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After a disaster, the tap can stop running or start delivering water you shouldn’t drink; Ready.gov warns that your usual supply may be cut off or contaminated. Water is also the bulkiest part of a kit, so it pays to plan it.
Below is how to store water for emergencies, step by step, drawing on the CDC, Ready.gov (FEMA), and the EPA. They mostly agree; where they don’t, we say which guidance is newer.
How we wrote this. We did not test containers or treatment products. Amounts, steps, and ratios come from the sources listed at the end, in our own words. We don’t list prices.
How much water to store
The CDC and Ready.gov share a baseline: at least 1 gallon per person per day. The CDC asks for a minimum of 3 days and suggests working toward 2 weeks. That gallon isn’t only for drinking; the CDC counts cooking and brushing teeth, and Ready.gov counts sanitation.
Some households need more. The CDC lists pregnant women, sick people, pets, and hot climates. Ready.gov adds children, nursing mothers, and medical emergencies, and warns that very hot weather can double water needs. For pets specifically, the University of Florida’s IFAS Extension suggests between a quart and a gallon a day for each pet, scaled to its size.
Ready.gov puts a normally active person’s fluid need at roughly 3/4 gallon a day, counting all beverages, so the rest of the gallon covers food and hygiene.
Your household’s number
| People | 3 days | 2 weeks |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 gallons | 14 gallons |
| 2 | 6 gallons | 28 gallons |
| 3 | 9 gallons | 42 gallons |
| 4 | 12 gallons | 56 gallons |
| 5 | 15 gallons | 70 gallons |
| 6 | 18 gallons | 84 gallons |
To turn that into containers, divide by container size and round up. A family of four aiming for two weeks needs 56 gallons, for example twelve 5-gallon containers (60 gallons), with a little left over for a pet or a hot spell.
The simplest option: commercially bottled water
The CDC calls unopened, commercially bottled water the safest and most reliable emergency supply. Ready.gov says to leave it sealed in its original packaging somewhere cool and dark, and the CDC says to observe the expiration date. Use the oldest cases first and replace them.
How to store water for emergencies in your own containers
Choose the container
The CDC’s first choice is what it calls an “FDA-approved food-grade water storage container,” which won’t leach toxic substances into the water. It points to surplus and camping stores and suggests asking the manufacturer if you’re unsure a container is food-grade.
If you can’t get one, the CDC’s criteria for a substitute are:
- A lid that closes tightly
- Durable, unbreakable material (not glass)
- Ideally a narrow mouth, which makes pouring easier
Never reuse a container that held toxic chemicals, liquid or solid, such as bleach or pesticides.
Clean and sanitize it
The CDC’s six steps:
- Wash the container with soap, then rinse it completely.
- Mix a sanitizing solution: 1 teaspoon of plain (unscented) liquid chlorine bleach per quart (4 cups) of water, using bleach labeled 5% to 9% sodium hypochlorite.
- Cap and shake so the solution coats every inside surface.
- Wait at least 30 seconds, then pour it out.
- Air-dry the empty container.
- Fill with clean water and cap it tightly.
Ready.gov gives the same 1-teaspoon-per-quart ratio.
Label, store, rotate
The CDC’s storage rules:
- Label each container “drinking water” with the date you filled it.
- Replace the water every six months. Ready.gov applies the same rule to any water that wasn’t commercially bottled.
- Store it cool, between 50°F and 70°F.
- Keep it out of direct sunlight.
- Store it away from gasoline, pesticides, and other toxic chemicals, which may rule out the garage.
UF/IFAS explains the last rule: vapors from fuels and pesticides can pass through plastic. It also notes that water can be frozen in plastic containers (not glass, which can crack), and that frozen jugs help keep a freezer cold during an outage.
Put the six-month replacement date on your calendar the day you fill them.
Draw it out cleanly
Use a clean scoop each time, and keep hands out of the water and the container (CDC). A spigot or pump avoids the issue.
Keep bleach with your supplies
The CDC recommends keeping unscented liquid household chlorine bleach (5% to 9% sodium hypochlorite) for disinfecting water and cleaning. The EPA wants bleach that’s fresh or under a year old at room temperature, so replace it yearly, and keep a clean dropper with it.
If your stored water runs out
Ready.gov’s order of operations: drink water you know is safe first. If you have to use questionable water, treat it. If you can’t treat it, put off drinking it as long as you can without becoming dehydrated. Follow any instructions from local officials, which take priority.
Treat uncertain water before using it to drink, cook, wash dishes, brush teeth, or make ice.
Clear it first. If water is cloudy, let the sediment settle, then strain it through a coffee filter, paper towel, or clean cloth. The EPA notes that disinfection works less well in cloudy or colored water.
Boil
The EPA says boiling kills disease-causing bacteria, viruses, and protozoa:
- Bring the water to a rolling boil and hold it there for at least 1 minute.
- Above 5,000 feet, boil for 3 minutes.
- Let it cool on its own, then store it in clean, covered containers.
For flat-tasting boiled water, the EPA suggests a pinch of salt per quart or pouring it between clean containers a few times.
