Best Ways to Store Water Long-Term?

[PrepperLinda65]

Over the years, I've experimented with all sorts of containers for long-term water storage—food-grade barrels, glass jugs, even heavy-duty plastic totes (not my favorite for taste reasons). I've mostly settled on 55-gallon blue barrels, cleaned out and stored in a cool basement, but I'm always on the lookout for better methods.

Does anyone have experience with water storage in mylar bags with oxygen absorbers? I've read mixed things about their durability and whether they're really safe for drinking water over several years. Also, do folks here tend to rotate their water supply annually, or is there a way to keep it safe for longer stretches? I usually treat my stored water with uns

 

[CeruleanScribe]

Never trusted mylar bags for water—seems too easy to puncture and hard to tell if they’re truly sealed. Anyone ever tasted water stored in those after a year or two?

 

[StarlitNavigator]

Glass jugs have always appealed to me for keeping water pure, but the weight and breakage risk make them a hassle for large amounts. Those blue 55-gallon barrels seem to strike the right balance (as long as they’re food-grade and you keep ‘em out of the direct sun), but I have to say I’ve never trusted mylar bags for water storage. They work well for dry goods—rice, beans, pancake mix—but water is heavy, and a puncture or even a slow seep could go unnoticed for ages. Plus, there’s always the question of BPA or unknown leaching, especially if the bags weren’t truly made for liquids.

For longevity, I treat my water with a couple drops of plain, unscented bleach per gallon—just enough to keep things safe. I aim to rotate yearly, though in practice it sometimes stretches