Arizona resident faces 7-gallon emergency water problem: 'An eyesore in the kitchen'

Keeping emergency water at home can provide peace of mind, but finding a convenient place to store it is not always easy. 

One Arizona resident with several 7-gallon containers turned to Reddit for advice on keeping their supply accessible without making an unsightly jug a permanent kitchen fixture.

Here's what to know

Writing on Reddit's r/preppers forum, the original poster explained that their goal was to routinely use the emergency water stored in their Aquatainers to ensure the water was replaced regularly. Therefore, easy access was an important consideration. However, the OP also wasn't thrilled about the idea of having the large containers out all the time. 

"I dont want the one I'm trying to use up and refill for the quarter/month looking like an eyesore in the kitchen but it also can't be too tucked away because then it's unwieldy to get to and use up," the OP explained. "Does anyone have any methods of where you would put this thing in your house to not look like a crazy person but have an easy time cycling through and using it on rotation?"

The OP proposed a couple of ideas, neither of which worked perfectly. First, they considered placing the water container on a printer cart, which would make it more mobile but would not fix the problem of it being unsightly. Another potential solution, storing the water in the garage, was not ideal due to the heat in Arizona, where the OP lived. 

What commenters said

One commenter described issues they had with the containers themselves. All of their Aquatainers had failed, while clear jugs had proven much more reliable. They also reported a chemical smell in water stored in an Aquatainer, with the smell intensifying with longer-term storage and high-temperature conditions. 

Another commenter said they had a similar experience with Aquatainers and asked for advice on possible alternatives. For the OP, 5-gallon cooler jugs were a possible replacement, as their vertical shape could draw less attention indoors. 

Other advice

Another commenter criticized the OP's plan to use stored water every day. Instead, they advised just keeping the water in storage and sticking to a regular refill schedule. 

"Fill it up, write the date on a piece of tape. 6 months later, pour it out and fill it up again," the commenter wrote, adding that, for the amount of water saved, using the OP's method would not be worth the trouble.

Where can I learn more?

When planning for an emergency water supply, container size, location, and upkeep are all important considerations. 

• In the U.K., commenters recommended smaller 5-liter water bottles for a prepper planning extensive reserves.

• One prepper's question about refilling stored water jugs drew advice to replace them annually.

• A U.K. prepper paired 50 liters of water with solar backup and go bags.

• A major U.K. outage highlighted why bottled water alone may not meet household needs.

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