Getting bottled water is the fastest and cheapest thing you can do when it comes to your survival. Get several jugs of water immediately if you don’t have some already. However, this is only your first line of defense. You will need more sources of water and know how to filter. Keeping bottled water is important because it can last almost indefinitely, but it is still a good idea to keep your bottled water in rotation to maintain better taste. The most reliable and safest supply of water is commercially bottled water since it is monitored by the Food and Drug Administration for chemicals, bacteria and other contaminants. However, not all bottled water is safe to drink. It is important to read the labels well and go for water with no fluoride and other chemicals. Some are also disguised as minerals for flavoring. Although they are passed by FDA, these water additives are not necessarily healthy. In addition, it is advisable to be smart about where you store bottled water. While it is okay to put it in the garage, this is not the best storage area. Here are some tips on how you should store your bottled water:
*Store the water in a cool and dry place, away from direct sunlight but not directly on cement as this could leak chemicals into you bottled water.
*Avoid piling boxes, cases and jugs of water too high. The large cases may bear too much pressure on the bottom cases, which will eventually give in and leak.
*Rotate your stock and monitor it on a regular basis to ensure that your reserve is adequate.
*Make sure you drink your water not more than three days after opening in order to minimize the risk of molds and microbiological pathogens.
NB: Do not recycle disposable soda, milk, juice and water bottles as these contain polyethylene terephthalate that may leak DEHP when used repeatedly.