Water Storage

[Neko-chan]

...

 

[Britesea]

what I've heard is that the plastic water bottles are good for a couple of years at the most...

 

[k15n1]

I use food grade 55's.

I found a place that sells these for 10 $, so that's 0.18 $/gallon.

 

[k15n1]

Water for what purpose?

Drinking and cooking.

Some people around here use these 275 gallon totes to store rainwater for gardening. Some get those that can hold potable water. I got two of them for free, currently being stored elsewhere. Google "275 gallon water tote" if you need examples

Looks like these are quite expensive if you buy new. But used, they're 150 or so. At least, according to the interwebs. That's 0.54 $/gal.

 

[Hillsvale]

we use the 275 gallon "totes" to collect the ran water off the roof... our roof is big enough that 6 mm of rain fall will fill it, around here that can be in an hour! We use ours to water the livestock but could be used to flush toilets etc in a pinch... our issue with the toilets would be the holding tank that pushes the waste into the septic tank (up hill) so if the power was out for a bit someone would need to hang their butt over a bucket! lol

 

[k0xxx]

Water for what purpose?

Drinking and cooking.

Some people around here use these 275 gallon totes to store rainwater for gardening. Some get those that can hold potable water. I got two of them for free, currently being stored elsewhere. Google "275 gallon water tote" if you need examples

Looks like these are quite expensive if you buy new. But used, they're 150 or so. At least, according to the interwebs. That's 0.54 $/gal.

I know that prices vary by location, but around here those used 275 gallon totes can be had in the neighborhood of $40 to $75. Keep in mind that some of them have had things in them, that no amount of cleaning would make me trust their safety. But for non-potable water their hard to beat. I was lucky and located three 375 gallon totes. They had held iron oxide, which is used in dyes and is generally accepted as safe, but I don't use them for potable water. When it comes to your families health, whatever I chose, I'd purchase new if possible. YMMV

Edited to add: Craigslist can be a good source of totes and other items. If you use SearchTempest.com, you can define a search radius, and it will give you all of the hits on Craigslist sites within that area. It makes finding things a lot easier.

 

[Boogity]

Mark - I'm glad you mentioned searchtempest.com as I have been using it for about a year and it is really nice.

 

[TanksHill]

10 bucks for a food grade 55 is a steal. I would snatch those up. I actually at one point found some smaller ones for free, 4 of them. But my dh stole them from me and is now storing diesel in them. I don't want them back now.

g

edited to add, I think what ever you have room to store is the key. Some don't have room for barrels or totes. I have also heard that people can water in there unused mason/ball jars. This sounds like a great space saver to me.

g

 

[moxies_chickennuggets]

This thread would prob go well with the one I started in "Trash to Treasure". I posted on "Water Treasure", because here in SC we are in a severe drought and I have been having to find temp rain water sotrage solutions, for the almost non-existant rain we get occasionally. Granted, the rainwater I am accumulating is not potable, but I can and do use it for everything else.
No gutters...using 32 gallon trash cans topped with screen...I was able to get 240 gallons of rainwater off of 1.1" inch of rain. I am also writing doen on the calendar any rain we get and how much. We are new to this property, and seem to be in a dry spot, meteorologically.

 

[dacjohns]

Milk jugs are prone to deterioration.

I have a pond. I also have a few 5 or 6 gallon containers that are usually used for camping.

You also should have a way to purify water.