Storing Water at Home: Containers, Rotation and the Water Already in Your House

By GoldBlock WorkshopPublished Updated

The short answer

The simplest safe supply is unopened, commercially bottled water, which the CDC calls the safest and most reliable emergency source. If you fill your own, use food-grade containers, clean and sanitize them first, label each one “drinking water” with the date, keep them cool, dark and away from chemicals, and replace the water every six months. Your house also holds water you can use in an emergency, starting with the water heater tank.

Key numbers

  • 6 monthsreplace water you filled yourselfSource: CDC
  • 50°F to 70°Fcool storage temperature for water containersSource: CDC
  • 1 teaspoonunscented bleach (5% to 9%) in 1 quart of water to sanitize an empty containerSource: CDC
  • About 460 lbthe water in a full 55-gallon drum, at 8.34 pounds per gallon: 55 × 8.34 = 459Source: USGS weight of water

What is the safest water to store?

Store-bought bottled water, unopened. The CDC says “unopened, commercially bottled water is the safest and most reliable source of water in an emergency.” Keep it sealed in its original container in a cool, dark place (Ready.gov).

How long to keep it is where sources differ. The CDC says to “observe the expiration date for store-bought water.” Oregon State University Extension advises replacing commercially bottled water every six months “for quality purposes.” Following the date on the package meets the CDC’s advice; Oregon State’s six-month interval is about quality, not safety.

The CDC’s page covers both options: unopened commercial water and food-grade containers you fill yourself.

Which containers can I use?

Use food-grade containers made for water. The CDC says “it is best to use FDA-approved food-grade water storage containers,” which the CDC says “can be found at surplus or camping supply stores.” If you cannot get one, the CDC says to choose a container with a top that closes tightly, made of durable, unbreakable material (not glass), ideally with a narrow opening for pouring.

Container Verdict Why
Food-grade water containers (jugs, bricks, drums) Best Made for drinking water (CDC)
Clean 2-liter soda bottles Good Can be cleaned, sanitized and reused for water (Oregon State and Utah State extension)
Milk and juice jugs Avoid Food proteins are hard to remove (Utah State); the plastic is designed to break down and can leak (Oregon State)
Glass jars Not as a first choice The CDC advises unbreakable materials; glass breaks
Anything that held chemicals, bleach or pesticides Never The CDC says never use containers that held toxic chemicals

How do I clean and fill a container?

Wash it, sanitize it with a weak bleach solution, let it dry, then fill it with safe water and close it tightly. These are the CDC’s steps:

  1. Wash the container with soap and rinse it completely with water.
  2. Sanitize: mix 1 teaspoon of unscented liquid household chlorine bleach (5% to 9% sodium hypochlorite) in 1 quart (4 cups) of water.
  3. Cover and shake so the solution touches all inside surfaces.
  4. Wait at least 30 seconds, then pour the solution out.
  5. Air-dry the empty container.
  6. Fill it with safe drinking water and close it with a tight cap.

Does tap water need treatment before you store it? If it comes from a public water system, Utah State University Extension says that “When you are filling water storage containers with tap water, you won’t need to treat the water prior to storage,” because municipal water is already treated. No federal page we read addresses this directly. Private well water is different: no utility treats or tests it, so have your well tested before relying on it for storage; the EPA says “Only use laboratories that are certified to do drinking water testing” and links each state’s certified-lab list (EPA: Protect Your Home’s Water), and see Making Water Safe to Drink.

How do I label and rotate stored water?

Write “drinking water” and the date on every container you fill, and replace the water every six months. The CDC says to “label container as ‘drinking water’ and include storage date,” and to replace water you filled yourself every six months. Ready.gov and Utah State University Extension give the same six months.

An easy way to rotate is to tie it to a date you already remember, such as the clock change in spring and fall. The old water can go to plants or cleaning; then clean, sanitize and refill the container following the CDC steps above.

Where should I keep stored water?

Somewhere cool, dark and away from chemicals, on a floor that can carry the weight. The CDC advises a cool place (50°F to 70°F), out of direct sunlight, and away from toxic substances such as gasoline and pesticides. Oregon State University Extension notes “some food safety concern about foods stored in plastic containers above 95º F” because of chemicals “that may leach out of the plastic at the higher temperatures,” and says water bottles “should be kept in a place that is cool, dry and dark.”

