How to Store Water in a 275 Gallon Poly Tank

A natural disaster or an act of terrorism could happen at any moment and leave your family without its most valuable resource -- water. According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, a sufficient supply of safe, clean water is the highest priority in a crisis. Each person needs a minimum of one gallon per day for consumption, hygiene and food preparation. A ready supply of potable water stored in a high-density polyethylene (HDPE) tank could mean the difference between life and death.

Things You'll Need

• 275-gallon poly tank
• 828 gallons potable water
• 1 1/2 gallons unscented chlorine bleach
• New garden hose

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Instructions

• 1

  Store the tank in a cool, dark place where the flooring has enough structural integrity to withstand 2,300 pounds.

• 2

  Remove hazardous items such as gasoline, paint thinners and pesticides from the area.

• 3

  Fill the tank to capacity with potable water and add one gallon plus one cup of unscented chlorine bleach. Drain. Refill with rinse water. Drain.

• 4

  Mix three tablespoons of unscented chlorine bleach into three gallons of water to make a bleach solution for sterilization.

• 5

  Funnel two gallons of the bleach solution into a new garden hose and rinse thoroughly with tap water. Sanitize the fill valve, hose couplings and tank cap with the remaining bleach solution.

• 6

  Fill the tank with potable water from a public water supply or well. If you use municipal water that is already chlorinated, that's all you need to do for now. If the water is not chlorinated, add 3/4 cup minus two teaspoons of chlorine bleach, 1/8 teaspoon per gallon.

• 7

  Drain the container every six months. Refill with fresh water. Add 3/4 cup minus 2 teaspoons of chlorine bleach each time if the water is not already chlorinated.

• 8

  Label the container with the date it was filled and the expiration date.