Water
Excerpt from Churchofjesuschrist.org. ( https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/inspiration/self-reliance-storing-a-water-supply?lang=eng )
Food storage isn’t just about food; it’s about having enough water on hand during an emergency as well. A human can’t live for more than three days without drinking water, so make sure that you have at least a 1–2 week supply in your food storage for each person in your home.
Experts recommend a gallon per person per day, so for two weeks that would be 14 gallons per person. This is a minimum. You will need more for infants, elderly people, and sick people and if you live in a hot or humid environment. This doesn’t include water for cooking and showers or baths, so plan on a few extra gallons per person for that as well.
The easiest way to get started on your water supply is to fill clean, empty food safe plastic bottles you find around your home with safe drinking water. Make sure that the bottles have never held any chemicals in them. Clean them out with soap and hot water first just to be sure they are safe to store.
If you do not have clean, drinkable tap water near your home, boiling water for one full minute will sanitize it so that it is safe to drink. Make sure the water cools before you drink or store it. Pour it back and forth between two containers; this will not only cool the water but will also add oxygen to it so that it tastes better.
Next, seal the bottles with lids and store the water in a cool, dark place away from direct sunlight. If you are limited on storage space, stash a case of water bottles under a bed.
If you add to your supply a little at a time, it will grow to fill your needs.
When water is stored this way, it can last for several years.
For more tips and information on storing clean, safe drinking water for an emergency, check out food storage blogger Valerie Albrechtsen’s helpful PDF here.
Recently on Dec, 17, 2024 the small island country of Vanuatu was hit with a 7.3 earthquake. It caused significant damage. Some very good friends living there related to us that initially they were without water, but once they were able to re-establish the water supply, it came out muddy. I mention this for 2 reasons.
1 - one of the first infrastructures that must be addressed in any disaster is the supply of water. Without it, not only thirst goes unquenched, but sanitation and other health challenges occur without it.
2 - Filtration! It is imperative that everyone has some sort of filtration device to get through times like this when they happen. Muddy, polluted water is very often the case after a disaster or interruption of the water supply system. - Get a filter! They are not terribly expensive and can be found everywhere.
Aside from filtration, it is often necessary to purify water. Here are some good numbers to use when purifying water using bleach - Please note that there are 2 different % of Sodium Hypochlorite in the bleach solutions.
Also - use only straight bleach, no additives, scents or anything else. Important to read the label
Keep in mind that SODIUM Hypochlorite decreases its strength with time. Use only fresh bleach - I posted a link below to our friends, The Provident Preppers regarding the use of Calcium Hypochlorite which apparently has a longer shelf life than its Sodium counterpart.
Water – Bleach Ratio For Purifying Drinking Water
(5-6% Sodium Hypochlorite)
numbers are ’rounded’
1 Quart water, 2 drops bleach
1 Gallon water, 8 drops bleach
5 Gallons water, 1/2 teaspoon bleach
10 Gallons water, 1 teaspoon bleach
50 Gallons water, 5 teaspoons bleach
Water – Bleach Ratio For Purifying Drinking Water
(8.25% Sodium Hypochlorite)
numbers are ’rounded’
1 Quart water, 1 drop bleach
1 Gallon water, 5 drops bleach
5 Gallons water, 3/8 teaspoon bleach (or three 1/8th teaspoons)
10 Gallons water, 3/4 teaspoon bleach
50 Gallons water, 3.5 teaspoons bleach
An alternative method of purification is to use Calcium Hypochlorite - You can learn more from this video from my friends, the Provident Preppers.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qf2j0oqucK4
Here is another great YouTube video that discusses water storage - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cCrDs3rf9EM