Represerving Water

I have some water jugs I added 5-yr preserver to that will come up due again next year. Question is, can I add five more drops to the water and it's good?

 

good question, I don't know

 

I'm with Keith, a lot of work perhaps but I'd inspect them to make sure there's no particulates, slimy feel (biofilm), or bad odor in the containers as proof the water is still good and your plan worked, and then refill them and add new disinfectant/preserver. If the active ingredient in the disinfectant you used was bleach (sodium hypochlorite), be sure to buy fresh and not use any leftover from 4-5 years ago.

 

I honestly have never considered water something that needed preserving. If the jugs are food-grade containers wait until you want to use it and then treat or filter it. I probably have drunk almost as much untreated just plain water as I have the purified stuff. We have had shallow water wells and never had a problem with the water as it is when it comes out of the ground. Depending on how much water you are storing you should be able to find some long term stable containers that will keep the water indefinitely. I'm not very worried about the water as long as I can filter, treat or boil it and if I know where it comes from I don't even do that. Fresh rainwater gathered with a plastic tarp into a plastic barrel is drinkable as is. We have a 2500gallon cistern that collects rainwater off the roof. I will filter it and such but it will be a full-time water source for us in the event ...

 

Good afternoon Miskondukt,

https://www.cdc.gov/safewater/storage.html

In reply, I'd recommend doing 3 things.

1. Study the above link.

2. Somewhere at CDC website is a place to ask questions. Replies take less than a week.

3. Personally visit the public health section of the Las Vegas governmental bureaucracy and ask your question. There's a possibility you'll get info you're looking for,

What I note that's of utmost concern is that you've added some ingredient to your supply. This is NOT best practices.

 

I'm with TX so long as it's food grade and clean containers. I'll add they should also be opaque and not allow light in and if you store it somewhere dark that will prevent algae. to be on the safe side I'd probably still run it thru a filter, even if it's a homemade sand charcoal filter.

Do you know exactly what the preservative was, what was in it and concentrations?

 

https://www.cdc.gov/cdc-info/index.html


Good afternoon Miskondukt,

Above link is to CDC's info section for questions via email.

At link, at left vertical bar, is their toll free telephone number ("Call CDC.INFO").

Hopefully this helps.

 

My wife worries about water, and everything else. I tell her, repeatedly, that water is billions of years old and should be going bad anytime now.
I have an R/O system for my drinking water. I fill from that system into food grade buckets which are stored in a dark, cool place with no additives. I do have a Katadyn filter in case I am worried later and also for when my stored water runs out.