Best Water Storage Containers: Barrels, Tanks, and Stackable Jugs Compared

I have five different water storage containers in or around my house. This is not because I am particularly organised — it is because different containers solve different problems, and I have collected them over about four years as each problem became obvious.

The 55-gallon barrel lives in the garage. The WaterBOB lives in a cupboard under the stairs. The 7-gallon stackable jugs are in the utility room. The 5-gallon jerry cans go in the car when we are doing a long drive through somewhere rural. The collapsible pouches are in the emergency kit.

None of these is the "best" container. Each is the right container for a specific job.

The Short Answer

For long-term home storage: a 55-gallon BPA-free food-grade barrel in your garage. For emergency fill before a storm: a WaterBOB bathtub bladder. For portable/rotation use: 7-gallon stackable jerry cans. Start with whatever matches your most immediate gap.

The Five Types of Water Storage Container

Not all water containers are equivalent. The material, shape, and seal type determine how long the water stays safe, how easy the container is to use, and what purpose it actually serves.

Type 1: 55-Gallon Barrels (Long-Term Home Storage)

A 55-gallon barrel stores 208 litres — enough for two people for about three months at the minimum 1-litre-per-day survival rate, or about a month at a more realistic 6 litres per day for drinking, cooking, and basic hygiene.

The case for barrels: they are purpose-made for water storage, made from food-grade HDPE plastic, and rated for long-term storage of treated water. They come with a bung wrench, siphon pump, and usually a stabiliser base. Properly sealed with treated water, they can store safely for several years.

The case against: they are extremely heavy when full (a 55-gallon barrel of water weighs around 200kg). You cannot move them once filled. They require a pump to access the water. And they need to be on a surface that can handle the weight.

The WaterPrepared 55-gallon tank is the current US standard recommendation. It is BPA-free, made from food-grade polyethylene, and includes the siphon pump and bung wrench you need to actually access the water. The cylindrical design with a stable base means it does not need the barrel stand that older barrel designs required.

The Augason Farms 55-gallon water barrel is the alternative frequently recommended in prepper forums. Similar specs, similar price point, available on Amazon. Either works; buy whichever is cheaper when you are shopping.

Where to put them: The garage is ideal. The basement is fine. A utility room works if the floor is solid. What does not work: anywhere with temperature extremes (above 25°C or below freezing will affect the barrel), direct sunlight (UV degrades HDPE over time), or near chemicals or fuel (plastic can absorb petroleum vapours).

Water treatment: Before filling, add water preservative. Augason Farms and others sell 5-year water storage treatment — it typically costs under $10 and treats one 55-gallon barrel. Without treatment, tap water stored at room temperature starts developing bacterial growth within weeks to months. With treatment, the guidance is 5 years before you should replace it.

Type 2: WaterBOB Bathtub Bladder (Emergency Fill Before a Storm)

The WaterBOB solves a specific problem: you have a storm warning and need to store a lot of water quickly. The bathtub holds 100+ gallons of water, but an open bathtub is not sanitary for drinking water storage — the sides are porous, the surface picks up soap residue, and there is nothing stopping contamination.

The WaterBOB is a large, heavy-duty plastic bladder that fits inside a standard bathtub and holds up to 100 gallons. You put it in the bath, attach the fill sock to the tap, and fill it with tap water before the storm hits. A siphon pump extracts the water when you need it.

What it does well: it stores a large amount of water quickly, using infrastructure you already have, with no setup time beyond the fill. If you have a hurricane warning at 6pm and need water by 8pm, this is your answer.

What it does not do: it is a single-use product. Once you fill and drain it, it is compromised for future use. It is not a permanent storage solution. It is a storm-specific emergency tool.

The WaterBOB is worth having in the cupboard precisely because it costs under $30, takes up almost no space until you need it, and gives you 100 gallons of water in about 20 minutes. Keep one in the emergency kit.

Type 3: 7-Gallon Stackable Jerry Cans (Rotation-Friendly Home Storage)

The sweet spot between portability and capacity. A 7-gallon jerry can holds 26 litres and weighs around 28kg when full — heavy, but liftable by one person. The stackable design means you can store several in a compact footprint. You rotate them by using the oldest first.

What to look for in stackable jerry cans: BPA-free food-grade HDPE, a vent cap to prevent gurgling when you pour, a wide-mouth opening for cleaning, and a design that actually stacks stably. The cheap ones from pound shops are usually not food-grade HDPE and should not be used for drinking water.

The Surewater 5-gallon and Legacy Premium 7-gallon stackable containers are the most commonly recommended. Both have screw-cap lids that seal properly and handles designed for one-person lifting.

