How Long Does Bottled Water Last And Why?
The Food and Drug administration that regulates water bottles does not require that a shelf life is added. But the recommended shelf life on water bottles is two years and only one year for sparkling water. If exposed to long periods of heat, the shelf life is decreased further.
Recommended shelf life of water is based on plastic degradation. Water itself will last forever, but the container it’s in will not, and toxins in the plastic will leach into the water, heat speeds up the degradation of plastics.
If you are interested in how long does bottled water last, then you are more than likely concerned about how to store water and how to consume the best water you can now and in the future.
Best practices for storing water
First you must decide the purpose for storing. If you want to store water for an upcoming storm, such as a hurricane, then I suggest a very temporary solution. Clean and disinfect your bathtub and sinks and fill with water. Also fill empty water bottles, jugs, anything laying around the house that can be cleaned to hold water. And if it’s not already too late, buy some bottled water from grocery stores.
For a much longer storage, to be prepared for the unknown, I suggest food grade 55-gallon storage barrels. Remember water does not go bad, it is the way it is stored that determines the shelf life. Clean and disinfect the water barrel with chlorine bleach. Get the pure stuff, not the one that has added cleaners, dyes or perfumes. For longer storage purify the water you add in. You can do this in a number of ways, boiling, adding chlorine, or by water filters. Make sure it’s sealed well and stored in a cool, dark and dry place. Water stored like this will last years.
Water can go stale after some time. You can bring it back to life by pouring the water between two cups and aerating it.
How much water should I store
The rule of thumb is a gallon of water per day per person. You need to take in your own families situation and if they have any special need for more.
Example: Family of three X four days = Twelve gallons of water.
How much water should a person drink
How much water a person should drink per day actually depends on their size and weight and also on their activity level. In general, a person should try and drink between half an ounce and an ounce of water for each pound you weigh every day.
For example, if you weigh 150 pounds, that would be between 75 and a 150 ounces of water a day. The less active you are the more you need to stay toward the half an ounce. The more active you are the more you need to lean toward the ounce of water per pound. You will need to adjust if you live in a dry climate or are in the heat a good bit. Either way your environment will pull more water out of you.
A brief view of why water is so important and bottled water sources
Drinking sufficient water boosts your metabolism and helps the body properly break down food. Water is a detoxifier that helps to flush out toxins and get rid of waste primarily through sweat and urine. Headaches and migraines are often caused by dehydration. So, to get some relief, drink plenty of water.
If you drink bottled water make sure you know which are safe. Most plastic products are marked with a number that corresponds to the type of plastic it is made of. The number, known as a ‘recycling code,’ can be found within the triangular recycling symbol that recyclable plastics are marked with.
The plastics you want to avoid are numbers 3, 6, and 7 – these are the types that can release harmful hormone disruptors and carcinogens into your food and drink.
Here is the list of the harmful plastics:
#3 Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) has di-2-ehtylhexyl phthalate (DEHP). DEHP is an endocrine disruptor and a likely human carcinogen.
#6 Polystyrene (PS) likely will leach styrene – which is another possible endocrine disruptor and probable human carcinogen- into your drink or food.
#7 Polycarbonate contains bisphenol-A, known as BPA, the hormone disruptor. This chemical can leach out when it is heated or exposed to acidic solutions. This type of plastic is very common in sports bottles and is used in most baby bottles and 5-gallon water jugs – watch for this one!
Below are some tips for some basic practices that you can adopt for safer ‘plastic use’:
– Use Baby Bottles made of tempered glass or polypropylene (#5) or polyethylene (#1) (these do not contain biphenyl-A (BPA)).
– Keep plastic products away from heat – heat tends to promote the leaching of chemicals. Even the safer types of plastics (see below) may leach chemicals due to heat or prolonged storage.
– Reusable containers or cups with stainless steel or ceramic interiors are a good substitute to your plastic ones.
– Do not reuse plastic water bottles that were intended for single use. Unless you are planning for temporary storage.
– Bottled water should be used quickly as chemicals from the plastic leach over time…don’t buy plastic bottles of water if it has been on store shelves for a long time.
– Taste – if your water has even a bit of a plastic taste to it, don’t drink it!
SAFER PLASTICS:
#1 polyethylene terephthalate, #2 High Density Polyethylene, #4 Low Density Polyethylene, #5 Polypropylene are deemed the ‘safer’ plastics.
Look for BPA free plastics:
BPA is a chemical that’s sometimes in clear plastic food containers and water bottles. BPA is also used in a material called epoxy resin, which lines the inside of some metal food and drink cans. You may also find it in some medical devices, dental sealants, and compact discs. Studies have shown a link between high levels of the chemical and infertility, diabetes, obesity, heart disease and high blood pressure.
BPA may be found in many commonly used products, which are often labeled with recycling codes 3, 7 or the letters “PC.”
Here are a few ways to minimize your exposure to BPA:
– Avoid packaged foods
– Drink from glass bottles
– Don’t microwave plastics
– Buy powered infant formula. Liquid formula is more likely to absorb more of the BPA from the container.
Water is a must,
Storing water is a great way to stay prepared. Knowing the best practices for water storage can lengthen the time between replenishing your valuable water supply. Also, having a backup plan to obtain clean, drinkable water is a great idea. The best product I’ve seen is the Life Straw. After it had great success as an humanitarian investment and was released for public sale, it became a very fast favorite of survivalists and preppers. It was also the invention of the year for TIME magazine. It’s a cheap, great product to store away until needed.
Thank you for reading and I hope these words were beneficial to you.