The Case for Bottled Water

Do you keep one case of bottled water for each person at home?  There are lots of ways to store water for an emergency, but start off easy with one case for each person.

• Bottled water is ready to go when you are - no prep, no mess, no hassle. It doesn't require additional preparation, no filter, no container, no worries.  And when it's gone, you have refillable bottles left to reuse until trouble subsides.  (Then you can recycle them.)
• A case of single serve containers are affordable ($3-6 dollars).  That's your 72 hour supply.
• Smaller bottles are easier to carry with you or move around before and during emergencies.
• A case of 16 or 20 ounce bottles is easy to split up or share if needed.  22 bottles waiting on the kitchen floor, one for your husband playing Legos up with your four year old, one for the neighbor that just sawed that tree branch in your driveway.
• Bottled water is an item we can use everyday, so it's easy to cycle through to keep your supply fresh. (Consider buying the "replacement" first, or don't forget to replenish your stash!)
• Each bottled water is "pre-measured" for tracking your personal hydration needs. (Know your own hydration needs, and learn what additional water intake you may need in an emergency.)

If you end up needing more than a case of water per person, you must have a significant emergency on your hands.  You should prepare for an extreme water shortage, too. (With larger quantities of stored water or a water purification system.) But remember, prepare first for the most likely scenarios first. You are more likely to go one or two days without clean water than a week.

Don't forget that infants, those with medical needs, and pets may have additional water requirements you need to consider.  Take your family's unique needs into consideration when making your plan and building your kit.

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