The 5 Best Treatment Methods for 55-Gallon Water Barrels

Safe drinking water is a critical priority as you prepare for emergencies. A 55-gallon barrel is a great way to store a large amount of water in a little space.

One 55-gallon barrel will supply 2 people with 2 gallons of water per day for a little more than 2 weeks. That’s a lot of water in a small space. This video will take the mystery out of treating water for long-term storage in 55-gallon barrels.

3. Regular chlorine bleach (sodium hypochlorite) - 2 Tablespoons

Thanks for being part of the solution!

[msquared]

Tip tip from a 35+year Army medic. When using either bleach or calcium hypochlorite crystals don't just add direct crystals or full concentrate bleach to your barrel. Dissolve the required amount of crystals or bleach in what the Army feild hygiene manual calls a "super solution" and add that instead of strait crystals. We were always told a canteen (quart) of this solution at the dosage rate you recommend per 50 gallon lister bag (these are not used any longer) and mixing in a 5 gallon water jug to sanitize a 400 gallon water buffalo trailer. This makes sure the crystals dissolve fully and maximizes contact area for best sanitizing action. Agitate your barrel once you add the crystals to ensure even distribution so a clean stirring rod or even your barrel pump could be used to stir this solution arround. Don't forget to flush your pump with chlorinated water before using it to draw drinking water. Temperature also matters, colder water takes longer to treat as the chemical reactions that kill the organisms take longer at cold temperatures.

My $.02

[raqueltrinchet]

I LOVE HER STYLE, TONE AND VOICE! So calm and well informed. He sounds like a DJ.

[jerrysmith]

Yep - I have 2 barrels - each 4 feet across and 12 feet high and hold 750 gallons. Bought new specifically to hold water. Each is surrounded by a plywood surround and top to protect from sun and weather. Should be about a years supply for our needs. Filled with tap water and will filter before using.

[TheTamrock]

I have watched so many videos about water storage. This channel posts the most comprehensive ones on YouTube. Thank you for helping so many, in so many ways ❤️

[johnlong]

All good advise. The comments shared are also appreciated. I was lucky enough to get my used barrels from a place that were treating water from the barrels containing chlorine bleach purchase for water treatment. I triple rinsed these before using.

The comments on water containing organic sis easy to miss but very important. As you stated, when treating with chlorine, there is a reaction that degrades the chlorine and creates “disinfection byproducts” primarily trihalomethanes, and these can be a health concern. The organic also consume the chlorine, and you really want to see the water in storage contain a trace amount. Aeration removes both before drinking the water. This is why your house kitchen and bath facets have aerators on them. Pouring the water back and forth between two containers or putting it in a jug and shaking with help aerate. Municipal water systems monitor chlorine residuals so, again as you mentioned, putting the water into the storage containers without adding anything is usually just fine.
Also, as you mentioned, you will need a bung wrench, and a couple of extra bungs and gasket seals come in handy as well. The two bungs on the drum usually have different threads, one course, one fine. That is worth adding to your video if you think a picture adds value.
I greatly appreciate you sharing the details for water treatment, very accurate. I know a few things, but this was a great refresher and very very helpful.
It would be great to see your recommendations for options on situating these drum to get the water out.
Thank you so much.

[altha-rfet]

This is my thing to do next month we moved back to the homestead slowly getting things done but with cancer have to go slow at it, , , I want to get two solar panels for the well and least four 44-gallon water barrels

[jamesshafer]

So true, LOL. I'm finally setting up the barrels I bought 3 years ago with my down time from the virus.

[davidb]

Well done and good information. Another tip, from the book All My Secrets of Organic and Container Gardening So Far which has photos, is that you can build a cheap homemade solar oven from recycled materials that will pasteurize small amounts of water -- such as a gallon at a time -- in emergency conditions. I have tried it and it does work. This would be good even for rainwater.

[Missourioutdoors]

There is a artesian well that has provided hundreds and hundreds of families around here with water for a lot of years. I will be filling up my barrels there. Thanks for the video.

[Lawnranger]

Yup- 2 50 gal empty barrels in my back yard for 3 years. Going to clean and fill them this weekend thanks for the video and encouragement

[myfloridabackyard]

You guys are the best and very accurate !! Iv'e watched dozens of your video's and amazed with your knowledge!! What really blows my mind is... To look at you both you would never know you were hard core preppers. Wish we were neighbors! I on other hand look the part Jaded Vietnam Combat Vet dealt a bad hand and hunkered down!! MUCH LOVE TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY!!

[Darkice]

I bought a 1500 gallon cistern and hooked it up to my water main. All the water that flows through my house goes through the cistern first. So its always being cycled. If the water ever stops, i shut of the main and use the water through a manual valve. I also have hand pumps to pump water up to overhead shower containers i made from home depot buckets.

[gp]

Great video. Thanks for the measurements. Easy to understand. Take care and God bless.

[Robnord]

Thank you for the video! I just sanitized 5 used food grade translucent barrels and am prepping the space to set them in. We will cover them with 6 mil black trash bags in a shed. Yours is one of the few videos showing use of anything other than blue or black barrels. 😎 Have had these for over 2 years, and it feels good to get it done.

[philw]

Very important video, thank you Jonathan and Kylene. I sure appreciate the content of your channel. Happy trails!

[damianmartinez]

Thank you for making this video. It was very helpful and I will be using several of the tips you all provided.

[kevinwelsh]

I will bookmark those online resources just in case emergency arises.
Thanks, I will take your advice, but I think I will just buy two, sealed, 5-gallon jugs on hand in my small apartment for 1 person.

[mkmason]

Is calcium hypochlorite the same thing as pool shock? Where can I buy it? This was a great video!!! I love that you guys did the math on the stock solution bleach jug. Thank you so much!

[suzyjane]

I have done well with mason jar storage. I dont know how to aquire 55 gallon drums. Thank you for your informative measures of purification.

[daniellebarker]

I absolutely Love your videos. Very concise and accurate information in a friendly and understandable form. Please keep it up!!