Concentrate on Water Storage for May

Our challenge for April was to plan and start buying your three month's supply of food, and learn about longer term storage.

For May, we are going to be concentrating on WATER.

2012- A Year of Preparedness

Our May challenge is: Obtain Containers and Fill them with Water (And keep buying food)

Goals:

Ward members will obtain more than 14 gallons of water per person

AND

Keep buying food for your three month's supply, or long term supply.

It is important to obtain your water storage in May, because in June we will begin using the water in challenges.  You may want to buy bottled water for drinking and cooking, but you can save money by refilling clean soda pop or juice bottles, or purchased containers, to use for bathing or washing.  Do NOT use milk jugs.  They disintegrate and leak.

www.ProvidentLiving.org  states that it is NOT NECESSARY to add bleach to treated city water.  “Store drinking water for circumstances in which the water supply may be polluted or disrupted.

If water comes directly from a good, pretreated source, then no additional purification is needed; otherwise, pretreat water before use. Store water in sturdy, leak-proof, breakage-resistant containers. Consider using plastic bottles commonly used for juices and soda.

Keep water containers away from heat sources and direct sunlight.”

We are asked to store two weeks’ worth of water: 14 gallons per person, which is one gallon per person per day.  This allows two quarts for drinking and two quarts for very basic cleaning.  For more comfort, you may wish to add an additional 1 gallon per day for washing, tooth brushing, and dish washing.  

Family of one: 14 gallons

Family of two: 28 gallons

Family of three: 42 gallons

Family of four: 56 gallons

Family of five: 70 gallons

Family of six: 84 gallons

Here are some tips as you obtain more food storage.  With a permanent marker mark the tops of all the cans and jars currently in your cupboards and storage with an X. As you purchase new items, mark them with the dates they were purchased. Marking with the date purchased ensures you will always use the oldest first.

Rearrange closets, making room for food storage and water storage.  Water can be stored in the garage, but food must be stored where it doesn’t get too hot.