The three most important items for survival are shelter, food and water - with water being the most important. Here's why you should be storing water in case of emergency, how to store water properly, and how much water to store for an emergency.
Updated July 2025
How to store water at home for emergencies
Water is life, so it's one of the most important things on our homestead. Besides the two humans that live here, the livestock and pets, poultry, garden and even our honey bees need water to exist. We go through a lot of water on our homestead.
In my early years I took water for granted. I turned the tap and out it flowed. Hot water or cold water, whichever I wanted. There was a never-ending supply of it.
Since then I've gone through a few short periods of time when we did not have water, such as during and after a blizzard when our power was out and our well pump didn't work.
Now that I'm an adult who pays a water bill, I try to conserve water as best I can, both to save money and because Oklahoma summers are usually very hot and very dry.
We've been through a drought or two in the past. Worrying about having enough water for the livestock, the garden and people is hard.
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you purchase through them, at no extra cost to you. I was also sent a Berkey filter in exchange for my honest opinion. As always, I only share products I use and truly recommend. Read my full disclosure here.
Why you should store water
You might wonder why it's important to store water.
There are several emergency scenarios that would make you thankful you had a supply of clean drinking water stored away. For instance:
- Natural disasters such as earthquakes, ice storms or blizzards can disrupt the supply of water to your home. These natural disasters can cause ruptured pipes, and the lack of electricity to run well pumps and city water facilities are just a few possible situations.
- Your town's water source could become contaminated or polluted, or the city water treatment facility could be compromised by flooding, a power outage, or even a hacking situation.
- In a power outage, your well pump won't work.
- Towns occasionally have to advise residents to boil water before consuming it. Recently a town near us sustained a lot of tornado damage, and its citizens were under a boil water order for a week.
Then there are personal and neighborhood situations that can result in a lack of water to your home, such as a broken water main, a frozen pipe in your home, or a local emergency.
How much water you should store
The CDC recommends storing at least one gallon of water for each person per day, for at least three days. They say this should include enough water for drinking and for sanitation uses. [Source}
I don't think this is enough. I believe we need more than one gallon per person, and enough to last more than three days.
At the minimum I'd like to have enough stored water for two weeks, but I'd prefer to have even more than that.
If your household includes a pregnant woman, someone who is ill, or if you live in a hot climate, the CDC recommends saving more that the minimum of one gallon per person.
Also, if you are in a situation in which you are relying on freeze-dried or dehydrated food, you'll need additional water to rehydrate those foods.
If you, like me, want to store more than a three-day supply, multiply your daily number of gallons to sustain your household by the number of days you desire to find out how much you'd need to store.
For instance, if you want a one-month supply, multiply your "daily number of gallons" by 10. This will give you a 30-day amount to store.
To find your "daily number of gallons" download my free worksheet.
You might need to store more water than the CDC recommends
Do any of these apply to you? If so, you might need to store even more water than the three-day supply that the CDC recommends.
- Your pets will need water too.
- If you have a garden, your plants will need water.
- If you have livestock, you'll need water for them as well.
- If you live in a hot climate like we do, you should store more water.
- If you work outside in the summer, you'll need to drink more water.
- Water is also necessary for cooking.
- Freeze-dried food requires hot water to rehydrate and prepare.
- Cleaning and bathing require water.
- If you have a well and the electricity is out, you'll need extra water to flush toilets.
check out the Sun Kettle water heater that heats water with the power of the sun. They heat water very efficiently, and the water is HOT. We have two Sun Kettles; they came in very handy after a tornado knocked out our electricity. <<
How to store water for emergency use
The big question is what to store water in, right? Water comes out of your faucet, it's available in cases of 20 oz plastic bottles and in one-gallon jugs that resemble milk cartons, as well as in those big 5-gallon plastic bottles from the local bottling company.
Keep reading to find out the best options for storing water. Often, it's a combination of several options.
Storing bottled water
You can, of course, purchase cases of bottled water. This is good for short-term storage of drinking water.
