen days, I'm in real trouble.

Onward and upward,
airforce

Recipe for long term water storage:

Bottle must be clean and free of algae, mold, scum, and any chemicals such as chlorine or even soapy residues.

Cap must be clean and bottle must be airtight.

Water must be filtered via reverse osmosis, or through a good tight filtration system like a Big Berkie, or other known, excellent water source.

I know this part will excite some to argument, but here goes:

After filling the bottle, drop a silver coin and a few copper pennies into the container (pre-1964 U.S. quarters and dimes work best as they are a silver-copper amalgam), or add the appropriate amount of ionically distilled elements to suit your needs, and in accordance with the container size (gold, platinum, calcium, iodine, potassium, zinc, selenium, boron, magnesium, sulphur, etc).

Seal and date-label the containers and store in a relatively cool, and dark location away from even indirect sunlight.

I routinely store water for one year in this manner, and I performed a successful 3 year test of a 6 gallon bottle with one teaspoon of 200 ppm ionic silver added.

There are also other non-chlorine water additives which can aid in long term storage, but the three most important elements are:

Clean Container
Clean Water
Proper Storage

Just my two anti-parasitic, pre-1982 pennies' worth.

Spot on IMAGRUNT! It works for me and has since 1998! I renew every year! Have had test run and each time comes back good!! I keep about 300 gallons on hand!

Where can these purifying additives be had?

In my humble opinion, water is just too important to take chances with. Bleach, Iodine, or water purification tablets will all extend the storage life of water. (I've not tried Imagrunt's idea, but i intend to now.)

They're expensive, but Big Berkey water filters are well worth the investment. I have two, using one for everyday use, and will soon pick up a third since the price has come down somewhat.

The only reason to store water is because, in the early days of a disaster, you will probably be too busy with other survival issues to worry about water. After two or three weeks, you should be prepared to gather and filter your own water.

Onward and upward,
airforce

I use a Big Berkey too! Had it for 8years. Water is excellent, make your tongue slap your brains out!!

I agree, Patriot. The Big Berkey may seem expensive, but when you stop to think how much you save on bottled water, well...

I figure the one I use every day has paid for itself many times over.

Onward and upward,
airforce

Where can these purifying additives be had?

Visit the link above and inquire within, or do a web search and compare prices for: WaterOz

To your health!

You can still have all the crap grunt mentioned (algae, mold, what have you) and still the Berkey would be effective at removing it all.

The "silver coin" method is taken from the frontier dayz (and before). It does work when you have nothing else.

But, I have a BERKEY "light". I also have many 55 gal food grade drums full of water stored. I store water for several years only using clorine to "kill the bugs". Whether or not there are "bugs" in it matters not because the BERKEY removes 99.999% of "whatever" is in it anyway.

They're a great purifier and are used regularly in third world countries for their "scum water".

Cordially,
A.P2

Go to the local hardware/discount store and buy several galvanized 32 gallon trash cans. Then buy several boxes of large heavy duty trash bags for liners. Bring em home and fill them up.

Figure 55 gallon per person for a 14 day disaster.

AP2, I don't know how well your set up but I have plastic 55 gal drums at the corners of all my building at least three at each corner, they hook to my gutter system, but instead of just running into the barrels, they run down the tube that I hooked to the gutter, into a 2ft long 12" wide PVC tube that is screened on the top and bottom. Inside of the tube has a layer of peat, a layer of charcoal, another layer peat and charcoal, the last layer is gravel, the I have a flex tube on the end to move from barrel to barrel. barrels can be sealed. Then under ground about 20' from the house I have a 1500 gal black poly water tank with electric pump. Black poly could be used above ground because it does not allow for algae growth, but they can cost a few hundred, according if new or used.

When I was in Chad many years ago, we made a practical water prefilter out of a fatigue pant leg. I haven't tried it with the newer BDU's, but there's no reason why it won't work.

Tie off the bottom of the leg with string, then fill the leg with alternating layers of gravel, hay, straw, and cotton cloth or batting. Poor water into the top, and collect the cleaner water in a container at the bottom.

You will still have to do something about the bugs, of course. But, if you're using something like the Big Berkey, it will filter out the bigger stuff and extend the life of your filters.

Onward and upward,
airforce