Water Storage – H2O now has a place to go
Need of water storage
Water is the prime necessity in every human’s life. Some situations might occur where the safe water may get interrupted due to natural disasters like earthquake, floods, etc. But these interruptions can be for a short span of time also. So to meet these situations emergency water supply is recommended in every household.
The amount of water to be stored varies from one-half gallon to one gallon per day, per person for drinking purposes and food preparations. Mostly at homes only short-term supply of water can be stored. During emergency situations water can be available by other sources also like water heater, water softener containers and the water storage area for the toilet.
Different types of containers used for water storage
Different types of containers are available for water storage. The most used containers are glass, metal and plastic.
Glass: it provides fairly effective container for water storage. But glass can be easily broken and is much heavier than plastic. Water in glass containers should never be stored near kerosene, pesticides, gasoline or near any similar substances and glass is non-permeable to vapors and gases.
Metal: very few metals such as stainless steel can be used successfully for water storage. Since metals are resistant to rust so some metallic taste can be developed in the water stored in the metal containers. Hence they are really used.
Plastic: most commonly used water storage containers are of plastic since it is light in weight and sturdy. There are many types of plastic containers manufactured and from that polyethylene types of plastic are the safest for storing water. But plastics are never recommended for food storage because harmful chemicals can spoil the food. Mostly plastic jugs are used for water storage.
Treatments used for water storage:
Water to be stored for a long-span of time should be disinfected or sanitized. Must be sure to use the best quality of water for storage and the storage containers must be clean. Some treatments used for water storage are:
Heat treatment: boiling is one of the most preferred methods. This method requires vigorous boiling in a boiling water bath. Other effective way to store water is in the clean canning jars. Due to this water can be saved from disinfection.
Chlorine treatment: for long-term storage of water, liquid chlorine bleach can be used to disinfect water.