Water Storage: Common Mistakes

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Water Storage: Common Mistakes By: Steve Shenk Founder of My Farm in a Box

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The biggest mistake we all make is believing that “Water is water, and clean water in its natural environment such as a pure stream or a well or a glacier will remain in that state practically forever.” In Nature, that may be true—but the water we store creates a whole new set of challenges. And very often what appears to be the most convenient way to store long-term water happens to be the most dangerous.

Transcript of Water Storage: Common Mistakes

Page 1: Water Storage: Common Mistakes

Water Storage:Common Mistakes

By:Steve Shenk

Founder of

My Farm in a Box

Page 2: Water Storage: Common Mistakes

Water Storage: Common Mistakes

Bad Idea #1: Bottled Water and BPAVirtually all bottled water you buy in the store has an “expiration date.” Water that’s bottled commercially is meant to be consumed a few days after you buy it. That’s because it comes in plastic bottles made with a chemical called Biphenol-A (BPA), which constantly leaches into the water contained in those bottles. The longer you store those plastic bottles, the more BPA contaminates that water, and the more dangerous it becomes. Especially if you leave it through a hot summer or two, you’ll be taking a chemical into your body that can actually make you sick.

Page 3: Water Storage: Common Mistakes

Water Storage: Common Mistakes

Bad Idea #2: The Water BarrelLarge plastic barrels are tough, safe, and store a good amount of water. But, they’re expensive, difficult to use, and impractical, if not dangerous, to store. You can’t just fill a big container with water and forget about it for years. At regular intervals, you need to purify and change out your water supply.Even if stored under the very best of conditions, water doesn’t keep well for longer than five years; it becomes stagnant. Most people don’t know how to prepare their water properly, much less think think to flush it out and replace it.

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Water Storage: Common Mistakes

Bad Idea #3: Fill it and Forget itYou can’t just store your water in any old container, leave it down in the basement, and forget about it. It may not be your favorite thing to do, but… stored water needs to be replaced about every six months, and store your water in containers that are relatively easy to carry.

Page 5: Water Storage: Common Mistakes

Water Storage: Common Mistakes

Bad Idea #4: Reused ContainersI’ve already noted the dangers of

storing water in PVC or BPA plastic containers. It’s even worse if those containers once held milk, juice, soda or soft drink syrups. No matter how much you wash or rinse out a plastic jug or bottle, you can’t get rid of all it once contained. What’s more, bacteria and all sorts of unsavory microscopic critters will most likely have spawned and grown from those invisible traces of milk or juice. What you really want to do is make sure your stored water to be as pure as possible.

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Water Storage: Common Mistakes

Bad Idea #5: Garden HosesGarden hoses come with a

warning that they contain cancer-causing chemicals, and that humans shouldn’t drink from them. If you fill your container from that hose, you’ll be drinking water that contains tiny amounts of poisons and carcinogens, including lead in many cases. Be sure to use a hose that is specifically made for drinking water, like the ones that people use to fill their RV water tanks. Just make sure it’s a hose that’s labeled “For use with drinking water.

Page 7: Water Storage: Common Mistakes

Water Storage: Common Mistakes

For information on the solutions to these common

water storage mistakes, visit myfarminabox.com

or click the following link!

http://myfarminabox.com/storing-water-part-2-important-next-steps/