Los Angeles fire evacuee's water stockpile strikes up discussion on potable water: 'Save the bottled water'

An evacuee of the Los Angeles wildfires had prepared well for an emergency. They had plenty of supplies when they left their home, including 5-gallon jugs of water.

But the water had been stored for six months. Was it safe to drink? Was there anything else to worry about? The person said they had access to tap water and were debating whether to drink the stored water, which they had filtered when they bottled it, or the unfiltered tap water.

They posted the questions in the r/preppers subreddit, noting that "some people say to change the water every 6 months because it can grow bacteria if not [in] factory sealed bottles."

While it's difficult to provide blanket advice when it comes to drinking water safety, users did their best to cover the bases. If the poster was in a location with a boil water notice, for example, the answer was clear.

A top remark noted that if there was any doubt, the poster could add five to seven drops of bleach per gallon, mix it, and let it sit for 30 minutes before consuming.

This advice is backed by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, which says that properly treating water can prevent dysentery, cholera, typhoid, and hepatitis. The safest method is to boil it, while using regular household liquid bleach — with 5.25% to 6% sodium hypochlorite — is next on the list.

DHS's bleach formula is one-eighth teaspoon per gallon, and the guidance says there should be "a slight bleach odor" to the water after it is treated. If not, the process should be repeated with a 15-minute rest time. If there is still no bleach odor, the water should be discarded.

The government also detailed distillation, which removes contaminants besides microbes, and recommends stockpiling up to one-and-a-half gallons of water per person per day for at least a few days for disaster preparedness.

Another commenter offered a nifty suggestion to ward off staleness that DHS also mentioned: Pour the water from one container to another a few times to add some air.

How often do you worry about the quality of your drinking water? Never 👎 Sometimes 😟 Often 🙁 Always 😨 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

"Drink the tap water, save the bottled water....the tap water could be shut off tomorrow," one user advised.

Someone else said: "I bought a bunch of clear plastic 1 gal waters in 2020 and drank them in 2022. I was fine. They were stored in a closet out of the sun."

"Water that has not been commercially bottled should be replaced every six months," according to DHS.

To help those impacted by the L.A. fires, you can donate to a number of aid organizations.

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