Anyone know about water additives for storage?

[Great-Kazoo]

LDS much better than FEMA, not that I'm surprised
Look at the bottom of your containers for the triangle with a number in it. Do not reuse #3 or #6 bottles. The old Nalgalene bottles are actually #3. The bleach warnings are correct, and should have been explained in the FEMA one.

Do not reuse any containers that have had oils fats or milk products in them. Bleaching not necessary for treated water, especially if you leave the sanitizing solution in the bottle you already complete this step.


Once it's been set up you can leave the water as is. The "taste" is water going flat you can aerate the water in plenty of ways, pouring it back and forth a few times does not much for flat water.

Not a must.
Boiling water for ANY amount of time will kill microorganisms, in fact boiling is a waste of fuel, you only need to get it to 165 degrees. EDIT : for immediate consumption or short term storage.

You can make your own bleach with calcium hypochlorite powder and substitute with the store bought bleach.

There's alot more treatment methods, you need to be educated as to what the risks are with the original water.

What are your feelings on using iodine vs. bleach ?

[rbeau30]

Wulf, How much and where/when is your water classes you mention... I am very much interested in attending to see if I am doing things properly.

However, I have/plan on further treating my stored water when/if i need them.

My current process:
- Save 2-liter soft drink bottles as I use them.
- When I do homebrewing at home I use my left over sanitizer (Star-San)to sanitize the clean 2-liter bottles, and immediately fill/seal the bottles with Aurora Tap water.
- Stack the bottles in a cool-dry crawlspace under the house using repurposed 2-liter bottle plastic trays that hold 8.

[Wulf202]

What are your feelings on using iodine vs. bleach ?

Well iodine is useful but kills far less than bleach (cyclosporine especially), It's multitool however, great for people with kids or in a bob as a backup treatment to a filter and also for foot ailments like fungus, minor cut treatments instrument sterilizing etc. Something where ounces count I'd take iodine over bleach.

Having said that I HATE iodine water. I mean I fucking hate the stuff, it makes my stomach quench just thinking about it. The anti iodine tabs they sell for a few bucks are just vitamin C. 50mg of vitamin C added to the water after the iodine has done it's job works great to remove the taste, Emergen C packets or chewable tabs divided down and crushed into the water leave no taste.

You can also run into an un diagnosed Iodine allergy if you are in a group. Iodine and shellfish are not mutually inclusive allergies. Also those with thyroid problems may not deal well with iodine treated water, and if you can convince a kid to drink iodine water I'd be impressed.

Here's the formula for treating with different types of common Iodine;
Iodine Tincture & Iodine Topical Solution 2% 8 drops/liter.
Lugol's Solution 5% 4 drops/liter. *
Povidone-Iodine (Betadine®) 10% 4 drops/liter.
Tetraglycine hydroperiodide (Globaline®, Potable Aqua®, EDWGT®) 8 mg 1 tablet/liter

*Lugol's Solution also contains 10% potassium iodide, increasing the dose of iodine ingested. (yes the same stuff they sell in anti radiation tabs)

Potable Aqua is honestly the worst tasting and looking of all the iodine treatments. Lugols has an extra stomach quenching problem for me.

Quoting Cody Lundin's book, If it looks like light beer and tastes like it will choke a camel that's enough Iodine.

In short Iodine for on the move and bleach for bug in.

How long is the water with Chlorine good for? Mine is a couple of years old. May be time to drain and refill.

As above if it's still sealed and out of direct light it's fine.

Wulf, How much and where/when is your water classes you mention... I am very much interested in attending to see if I am doing things properly.

However, I have/plan on further treating my stored water when/if i need them.

My current process:
- Save 2-liter soft drink bottles as I use them.
- When I do homebrewing at home I use my left over sanitizer (Star-San)to sanitize the clean 2-liter bottles, and immediately fill/seal the bottles with Aurora Tap water.
- Stack the bottles in a cool-dry crawlspace under the house using repurposed 2-liter bottle plastic trays that hold 8.

http://www.ar-15.co/forums/showthread.php?t=52612
Last class thread was lost in the crash, pretty much the same as this one except people showed up
http://www.ar-15.co/forums/showthread.php?t=45217

Your process is fine as long as you don't open them it'll be good for a few decades, it may go flat and taste mildly of soda though. If you go for clear 2 liters they can be used as SODIS treatment later on if you have to.

Apparently i may be instructing or a "consultant" soon... still in negotiations.

[rbeau30]

If you go for clear 2 liters they can be used as SODIS treatment later on if you have to.

I am trying to think of the way I can store that is:

-Easy to store.
-Has the greatest chance of staying fresh for the longest time.
-Even if the water is not drinkable when I need it, I have the greatest range of ways I CAN purify it when I need to use it. (MSR pump water filter/Iodine Tincture or tabs/Bleach/or even SODIS.)

I think the 2-liter solution bears the greatest opportunity to utilize the stored water in a semi-urban environment that regular ol' joes like me can start storing right now with minimal investment.

[Wulf202]

I am trying to think of the way I can store that is:

-Easy to store.
-Has the greatest chance of staying fresh for the longest time.
-Even if the water is not drinkable when I need it, I have the greatest range of ways I CAN purify it when I need to use it. (MSR pump water filter/Iodine Tincture or tabs/Bleach/or even SODIS.)

I think the 2-liter solution bears the greatest opportunity to utilize the stored water in a semi-urban environment that regular ol' joes like me can start storing right now with minimal investment.

You've got it figured out.

The only thing you may add is some gatorade and 20 oz bottles, they're portable or handout sized.

[rbeau30]

You've got it figured out.

The only thing you may add is some gatorade and 20 oz bottles, they're portable or handout sized.

I really like those gatorade packets that are in the Kool-Aide section they are really portable and are in all our Get-Home/Bug Out/EDC bags.

20-oz bottles I haven't thought about I completely agree. I'll adjust my recycling/reusing actions to add that into the mix.