Understand how much water to store and the proper containers to use

Lifestyle Fashion

H20 IS LIFE
Two-thirds of the human body (by weight) is made up of water. We need water for circulation, respiration and converting food into energy. Water is the most important nutrient in the body, after oxygen. To put it simply, you need water to live. After 3-5 days, you need water or you will die. You can do it 3 weeks without food, but only 3-5 days without water.

Your body constantly loses water through sweat, urine, and even breathing. You must replace the water your body loses in order for your organs to continue to function properly. Dehydration occurs when you lose more water than you take in.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) recommends three days of storage in case your regular water source stops working. Unfortunately, your water source could be out of service for more than 3 days or become contaminated during the crisis. Therefore, three days of water storage is the minimum. You must have at least two weeks of water available in inventory. The golden rule to remember how much water a person needs per day is this; one gallon of water per person, per day. So for a single person, that’s 14 gallons of water. For a family of four, that would mean you would need 56 gallons of water.

Now that we know the importance of having plenty of water on hand, let’s now talk about the proper container and water storage.

CONTAINERS
If you plan to store water in a plastic container for the next time, you need to make sure that you choose the correct type of container. Some plastic containers are not made for this purpose and will leach harmful chemicals into the water over time. Empty and used milk jugs are the worst for storing water for this very reason.

To ensure that the container you choose is safe for long-term water storage, make sure it is “food grade.” Most of these containers will also have a “HDPE 2” (which stands for Type 2 High Density Polyurethane) or LDPE (Low Density Polyethylene) which does not contain BPA and Phthalates, it will not add taste or odor to the water.

Water storage kits, jerry cans, and containers are ideal for storing water. Kits are “food grade” and made of HDPE or LDPE. The kits can store from 5 gallons of water to 300 gallons of water. Therefore, you have options to consider for your needs; either mobile to keep in your vehicle or stationary, like your “bug” location or home. Additionally, many of these kits can be easily stacked to limit the amount of space used in your inventory.

Commercially manufactured bottled water should also be considered. Keep bottled water in its original container and do not open it until you need to use it. Please note the expiration or “use by” date that is printed on each individual bottle. Store in a cool place. However, it will take up a great deal of space in your inventory to stockpile enough of these bottles for proper means of survival.

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