NORMA:
First off…I LOVE your site! It has the best info and doesn’t make me feel stupid..lol seriously. I was wondering if you have ever heard of storing drinking water in the 5 gal buckets like you would for food storage? I am trying my best to prep on a super super limited amount of funds and I just cant afford the water barrels. However, I can afford to buy a couple buckets each week. I know I would have to sterilize it for drinking, but wasn’t sure about the storage of it.
SURVIVAL MOM:
Thanks so much for the email and your kind words.
I don’t think there’s any problem with storing water in buckets as long as the buckets state that they are food grade. Buckets from Home Depot or Lowe’s, for example, are not. If plastic isn’t food grade, chemicals in it may leach into whatever is being stored. Have you tried getting buckets from grocery store bakeries? Their frostings and fillings come in large buckets and they often give them away for free.
I’ve never tried storing water in buckets. Have you tried tipping one over to see if the lid stays put?
For the large 55 gallon drums, you might ask around and see where “horse people” buy their barrels for feed, water and racing. We buy used drums for $18. They were used to ship soy sauce but have been cleaned out. We clean them again and then fill with water
If you drink soda or know people who do, those 2-liter soda bottles make excellent containers for water storage and a much lighter than buckets or barrels.