Type 4: 5-Gallon Jugs (Daily Use and Portability)

The Scepter is the civilian version of the jerry can used by militaries and emergency services worldwide — food-grade BPA-free polyethylene, vented cap for clean pouring, and a design built for handling. The classic blue 5-gallon water jug — the kind used in office water coolers — is an alternative: widely available, cheap, and compatible with existing water cooler dispensers. Neither stacks as efficiently as a dedicated stackable container, but both are easy to understand and rotate.

One useful application: filling from a barrel (using the siphon pump) and moving water around the house during a power cut without disturbing the main storage. Or: keeping one in the car during long drives through rural areas.

Type 5: Collapsible Containers (Grab-and-Go and Space Saving)

The WaterStorageCube folds flat when empty — a 5.3-gallon container that takes up the space of a folded carrier bag until you need it. The built-in spigot means you dispense without lifting, which matters when a full container is around 20kg. The square shape stacks efficiently if you buy several.

The limitation: collapsible containers are not for long-term storage. They are for transporting water from one place to another, or for emergency use when your main storage has been depleted.

Capacity Calculator: How Much Do You Actually Need

The official guidance is 1 litre per person per day for drinking only. Realistic daily needs, including cooking and basic hygiene, are 3-6 litres per person per day.

For a family of four: - 3-day supply (minimum): 12-24 litres (one 7-gallon jerry can) - 2-week supply: 80-168 litres (two 55-gallon barrels handles the upper end) - 3-month supply at 3L/day: 1,080 litres (five to six 55-gallon barrels)

Be honest about what you are actually storing for. A 72-hour power cut requires different storage than a 3-month preparedness goal.

What Makes a Container Food-Grade Safe

The phrase "food-grade" has a specific meaning. Food-grade HDPE (High-Density Polyethylene, resin code 2) is the standard material for long-term water storage containers. It does not leach chemicals into water at room temperature, it does not absorb odours or petroleum vapours under normal conditions, and it is UV-stable if opaque.

What is not food-grade safe for long-term water storage: - Clear PET bottles (the kind water comes in from the shop) are food-safe but degrade over 12-24 months even sealed. Fine for rotation, not for 5-year storage. - LDPE (resin code 4) — softer plastic used in squeeze bottles — is not recommended for long-term water storage. - Any container that previously held non-food products: bleach, motor oil, cleaning products. The plastic retains trace chemicals even after thorough cleaning. - Blue-tinted containers are not automatically food-grade — check the resin code on the bottom.

our Recommended Setup

If you are starting from scratch and want a sensible water storage setup:

1. WaterBOB — buy immediately and put it in the emergency cupboard. It costs under $30 and takes up the space of a paperback book. If a storm hits next week, you will be glad it is there.

2. One 55-gallon barrel — a 6-month-plus project. Takes time to set up properly, needs a siphon pump, needs the right location. Do this once your immediate gaps are covered.

3. Two or three 7-gallon stackable jerry cans — the daily-use rotation system. Fill, date, rotate on a 6-month schedule. These are the containers you actually interact with.

What to Avoid

Buying the cheapest containers on Amazon without checking materials. "BPA-free" is not the same as "food-grade HDPE." Check the resin code. If the listing does not mention food-grade HDPE and the price is suspiciously low, pass.

Re-using commercial food containers (milk jugs, juice containers) for long-term storage. Fine for short-term rotation, not for multi-year storage. The plastic is thinner, the seal is not designed for it, and light-coloured containers allow UV degradation.

Frequently Asked Questions

How often should I rotate my stored water?

Commercially purified water stored in sealed food-grade containers: 2-5 years if treated with preservative. Tap water stored without treatment: 6-12 months. The conservative answer is to replace and refill every 6-12 months regardless, which is easy if you build it into a routine (I do ours every autumn).

Can I store water in my basement?

Yes, with caveats. Keep containers off concrete floors (use pallets or boards — concrete can leach minerals into plastic over time). Keep away from chemicals, fuel, or paint. Maintain temperature below 25°C. Basements are generally excellent for long-term storage because temperatures are stable.

Is tap water safe to store?

UK tap water (and most US municipal water) is treated and generally safe to store. Adding water preservative extends the safe storage period significantly. Well water should be tested before storage and treated accordingly — it does not have the chlorine treatment that gives municipal water its buffer.

How do I access water from a 55-gallon barrel?

You need a siphon pump — most barrels come with one. Insert the tube through the bung opening, pump the handle a few times to prime it, and the water flows. Keep the siphon pump clean and designated for water use only.

Related Guides

Water storage is one piece of the resilience puzzle: How to Store Water Long-Term: The Complete Guide How much you actually need: How Much Water to Store: The Honest Calculator What to filter if your stored water runs out: Best Gravity Water Filter 2026: After the Berkey Bankruptcy

Water storage is the least dramatic part of home resilience to set up, and the most immediately useful when something goes wrong. A storm does not care whether you have a solar generator or a 12-month food supply. It does care whether you have water. Start here.