It's better to be prepared for something that may never happen, than not to be prepared if it does. The old adage applies perfectly to the question of proper water storage when planning for a natural disaster. We think that it is much better to be ready with plenty of water on hand for you and your loved ones than to be without. While the likelihood of an earthquake or another natural disaster might be small, the minimal cost and effort it takes to be prepared will always be rewarded. So, without further ado, here is some information and a few tips that could really make a world of difference.
How much water do I need?
The rule of thumb for how much water volume you may need is one gallon per person per day. Emergency preparedness experts say that a half gallon should be devoted to drinking (8 cups) and the other half for cooking and maintaining hygiene. This number, of course, should be adjusted to meet your climate and needs. For example, if you live in a hot climate like southern California, you'll want to add to this number. Consider this figure to be the minimum requirement. And if you have the room to store more water, then, by all means, do so.
How much time should I reserve water for?
According to Primal Survivor, most outages that we face in a natural disaster, like a hurricane, for instance, get remedied within three days. That's why Ready.gov recommends that everyone has at least three days of water storage on hand. However, most emergency experts advise that the minimum should be enough water for at least 2 weeks. Some even say that that is not enough, and instead plan for 30 days. Whichever the case, use your best judgment for planning on the amount of water you and your family might need.
An example of a good, food-grade plastic water storage vessel.
How do I store water?
You can be as creative as you wish for this part of the water storage preparation. Two-liter soda bottles and reused gallon milk and juice containers make excellent storage units. Just be sure to use only food grade plastic containers, as chemicals in other plastics can leach into the water. You can also invest in specific water storage containers like buckets, jugs, and drums. You'll find them available online and at many hardware stores. Tip: be sure to fill your containers all the way to the top, letting in as little air as possible. This will reduce the likelihood of contamination and algae formation.