How often should I refresh my drinking water storage?

9 months ago by colourlessidea to c/preppers

Sorry if this is a noob question. I have some 5-liter plastic bottles of drinking water. I normally just drink from the tap so I haven’t used any of that in about a year.

I know they’re probably still good to go for quite a while but I’m wondering - what do you all typically do? Do you use and replace the water so the stored one doesn’t taste stale?

Also, are there any good alternatives to storing drinking water in plastic? I’m trying to reduce my usage of plastic containers for long term food and liquid storage.

Flagstaff 12 points 9 months ago

Glass is probably the safest long-term container, sadly. I know it's heavy and fragile, but even stainless steel can develop algae over time; you're certainly welcome to try both and see what happens.

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IAmNorRealTakeYourMeds 1 point 9 months ago

don't glass also get algae?

(i genuinely have no idea what I'm taking about, that's why I'm asking)

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14th_cylon 3 points 9 months ago

treat the water with chlorine before storing it, probably not 100% guarantee, but better than nothing. i think the glass vs plastic is more about the microplastics getting into water and affecting the taste.

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IAmNorRealTakeYourMeds 5 points 9 months ago

fuck it, I'm just storing pressurised hydrogen. need electricity, H-cell, need heating/cooking gas, stove, need water, Burn and collect condensation.

won't even have to pay taxes because chances are ill blow myself up

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Flagstaff 2 points 9 months ago

I have not seen it develop anywhere near as easily, personally.

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IAmNorRealTakeYourMeds 2 points 9 months ago

damn, as a biologist I want to know why. I'd think that a metal container would block light therefore stop algae, while a glass one would let light in. and both would be the same if stored in a dark place.

it is just counterintuitive to me

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Fondots 2 points 9 months ago

I feel like the issue with steel might be more mold than algae, and most people who aren't biologists just aren't thinking too hard about what sort of organism the gross slime in their water is.

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14th_cylon 1 point 9 months ago

not a biologist, but could it be it is easier to really clean the glass because it will have smoother surface than anything else, so it is problematic for any bio-residuum to hide anywhere?

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667 12 points 9 months ago

If kept in a cool dark place, they’ll be pretty stable, but you’ll still want to churn your supply by using one and filling it then put it at the “back of the line”. Use a container or more per day for cooking and cleaning and you’ll rotate through your stock according to however many containers you’ve got in that number of days.

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14th_cylon 8 points 9 months ago

I tasted a water that was in a plastic container standing in my kitchen for 2 years and i found 2 years was way too much in my case, the taste was heavy plastic. The container was sold as water container. If i were dying from thirst in the middle of the desert, i would probably still drink it, otherwise hell no, it was disgusting.

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Zozano 3 points 9 months ago

Mmmmmm microplastics

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