Water

Stored supply. Daily access. Indoor-only operation.

If water is not already inside your home, it is not part of your plan.

Water becomes urgent fast. Food can be stretched. Water cannot.

Your water system has one job: keep your household drinking and functioning indoors without power.

When electricity fails, municipal pressure, pumping, and treatment can no longer be assumed. If water is not already stored and usable inside the home, availability becomes uncertain quickly.

Most preparedness advice starts with filters. That is backwards.

Stored volume comes first.
Filtration only matters once water already exists inside the home.

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How This Water System Works

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1) Daily Water Target (Planning Baseline)

Minimum planning number:

• 3–4 litres per person per day

This covers:

• drinking
• basic food preparation
• minimal hygiene
• essential medication use

Example:

2 people × 4 litres × 60 days = 480 litres
480 litres ≈ 127 gallons

This is baseline survival, not comfort.

If you cook dry foods, rehydrate meals, or have pets, your real requirement will be higher.

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2) Bulk Storage (Foundation Layer)

Water must already be inside the structure before you need it.

Acceptable bulk storage includes:

• 55-gallon food-grade water barrels
• stackable 5–7 gallon containers
• sealed water bricks
• large indoor water tanks

Bulk storage should be:

• stored indoors to prevent freezing
• elevated off concrete floors
• protected from direct sunlight
• sealed and labelled with fill dates

Important: concrete transfers moisture and temperature. Do not place water barrels directly on concrete. Use wood, foam, or pallets.

Rotation guideline:

• rotate water every 12 months
• sanitize containers before refilling
• use a bleach refresh method if needed

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3) Transfer & Handling (Controlled Movement)

Bulk barrels remain sealed until water is needed.

Barrels may be stored:

• upright
• or on their side with the bung opening at the top

Access should always come from the top opening.

No bottom spigots should be installed.

The safest transfer methods are:

• manual drum pump
• manual siphon pump
• food-grade transfer hose

Transfer Process

1. Open the top bung
2. Insert the pump or siphon hose
3. Transfer water to a 4–7 gallon container
4. Reseal the barrel immediately

From the smaller container:

• pour into the gravity filter
• allow filtration to complete
• dispense into your daily container

Rule: bulk storage is never daily access.

The barrel stores volume.
The smaller container handles movement.

Why No Bottom Spigots?

• spigots create permanent leak points
• threaded fittings degrade over time
• a failed seal can drain your supply
• horizontal pressure increases leak risk
• small unnoticed drips become major losses

Top-access transfer:

• reduces leak risk
• preserves container strength
• limits contamination
• makes problems visible immediately

Practical Handling Tips

• store barrels on wood, foam, or pallets — never bare concrete
• if storing on their side, keep the bung at the highest point
• store pumps in sealed bags
• sanitize pump intake periodically
• do not leave pumps installed permanently
• label transfer containers RAW WATER

Keep bulk sealed.
Move water in stages.
Filter last.