By Michael, on January 8th, 2013 
Food storage; it could be something that you have never thought about. But then again, maybe it is something that is on your mind every time you prepare a meal or go to the grocery store. Whether you are a pro at preparedness, or you have never even considered it before, it doesn’t change the fact that being prepared is of the utmost importance to the wellbeing of both yourself and your family. Most people are aware of the basics of food storage, and might even have a few cans of food shoved away in the back of a cupboard somewhere. But what many people forget, is that you must be just as prepared with water as you are with food - if not more so.
Why is it So Important to Store Water?
Sometimes we take water for granted. That can happen when it comes free from a tap whenever we want it. But when disaster strikes, water is often the first thing to be affected, and that is not just in the case of a drought! Natural disasters such as hurricanes and earthquakes can often cause water problems such as contamination. Should your water be contaminated or cut off completely, it is crucial to have your own supply of water - you won’t survive long without it.
Make Sure that you Have Enough
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention recommends storing at least a gallon of water per person in your household, per day. You should have 3-5 days’ worth of food storage, and more if you can.
You Also Need Extra Water
Don’t forget that, as well as drinking water, you will need to store water for things such as cooking, cleaning, brushing teeth, washing etc. If you store a couple of extra gallons for such chores, you will not have to dip into your supply of drinking water to do them.
Picture Credit - Big Berkey Water Filter with British Berkefeld Ceramic Filters
Change it Regularly
Store your water in clean, sturdy containers that have not stored any poisonous substances previously. It is important to change the water every six months or so, as the chemicals in plastic containers will eventually affect the quality and safeness of the water.
Don’t Forget Your Little Friends!
If you have pets, do not forget to store some water for them as well. Try to take note of how much water they generally drink in a day, and store a few days’ worth.
Last Resorts
The CDC provides a list of sources of water in your home that are safe and unsafe to drink in case of emergency. Such safe sources include the tank of your toilet (but not the bowl, although that is safe for animals), melted ice cubes, and water or juice from cans of food. You can also treat water to decontaminate it. Water that is unsafe to drink is water from radiators, boilers, or waterbeds. Of course, if you keep a sufficient store of water in your house, you should not have to use any of these options, so put something together today
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Lee Flynn is a freelance writer and expert in outdoor survival and food storage containers.