We rotate through these cases of water regularly. The newest package goes on the bottom of the stack, and we drink the bottles that are in the top package. "First in, first out" is the rule of thumb when storing any kind of food or beverage.
Storing large amounts of water
You'll find water storage containers for sale in military surplus stores, the camping department at your local big box store, outdoor stores such as Cabela's, and of course at Amazon.
For storing large amounts of water, check out these products:
- Aqua-Tainer 7-gallon container
- 5-gallon plastic Hedpack container
- WaterBOB bathtub storage container
- Waterbrick stackable 3.5 gallon containers
Remember that you will need to get water OUT of these containers, so purchase a hand pump that will fit your containers, if needed.
Whatever containers you use to store water at home, make sure they are made of food-safe materials. Plastic containers should be marked, probably on the bottom, with a symbol and the number 1, 2, 4 or 5.
Empty plastic milk jugs are not recommended for storing water. First, you'll never be able to get them clean enough inside, and second, they aren't meant to last for a long time.
Eventually the plastic will degrade enough that the water will leak, and then you've lost all your water and you'll have a mess - one that might damage the rest of your supplies.
Some additional water storage container ideas
For smaller containers - and water storage at a more affordable cost - you can use these containers to store water at home:
- 2-liter soda bottles
- glass or plastic juice bottles
- canning jars (Mason, Ball, Kerr, etc)
You know these containers are food-safe, since they originally contained food.
Clean these containers well with dish detergent and water, and rinse very well. The CDC recommends cleaning the containers with a bleach/water solution.
However, be sure that you are rotating the water in the plastic containers regularly, because they won't last forever either. They are better than milk jugs, but not perfect.
Beware of stacking canning jars or other glass containers. An earthquake or just an accidental stumble could send them toppling to the floor. I suggest using low shelves for storing glass containers, no matter what they contain.
Storing glass containers inside cardboard boxes will also help to prevent broken glass. Do not store water containers directly on a concrete floor.
About those one-gallon and five-gallon jugs of water
Milk jugs aren't made for long-term storage. Sure, you could rinse out milk jugs, or buy water from the store in these containers, but they will split and leak before long. (I don't believe I can get a milk jug clean enough inside to use it as a storage container. Milk spoils, and I could taste it when I experimented with this method.)
Likewise those blue 5-gallon water jugs that go on top of the office water cooler. When I was working in town, those jugs sometimes sprang a leak and covered our office floor with water.
We put our empty glass canning jars to use to store water when they're not filled with canned food. After all, they take up as much room when filled with water as they do when they're empty and filled with air! (This also helps solve the problem of storing water in plastic, if you're concerned about microplastics.)
Where to store water
Store your emergency water in a dry place with a stable temperature. 50-70°F is ideal. A basement is a good location, as long as it is dry.
Keep your containers out of direct sunlight to prevent the growth of algae and bacteria. Many water containers are opaque blue to help prevent light from penetrating.
Do not store water containers directly on top of a concrete floor. Instead, store them on a shelf, or on a layer of 2"x4" boards to elevate them. A layer of cardboard is not a sufficient barrier.
Do not store water containers near gasoline, pesticide, or other toxic substances.
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Water filters
It's also a good idea to have a water filtration plan in place. I want to filter stored water before drinking it - and even more so the water that might come out of our faucets during or after an emergency.
We’ve used a Berkey water filter for years and trust it completely, so when the company offered to send us one in exchange for my honest opinion, I didn’t hesitate to say yes. We love it!
Whether you're on well water, rural water, or connected to a city water supply, it’s reassuring to know that the water we drink is clean and healthy. Our Berkey filter removes harmful contaminants like heavy metals, chemicals, nitrates, and more, so we can trust the water we drink every single day.
Our Berkey water filter isn’t just for emergencies, it’s part of our everyday routine. We use it daily for all of our drinking and cooking water, and I appreciate knowing exactly what we’re putting into our bodies (or rather, what we're not putting into our bodies). It gives me peace of mind, whether I’m filling a glass, making coffee and herbal tea, or cooking vegetables for dinner.
