Water Storage

One of the guidelines put forth in the “All Is Safely Gathered In:  Home Storage” pamphlet is to get and maintain a water storage. 

Our bodies consist of a large amount of water, so it only makes sense that we need water for survival.  So how much should we store?  Emergency agencies and many other sources suggest a minimum of 1 gallon per person per day for a period of 2 weeks (or at least 72 hours!).  After a major disaster, the water supply may or may not be affected, but it is better to assume it is affected until authorities declare otherwise and to either purify it or use stored drinking water.  But, even without major disasters, periodically the water supply can be disrupted for things like:  pipes bursting and being fixed, overhaul of the system, other contaminants leached into the system, etc. So it is always good to be prepared and have a supply of drinking water at home.

Below is a handout I made for a water storage class taught at church based off of this guideline and counsel.  (if you'd like to print it, click on the image, hit your print button and print page 1 at 158%)

Some notes:  When seeking for water sources outdoors (ponds, lakes, streams, etc.) remember that wildlife also use those water sources.  Be aware of what kind of wildlife could be around:  raccoons, alligators, snakes, bears, spiders, etc.  

If you have pets, you will need to store water for them too, 1/2-1 gallon per day (or you can measure the amount you actually usually give to your pet daily and add a little more for good measure when calculating how much to store.)

If a disaster causes flooding, discard any food items that came in contact with the flood waters, stay out of flood waters--they can be fast moving, have sewage and other contaminants as well as debris that can cause injury, and have potentially dangerous wildlife swimming around.

When storing water, store it off the ground (cement).  Also, remember any tools and extras you will need to remove the water from the container(s) you have chosen (pictured: bung wrench and manual pumps).