Disinfect with bleach
Boil if you can: the CDC notes that chemical disinfectants, bleach included, are less effective than boiling against some parasites, such as Cryptosporidium and Giardia. If boiling isn’t possible, the EPA calls for regular, unscented chlorine bleach labeled as suitable for disinfection and sanitization, usually 6% or 8.25% sodium hypochlorite. Skip scented, color-safe, and added-cleaner bleaches. With a clean dropper, add:
| Water | 8.25% bleach | 6% bleach |
|---|---|---|
| 1 quart or liter | 2 drops | 2 drops |
| 1 gallon | 6 drops | 8 drops |
| 2 gallons | 12 drops (1/8 tsp) | 16 drops (1/4 tsp) |
| 4 gallons | 1/4 tsp | 1/3 tsp |
| 8 gallons | 1/2 tsp | 2/3 tsp |
Source: EPA, Emergency Disinfection of Drinking Water.
Then:
- Double the dose for cloudy, discolored, or very cold water.
- Mix, then wait 30 minutes. It should smell faintly of chlorine.
- No smell? Add the same dose again and wait 15 more minutes.
- Too strong? Pour it between clean containers and let it sit for a few hours.
Why older advice differs: Ready.gov’s water page, last updated in 2021, says 1/8 teaspoon per gallon of 5.25% to 6% bleach. The EPA page, updated in 2026, gives separate doses for 6% and 8.25%. Read your bottle’s label and use the matching column.
No bleach? The EPA’s alternatives
The EPA also gives instructions for 2% tincture of iodine (5 drops per quart or liter, 10 for murky water, then wait at least 30 minutes) and for disinfection tablets containing chlorine, iodine, or chlorine dioxide, used according to the label. Ready.gov’s 2021 page advises against iodine and such products, so treat them as backups to bleach. The CDC adds two cautions: skip iodine-treated water if you’re pregnant, have a thyroid condition, or react to iodine, and limit anyone’s use of it to a few weeks. Of the tablet types, the CDC says only chlorine dioxide, used as directed, kills Cryptosporidium.
What treatment can’t fix
Boiling and disinfecting target germs; the EPA says neither removes heavy metals, salts, or most other chemicals. Of the three methods Ready.gov describes, only distillation (collecting the condensed steam from boiling water) also removes them.
Water you may already have
The EPA points to melted ice cubes and the water in your water heater tank or pipes. It also allows river or lake water, preferably flowing rather than stagnant, but not water with floating material, a dark color, or an odd smell. Treat all of it. If a private well has flooded, the EPA says to disinfect and test it and to check with the state or local health department.
Two habits from Ready.gov: don’t ration drinking water unless authorities tell you to (drink what you need today and look for more tomorrow), and cut your body’s needs by staying cool and less active. Don’t swap water for carbonated or caffeinated drinks; Ready.gov notes caffeine and alcohol increase how much water you need.
What to look for when you shop
- Food-grade water storage containers in a size you can lift and pour. See food-grade water storage containers (paid link).
- A spigot or pump that fits them. See water container spigots (paid link).
- A dropper and measuring spoons for accurate bleach doses. See medicine droppers (paid link).
- Waterproof labels or a permanent marker for fill dates. See waterproof labels (paid link).
For the rest of your kit, see our family emergency kit checklist; for storm warnings, our NOAA weather radio guide.
FAQ
How long does stored tap water last?
Replace it every six months (CDC and Ready.gov). For bottled water, go by the expiration date.
Can I reuse milk jugs or soda bottles?
The CDC doesn’t name them; it prefers food-grade storage containers and sets criteria for substitutes (tight lid, durable non-glass material, narrow opening if possible). UF/IFAS is more specific: it lists 2-liter soft drink bottles as acceptable food-grade examples but says to avoid milk containers, which are hard to clean and can grow bacteria. Whatever you use, wash and sanitize it first.
How much bleach makes a gallon of water safe?
Per the EPA: 6 drops of 8.25% bleach or 8 drops of 6% bleach, doubled for cloudy, colored, or very cold water. Wait 30 minutes before using it.
Bottom line
Store a gallon per person per day: 3 days at minimum, 2 weeks if you can. Bottled water is easiest. If you fill your own, use food-grade containers, sanitize and date them, keep them cool and dark, and refresh every six months. Keep fresh unscented bleach, a dropper, and the EPA table with your supplies.
Last reviewed: October 18, 2026. This article is general information, not professional advice. Follow instructions from local officials and your water utility during an emergency.
Sources
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — How to Create an Emergency Water Supply (amounts, containers, sanitizing steps, storage temperature, rotation; page updated June 27, 2025). https://www.cdc.gov/water-emergency/about/how-to-create-and-store-an-emergency-water-supply.html
- Ready.gov (FEMA) — Water (water needs, storage, rationing, treatment order, chlorination, distillation; page last updated 02/22/2021). https://www.ready.gov/water
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — Emergency Disinfection of Drinking Water (boiling times, bleach dosing table, iodine and tablets, alternative water sources, limits of disinfection; page last updated February 24, 2026). https://www.epa.gov/ground-water-and-drinking-water/emergency-disinfection-drinking-water
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — How to Make Water Safe in an Emergency (boiling vs. chemical disinfection, iodine cautions, chlorine dioxide; page updated September 19, 2024). https://www.cdc.gov/water-emergency/about/index.html
- University of Florida IFAS Extension — Preparing and Storing an Emergency Safe Drinking Water Supply (SS439: pet water, milk containers, fuel vapors, freezing water). https://ask.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/SS439