Keeping fresh water in jerry cans

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.

B

Bigchaser

Joined
Nov 12, 2009
Threads
1
Messages
7
Location
UK / Indonesia
How long will water keep fresh in a sunny climate in green jerry cans, if stored on a rear bumper swing out carrier? Days, weeks or ???
 
Bigchaser said:
How long will water keep fresh in a sunny climate in green jerry cans, if stored on a rear bumper swing out carrier? Days, weeks or ???
Click to expand...

Try again....
How long will water keep fresh in a sunny climate in green jerry cans, if stored on a rear bumper swing out carrier? Days, weeks or ???
 
Bigchaser said:
How long will water keep fresh in a sunny climate in green jerry cans, if stored on a rear bumper swing out carrier? Days, weeks or ???
Click to expand...


MANY variables here depending on if your " green " jerry cans are BPA free and food grade rated...

I'd say any fresh/tap water is good for a week to a month in a good clean container.

I reviewed this before and I've seen anywhere from a week to 3 years depending on ambient temp, conditions, and container material.

I cannot stress how important the cleanliness of the can is prior to filling with water. This is a must for good/safe water.

J
 
Thanks for the replies:).
This is the jerry can I will be using.
Water Can.webp
 
I have a bunch of the "US Government" tan ones that I keep filled with water for a year at a time until I replenish. Bleach is ok but I prefer iodine. It will kill everything that is in the water. I prefer the taste of iodine over bleach.
 
rusty_tlc said:
Here is a good video on how to prepare water for long term storage.
Click to expand...


I'd stay away from iodine because shellfish allergy is fairly common (the iodine in shellfish causes the allergy). It would suck to share your water with somebody on the trail and have them blow up like a Maceys parade balloon.
 
rusty_tlc said:
Add a few drops of bleach and it will stay potable for months. It will taste like plastic though.
Click to expand...

I concur.

I also bleach the cans before I store them and before I fill with water for a trip. Never had a problem on 7- 10 trips. (Note: the two blue cans are my water cans.)

Good luck.
2008 Colorado Trip 044.webp
 
Hi Rusty

It is a fallacy that there is any form of relationship between shellfish/fish allergy and iodine. The allergy is to the proteins in the shell ( they do have some unpronounable name ), and it has nothing to with the iodine that one uses for sterilisation. So it is safe, but I have had occasion to sample bleached water and it tastes terrible, but don't know about iodine water's taste

Cheers
 
I've relied upon Scepter 20L cans, Reliant brand plastic containers, the food grade plastic water tank in the Kimberley Kamper and now a custom stainless steel water tank I have in the 100-Series for back country explores.

Rusty is spot-on regarding a few drops of bleach...does the trick. But even with the SS tank the water always has a "closed container" type smell/taste. So I carry a PUR water filter pitcher to filter our drinking water needs each day from the bulk tank and it does a great job of making the water very palatable.

Just what works for us. :)
 
Basie said:
Hi Rusty

It is a fallacy that there is any form of relationship between shellfish/fish allergy and iodine. The allergy is to the proteins in the shell ( they do have some unpronounable name ), and it has nothing to with the iodine that one uses for sterilisation. So it is safe, but I have had occasion to sample bleached water and it tastes terrible, but don't know about iodine water's taste

Cheers
Click to expand...
Good to know thanks.

I've used iodine back in the day while backpacking and camping, if you don't like the chlorine taste from bleach you will hate the taste iodine gives water.

The level of chlorine you need to keep water fresh is pretty low, if you can taste it somebody used to much.

One thing that makes water stored in container taste strange is the lack of aeration. Just shaking up your water bottle will usually improve the taste a lot.
 
NLXTACY said:
I have a bunch of the "US Government" tan ones that I keep filled with water for a year at a time until I replenish. Bleach is ok but I prefer iodine. It will kill everything that is in the water. I prefer the taste of iodine over bleach.
Click to expand...

This is saturated iodine solution that doesn't have the iodine taste.

http://www.polarequipment.com/

It is iodine crystals and you add water till it is fully saturated. The recharge doesn't take very long. One bottle will do 1.5 gallons, 30 minutes later your water is good. All of this is temperature dependent.


EDIT:

Crap, it looks like the state of CA with the DEA has banned its manufacture. Iodine is now a controlled substance due to meth manufacture.
 
Last edited:
^ interesting...thanks! I'll need to figure out something else to use as a sanitizer in my SS tank.
 
Rusty,

A UV sanitizer might be something I need to check out! I just knew someone here would be able to help me spend more money :lol:

For now the little PUR water pitcher will keep me in clean tasting water ;)
 
spressomon said:
Rusty,

A UV sanitizer might be something I need to check out! I just knew someone here would be able to help me spend more money :lol:

For now the little PUR water pitcher will keep me in clean tasting water ;)
Click to expand...

I'm pretty sure you don't leave your truck sit long enough for the water to grow bacteria etc.:lol: I think the UV sterilization would be more important if you were re-filling your tank from a "wild" source such as a stream or reservoir. It sounds like you use the PUR just to improve the taste of stored water you bring from home.


On a side note, I was talking with a friend this weekend about how as kids we use to drink right out of streams and such with no ill effects. Were there fewer critters and such back then? Or did we, in our ignorance, build up an immunity?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Back
Top Bottom