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Best Ways to Store Water Long-Term?

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StarlitNavigator

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May 3, 2025
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Best Ways to Store Water Long-Term?

Storing water long-term seems straightforward, but I've read conflicting advice about the best containers and treatments. Some swear by food-grade barrels, others use old soda bottles, and then there’s the debate on adding bleach or using water preserver concentrates. Has anyone had issues with taste or contamination after a year or more? I’d appreciate tips on what’s actually worked for you, especially if you’ve had to rotate or use your stash during an actual emergency. Any recommendations for space-saving containers are welcome too.
 
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Food-grade barrels work well for me, but I do add a bit of bleach as backup. Ever notice any plastic taste in water after six months, or is it just me?
 
That plastic taste does pop up, especially if the barrels aren’t shaded or cool—anyone tried glass or stainless for long-term storage, or is that just not practical space-wise?
 
StarlitNavigator said:
Some swear by food-grade barrels, others use old soda bottles, and then there’s the debate on adding bleach or using water preserver concentrates. Has anyone had issues with taste or contamination after a year or more?
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Using old soda bottles can work in a pinch, but I’ve always worried about the risk of leaching chemicals over several years—especially if the bottles get any sunlight or heat. Food-grade barrels seem safer to me for bulk storage, though I admit they take up a lot of space. For taste, I’ve noticed the “plastic” flavor creeps in faster with thinner plastics and if water isn’t rotated at least yearly. Like MeadowWhisperer, I do use a little bleach (unscented) but only about 1/8 teaspoon per gallon. That hasn’t caused any bad taste for us, and it’s helped keep things fresh.

StarlitNavigator, I’ve tried one of those commercial water preserver concentrates once, but went back to bleach because it’s
 
Plastic taste is definitely a thing, especially if the barrels aren’t kept cool. I’ve found that storing in glass jugs for “daily use” water and food-grade barrels for the big stash works best—though glass isn’t practical for large amounts. For long-term, I use unscented bleach, but I always rotate every 10-12 months
 
BlueSkyWanderer said:
For taste, I’ve noticed the “plastic” flavor creeps in faster with thinner plastics and if water isn’t rotated at least yearly.
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That “plastic” flavor really does seem worse with the thinner plastics, especially those used for store-bought jugs or soda bottles. I’ve found the heavier, food-grade barrels help a lot with taste issues if you can spare the space. Rotating at least once a year is ideal, but honestly
 
Keeping mine in food-grade blue barrels in the coolest spot I’ve got—plastic taste hasn’t been too bad if I rotate every year. Anyone ever try ceramic crocks for backup?
 
Glass and stainless both have their perks—no plastic taste at all and much less worry about chemical leaching. The trouble is, like you said, they just aren’t practical for stockpiling bigger amounts. I use old glass juice jugs for drinking water I want to rotate fast (and as backup if I ever need to boil without a weird aftertaste), but anything over a few gallons gets way too heavy and takes up a ton of space. Tried using stainless camping jugs for a bit, but unless you’ve got deep shelves or a dedicated storage room, you’ll run out of places to
 
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