How to Store Drinking Water Safely

1. Use the right container

• Best: unopened commercially bottled water, or food-grade containers made for water (often marked HDPE #2 and labeled food-safe).
• Avoid: milk or juice jugs (hard to clean, degrade), containers that held chemicals, and anything not food-grade.

2. Clean and fill

Wash containers with dish soap and rinse. The CDC describes sanitizing with a solution of about one teaspoon of unscented household bleach per quart of water, swishing it over all surfaces, then letting it air dry or rinsing with safe water. Fill from a safe (treated municipal) tap.

3. Store it well

Keep water in a cool, dark place, off bare concrete if possible, and away from gasoline, pesticides, and cleaning products (plastic can absorb vapors).

4. Rotate

Ready.gov suggests replacing self-filled stored water every six months. Keep commercially bottled water by its expiration or "use by" date. Label each container with the fill date.

Simple rotation habit

Swap stored water when you change clocks for daylight saving time. Use the old water for plants or cleaning.

Sources: Ready.gov (Water), CDC (Emergency water supply; making water safe). Last reviewed Oct 2026.