It’s also a smart part of our emergency water storage plan. Since we keep it filled every day, we always have several gallons of clean, filtered water on hand, ready to go if something interrupts our water supply. And we know it will give us clean drinking water, no matter what happens.
If you're looking for a water filter you can trust for everyday use and emergencies, I recommend the Berkey water filter. It's the one I trust, and I wouldn’t be without one.
How often should you rotate your water storage?
Properly stored, water doesn't really go bad. The biggest concern is contamination, so store your water carefully and properly.
Water does go stale though. For better tasting water, you can pour the water back and forth several times, such as from a drinking glass to another drinking glass, or from one jar to another. This will incorporate air, which will make the water taste more "normal."
So why am I telling you to rotate your water if it never really goes bad? Mostly, it's for your own peace of mind. So, there you go. I rotate water so that I am rotating and replacing the containers, especially plastic containers, more than the water itself.
Rotating your water will help prevent that flat, stale taste though.
The general rule is to rotate the water you are storing in your own containers every six months. Bottled water should be used by the "use by" date on the packaging.
We mark the date on our stored water containers, so we know when to empty and refill them.
That water isn't wasted though! It's used to fill the chickens' waterers, or the horses' water trough, or to water the garden.
By the way, it's a good idea to check your water storage area regularly. Look for water on the floor and replace any leaking containers.
Don't forget water for your pets and livestock
Remember that your pets and livestock will need water too.
Our horses have access to our farm pond, but I have to provide water for the chickens, goats, dogs and cats, so I have extra stored for them.
We have a large water tote that I use to water the garden. The Chief rigged up a way to save rainwater in it, and I can top it off with the hose when rain is scarce.
You can read more about the Chief's system of catching rainwater as well as how to make watering your garden easier here. It's very simple, but it works well.
One year we suffered a drought so severe that our farm pond nearly dried up. When the weather finally broke and we had rain again, the pond was just six feet in diameter and less than a foot deep.
We were seriously scouting out the local streams and ponds in case we needed to haul water for our horses and goats.
Prepare for emergencies
Planning ahead for the unexpected is one of the best things you can do to keep your family safe in an emergency.
Just like storing enough clean water ensures you’re prepared for whatever happens, having an emergency binder (aka grab-and-go binder) will keep all your critical information organized and easy to find when you need it most.
The SafeHarbor Emergency Binder System helps you gather everything from personal documents and insurance policies to financial details and emergency contacts, so that in the middle of a crisis you’re not scrambling to find the information you need.
Learn more about the SafeHarbor Emergency Binder System here.
Gathered Goods
Hand-picked tools, books, and everyday helpers we love!
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you purchase through them, at no extra cost to you. I was also sent a Berkey filter in exchange for my honest opinion. As always, I only share products I use and truly recommend. Read my full disclosure here.
- Berkey water filters - The gravity-fed filter we use every day to remove contaminants like heavy metals, chemicals, and nitrates from our drinking water. It’s reliable, simple to use, and gives us peace of mind.
- Sun Kettle water heater heats water with the power of the sun. We have two of them, and they were sure handy when our natural gas feed was shut off after the tornado that hit our neighborhood in 2023. We were without hot water for 19 days. Our two Sun Kettles heated up water for coffee, for reconstituting freeze-dried or dehydrated foods, and even for washing my hair!
Kathi Rodgers is the gardener and writer behind Oak Hill Homestead (est. 2009) and the host of HOMEGROWN: Your Backyard Garden Podcast. With over 30 years of gardening experience in a variety of climates and soils, she helps new and aspiring gardeners grow healthy, organic food right in their own backyards.
A passionate advocate for simple, self-reliant living, Kathi is the author of multiple ebooks, a published magazine contributor, and shares practical advice with readers who want real-life solutions they can trust. She was also the publisher and editor of a long-running subscription newsletter (on an entirely different topic: cats).
Kathi lives in Oklahoma, where she grows more cherry tomatoes than she can count and keeps a watchful eye on tornado season. A proud grandma and great-grandma, she believes that wisdom - like a bountiful garden harvest - should be shared.
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