Resources / Preparedness / Water Storage & Purification

Do This

• Buy or fill 7 gallons of water per household member, using cases of bottles or food-grade jugs.
• Store it somewhere stable, out of direct sunlight and away from any chemicals or fuel.
• Write the fill or purchase date on each container so you know when to rotate it.
• Confirm you actually have a way to carry and pour it without a working faucet.

Do This

• Get one personal straw-style or pump filter per household member.
• Read the filter’s rated capacity so you know roughly how many gallons it’s good for.
• Test it once on tap water so everyone knows how it actually works.
• Store filters somewhere they won’t freeze, since ice can crack the internal membrane.

Do This

• Move from single-use bottles to food-grade jugs or stackable water containers.
• Fill to 14–21 gallons per person at your household’s real 1 gal/person/day rate.
• Keep containers off concrete floors on a pallet or shelf, since concrete can leach into plastic over time.
• Rotate stored tap water every 6 months if it isn’t chemically treated.

Do This

• Buy a quality multi-stage gravity filter sized for your household.
• Run a full tank through it once so you know your real flow rate.
• Identify 2–3 water sources within reach of home (streams, ponds, a neighbor’s well) and note them.
• Write down the route and distance to each source so it’s not a scramble to remember later.

Do This

• Add larger-capacity storage (a barrel or tank) once individual jugs get unwieldy.
• Extend your total to 30–60 gallons per person at your household’s daily rate.
• Check tank placement for a stable, level surface that can hold the full weight when filled.
• Keep your rotation schedule current as volume grows, not just at the start.

Do This

• Buy water purification tablets or iodine drops, or confirm you have unscented bleach on hand.
• Read and save the actual dosing instructions (drops per gallon, wait time) somewhere durable.
• Store chemical treatments separately from food, clearly labeled.
• Check expiration dates yearly, since iodine and bleach both lose potency over time.

Do This

• Extend total storage to 90 gallons per person across your tanks, barrels, and jugs.
• Spread the purchase out over months instead of buying tank capacity all at once.
• Re-check every container for leaks or damage now that volume is high.
• Confirm your filter and chemical backups are both still within their rated life.

Do This

• Add a battery or hand-crank UV purifier as a third treatment method alongside your filter and chemical backup.
• Test it on stored water so you know the process before you need it under pressure.
• Write down your documented backup source: location, distance, and how you’d treat water from it.
• Share that written plan with every adult in the household, not just the person who built it.