Water Basics
Water · Skill 04 of 07

Store Water Correctly

Water doesn't expire on its own, but its container and its surroundings can spoil it. Storage conditions are the difference between water you'll confidently drink in six months and water you'll pour down the sink.

6 minVerified guidanceOffline
Companion

Where you put it decides how long it stays good. Cool, dark, sealed and away from chemicals.

What You'll Learn
  • Choose storage locations that keep water drinkable for as long as possible
  • Keep stored water away from chemicals, heat, light and freezing
  • Store water safely without overloading shelves or blocking exits
  • Set up non-drinking water storage separately and unmistakably
What You'll Need
  • Storage space
    Standard
    An interior cupboard, closet or pantry that stays cool and out of sunlight.
    Low cost
    Under a bed — dark, stable temperature, and space most homes waste.
    Already have
    The bottom of a wardrobe, under the stairs, or a basement shelf off the floor.
  • Something to keep bottles off the floor
    Standard
    A low shelf or plastic pallet.
    Low cost
    A shallow plastic crate or a sheet of cardboard.
    Already have
    A spare board, a tray, or an old drawer.
  • Labels
    Standard
    Permanent marker and labels.
    Low cost
    Masking tape and a pen.
    Already have
    Anything legible that survives damp — including writing on the bottle itself.
Safety

Storing water correctly keeps safe water safe. It does not make questionable water safe, and it does not disinfect anything. If a container ever smells, looks cloudy or discoloured, or you simply aren't sure of it, do not drink it — use it for flushing or cleaning and refill from a safe source. Never store drinking water in a container that previously held any chemical, and never store water in a way that blocks an exit route.

Verified guidance · Ready.gov (FEMA) — Water

Step By Step
  1. 01Choose cool and dark firstReady.gov advises keeping water in a cool, dark place. Warmth and daylight both encourage growth in stored water and degrade the plastic over time. Room temperature inside the house beats a garage or a shed in almost every climate.
  2. 02Keep it away from chemicals — with distance, not just a doorStore water well away from gasoline, kerosene, pesticides, paint thinners and strong cleaners. Vapours from these can pass through plastic containers over time and taint the water. A different room is better than a different shelf.
  3. 03Get containers off bare concretePut a board, crate or pallet underneath. Bare concrete stays cold, sweats, and can transfer odours into plastic. It also makes containers harder to inspect and lift.
  4. 04Leave room for expansion, and think about freezingWater expands as it freezes and can split a full container or force the cap. If a space can freeze — unheated garage, shed, outbuilding — either don't use it or leave headspace and accept some containers may fail.
  5. 05Stack sensiblyHeaviest on the bottom, never more than two or three layers of large jugs high, and never stacked where they could fall on a person, block a doorway or sit above an electrical panel. A gallon of water weighs about eight and a third pounds.
  6. 06Keep the seal intactLeave commercially bottled water in its original sealed bottle until you use it, and don't open containers 'just to check'. Every opening is a chance to introduce something. Inspect from the outside instead.
  7. 07Store non-drinking water separately and label it loudlyWater for flushing, cleaning or washing is genuinely useful, but it must be stored apart from drinking water and marked clearly enough that a tired adult or a child cannot mistake it. Different container shape plus a big label works better than a small sticker.
  8. 08Note where everything isWrite the locations on the same card or note as your household plan. In an outage, in the dark, someone other than you may be the one fetching water.

Verified guidance · Ready.gov (FEMA) — Water

What To Look For
  • Bulging, weeping or misshapen containers — replace them and check what's around them
  • Any cloudiness, colour, film or odour when a container is finally opened; do not drink it
  • Sunlight tracking across a shelf at some point in the day, even if it looks dark when you check
  • Bottles resting against fuel cans, paint tins or a lawnmower in a shed
Common Mistakes
  • Storing water in the garage next to the fuel can and the weedkiller — the two rules most often broken together.
  • Assuming sealed means indestructible. Plastic thins, caps loosen and seams weaken over years.
  • Stacking heavy jugs high on a wire shelf.
  • Storing all of it in a basement that could flood, which is the one event most likely to cut your water supply.
  • Using clear containers on a sunny windowsill because they look good there.
When To Get Help

If your stored water repeatedly develops odour or discolouration, or if you are on a private well and want to know what is actually in your supply, contact your local health department about testing rather than guessing.

Worth Knowing
  • Six months is the usual interval for checking and replacing water you bottled yourself; commercially bottled water carries its own date on the label.
  • A row of dated bottles is easier to rotate than a wall of identical jugs.
  • Put one small sealed bottle in each vehicle and each go-bag; that water gets used and rotated naturally.