  • Not on bare concrete or dirt. Utah State University Extension advises against setting plastic containers directly on concrete or dirt, because they can absorb odors that affect taste (not safety). A shelf or a piece of wood underneath keeps the plastic off the concrete.
  • Mind the weight. Water weighs 8.34 pounds per gallon (USGS), so the water in a full 55-gallon drum weighs about 460 pounds, plus the drum, and the water in a 5-gallon jug about 42 pounds (5 × 8.34 = 41.7). A 5-gallon jug is the largest size in the arithmetic above that one person is likely to carry; the drum is not.

What water is already in my house?

The CDC lists water from your home’s water heater tank, melted ice made from uncontaminated water, the toilet tank (not the bowl) if the water is clear, and liquid from canned fruit and vegetables.

Source Use it? Notes
Water heater tank Yes The tank that supplies your hot taps, not a home heating boiler (CDC, FEMA)
Melted ice Yes Only ice made from water that was not contaminated (CDC)
Toilet tank (not the bowl) Yes, if clear Not if it was treated with cleaners, such as ones that change the water’s color (FEMA)
Liquid from canned fruit and vegetables Yes Listed by the CDC and FEMA
Swimming pools and spas Not for drinking Hygiene and cleaning only (CDC, FEMA)
Radiators, heating boilers, waterbeds Never FEMA: waterbeds may contain fungicides or chemicals from the vinyl

Protect it first. If there is a break in water or sewer lines, or officials advise it, shut off the main water valve to your home to keep contaminants out of your pipes (CDC, FEMA).

Getting water out of the water heater. A tank water heater holds its capacity (on its label) of the same water that comes out of your taps, which is why the CDC lists it as a source. Two things make it a job to understand before doing. First, the heating element or burner must be off before the tank is drained, and the tank full again before it comes back on: a residential electric heater manual says “To prevent damage to the tank and heating element, the tank must be filled with water” (State Water Heaters instruction manual), and the Oklahoma State University Extension fact sheet says “never turn on the gas or electricity if the tank is empty.” Second, what the water touches on the way out matters: the Washington State Department of Health says “If you use a hose or your container cannot be cleaned, boil the water you collect from the water heater” for at least one minute, or disinfect it (Washington’s page gives a bleach dose; the EPA and CDC doses are in Making Water Safe to Drink). Cleveland Water says most garden hoses “are not meant to be used for drinking water” and that a hose certified to NSF/ANSI 61 is the kind made for it (Cleveland Water, 2023); that hose and a container sanitized by the CDC steps above are what keep the collected water from picking up a new contaminant. The draining steps themselves (power or gas off, drain valve at the bottom, a hot tap opened to let air in) are on the Oklahoma State page; the same manual notes that “periodic draining and cleaning of sediment from the tank may be necessary,” so the first water out may carry sediment.

Water in the pipes. The pipes in a house hold a few gallons that drain by gravity once air can get in at the top, which is the principle behind the Oklahoma State University Extension procedure (main valve and water heater off, air admitted at the highest faucet, drained at the lowest). The steps are on its fact sheet; the same clean-container rule from the Washington page applies.

What stored water can and cannot do

A stored supply is finite (see Water Needs for the household arithmetic), and the CDC says that without bottled water you should make other water safe using its guidance: see Making Water Safe to Drink.

If stored water was filled from an unsafe source, or a container was opened, cracked or looks dirty, treat that water before drinking it; the CDC’s rule is that water from an unsafe source needs boiling, disinfection or filtering (Making Water Safe to Drink).

Common misunderstandings about storing water

Each of these runs against a published source.

  • “Any clean jug will do.” Utah State University Extension says milk and juice containers won’t work because proteins are hard to clean out; Oregon State University Extension warns milk jug plastic is designed to biodegrade and can leak.
  • “Water stored on concrete becomes toxic.” Utah State University Extension says plastic on concrete can pick up odors that affect taste, not safety. Keep it off the floor for better taste.
  • “Stored water lasts forever.” Replace water you filled yourself every six months (CDC), and follow the date on store-bought water.
  • “The toilet bowl is fine in an emergency.” Only the tank, and only if it is clear and untreated (CDC, FEMA).

Common questions

How long does stored tap water last?

Replace water you filled yourself every six months (CDC, Ready.gov). For store-bought water, the CDC says to follow the expiration date.

Can I store water in milk jugs?

It is not recommended. Utah State University Extension says milk and juice containers won’t work because food proteins are hard to remove, and Oregon State University Extension notes the plastic is designed to break down and can leak.

Do I need to add bleach to tap water before storing it?

For water from a public water system, Utah State University Extension says no treatment is needed before storage. Sanitize the empty container first. Private well water should be tested before you rely on it.

