Guide · Water

Storing water at home

If the taps stop working, stored water lets you sit things out safely at home. It's one of the simplest and most useful things you can prepare.

How much to store

• Aim for at least 3 days' worth, and ideally two weeks.
• Allow about 4 litres per person per day: roughly 3 for drinking and cooking, and the rest for basic washing.
• Add more for hot climates, children, nursing mothers and anyone unwell.
• Don't forget pets.

For a family of four, three days is about 48 litres; two weeks is over 200 litres.

Choosing containers

• Shop-bought bottled water is the easiest. Keep it sealed and use it before the date on the label.
• Food-grade water containers made for storing drinking water are ideal for filling from the tap.
• Fizzy drink bottles can be reused if cleaned well.
• Avoid milk and juice cartons or jugs. They're hard to clean properly and the plastic breaks down.
• Never use containers that held chemicals, fuel, cleaning products or anything toxic.

Filling your own containers

1. Wash the container and lid with hot soapy water and rinse well.
2. Sanitise by swirling a weak solution of unscented household bleach and water around the inside, then rinse with clean water.
3. Fill with tap water from a safe public supply. Don't touch the inside of the lid or the neck.
4. Seal tightly and label with the date.

Where to keep it

• Somewhere cool and dark. Sunlight and heat encourage algae and can break down plastic.
• Away from petrol, paint, cleaning products and pesticides — fumes can pass through plastic.
• Spread across more than one place if you can, in case part of the home becomes unsafe.
• If it might freeze, leave space at the top for the water to expand.

Keep it fresh

• Replace water you've filled yourself about every six months.
• Use the old water for plants or washing, then refill.
• Check containers for leaks, cracks and cloudiness.

Hidden water in the home

In an emergency, you also have:

• Water in the hot water tank or cylinder. Turn off the power or gas first, and let it cool. Treat it before drinking.
• Water in the pipes. Open the highest tap in the house to let air in, then drain from the lowest one.
• Ice cubes in the freezer.

Don't drink water from radiators, central heating systems, toilet cisterns with cleaning blocks, swimming pools or hot tubs. They can contain chemicals that boiling won't remove.

Make it a habit

Set a reminder twice a year to check and rotate your supply. Keep a way to treat water too — purification tablets or a filter — in case your stored supply runs out.

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