How much water is in a water heater?

Up to the tank’s capacity, shown on its label, less the sediment at the bottom. Power or gas off before draining, a hot water faucet opened to let air in, never turned back on with the tank empty (Oklahoma State University Extension); a drinking-water-safe hose and a sanitized container, or boil or disinfect what you collect (Washington State Department of Health).

Where is the best place to store emergency water?

A cool, dark place between 50°F and 70°F, out of sunlight and away from fuel and chemicals (CDC), on a shelf or a wood base rather than bare concrete, and on a floor that can carry the weight.

Where to go next

Sources

  • CDC: How to Create an Emergency Water Supply (U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, last reviewed June 27, 2025; read October 19, 2026). Unopened commercially bottled water is the safest source; follow its expiration date; food-grade containers; never containers that held toxic chemicals; the cleaning and sanitizing steps and bleach solution; label “drinking water” with the date; store at 50°F to 70°F, out of sunlight, away from toxic substances; replace self-filled water every six months.
  • CDC: How to Find Clean Water in an Emergency (last reviewed June 25, 2025; read October 19, 2026). Water heater tank, melted ice, toilet tank if clear, liquid from canned produce; pools and spas not for drinking; shut the main valve to keep contaminants out; do not use water contaminated by fuel or toxic chemicals.
  • FEMA: Fact Sheet: How to Make Your Water Safe to Drink (Federal Emergency Management Agency, October 8, 2017; read October 19, 2026). Toilet tank only if not treated with cleaners; do not use radiators, hot water boilers or waterbeds; shut off the main water valve.
  • Ready.gov: Water (U.S. Department of Homeland Security, FEMA; read October 19, 2026). Store bottled water sealed in a cool, dark place; food-grade containers; sanitize with one teaspoon of unscented bleach per quart; replace water that is not commercially bottled every six months.
  • Oregon State University Extension: Soda bottles for emergency water storage? (Glenda Hyde, December 2022; read October 19, 2026). Soda bottles can be cleaned and reused; milk jug plastic is designed to biodegrade; replace bottled water every six months for quality; store cool, dark and dry because chemicals may leach from plastic above 95°F.
  • Utah State University Extension: USU Extension Offers Water Storage Tips (Julene Reese, July 20, 2021; read October 19, 2026). Juice and milk containers won’t work; city water needs no treatment before storage; rotate every six months; avoid setting plastic directly on concrete or dirt (taste, not safety).
  • Oklahoma State University Extension: Emergency Water Supplies (BAE-1519, 2017; verified October 18, 2026, history entry 71). Turn off the water heater’s electricity or gas before draining; never turn it on with the tank empty; draining water from household pipes.
  • Washington State Department of Health: Water Sources (read October 18, 2026). “If you use a hose or your container cannot be cleaned, boil the water you collect from the water heater” for at least 1 minute, or disinfect it with household bleach (Washington’s dose is on its page; this site uses the EPA and CDC tables); turn off electricity and/or gas before opening the drain; never a container that held pesticides, oils or solvents.
  • State Water Heaters: Instruction Manual, Residential Electric Water Heaters (State Industries, Ashland City, Tennessee; manual 184671-000; read October 18, 2026). “To prevent damage to the tank and heating element, the tank must be filled with water”; “Never use this water heater unless it is completely full of water”; periodic draining of sediment; water from the drain valve “may be extremely hot.”
  • Cleveland Water: Why You Shouldn’t Drink Water from a Garden Hose (and When You Can) (City of Cleveland Water Division, May 8, 2023; read October 18, 2026). Most garden hoses “are not meant to be used for drinking water”; hoses certified to NSF/ANSI 61 or 372 are made for it.
  • CPSC: Avoiding Tap Water Scalds, publication 5098 (U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission; verified October 18, 2026, history entry 69). Burn times at 130°F and 140°F; 120°F setting.
  • EPA: Protect Your Home’s Water (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; wording confirmed October 19, 2026 on EPA’s January 2025 snapshot of the page, last updated October 9, 2024; the live page was not opened from this session). “Only use laboratories that are certified to do drinking water testing”; state lists and local health departments.
  • CDC: Cleaning and Disinfecting with Bleach (last reviewed April 24, 2024; read October 19, 2026). “Never mix household bleach (or any disinfectants) with any other cleaners or disinfectants.”
  • USGS Water Science School: A Million Gallons of Water (U.S. Geological Survey; read October 19, 2026). “At 8.34 pounds per gallon.”