Water Containers?

[Theme57]

Hello all,

I am making a list of items and water storage is causing more of a headache than I thought. As of now I have a square 3 gallon jug w/o a hand pump in the back and a  3L jug in the front seat for immediate use; both are plastic BPA free. I was reading around and watching one of Will Prowse's videos when the topic of glass containers came up. I can afford the brewers 3 and even 5 gallon jugs, but I can't seem to find a hand pump or method to transfer water to the smaller container without tilting the larger jug. I looked into one of the 3 gallon water dispensers with the stainless steel spigot on the bottom, but am unsure of glasses durability when venturing into colder freezing climates. The overall shape of the jugs with spigots seems a bit impractical for vehicle use and I can't find one over 1 gallon that has a mason jar sealed cap with the rubber o-ring. 

I was wondering people's opinion on the matter as they say the chemicals in plastics leach into the water and BPA can degrade over time as well. I like the idea of glass and my only concerns are: weight when refilling it/carrying it, a good pump that fits on the top or one that has a spigot on the side and durability when in colder almost freezing climates.

 

[John61CT]

Never mind plastics leaching BS.

Pumps are available that fit right on the top of the round 5gal bottles, both hand and power.

 

[John61CT]

https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias=aps&field-keywords=water+jug+pump

 

[TrainChaser]

Two-gallon glass jars are available with spigots, just search online.

As for plastic not leaching into the water, test both the clear plastic and the milky plastic jugs (originals). I KNOW the milky plastic leaches a horrible taste into the water in hot weather (not in the sun), haven't tried the clear plastic.

 

[Almost There]

Strange about that nasty taste leaching in to the water!

For the past 2 years I've used nothing but the 1 gallon water jugs bought with spring water in them from W/M. When the outside gets too disgusting for my liking or they start to leak I trade them off for new jugs. I get at least 3 to 4 months of use out of them before changing them out. Maybe I should date mark the outside because I think I've got some older than that.

I have had absolutely NO problem with any funky taste to my drinking water from using the jugs. I live in warm to hot weather year round. No I don't leave them out in the sun but they are exposed to whatever temps are inside the van.

The ONLY time I've gotten funky tasting water was when I stupidly used the garden hose at the front of my sons' apt instead of hauling the jugs in to his kitchen sink. I relegated that water to washing dishes...yuck.

To the OP: I use 1 gallon jugs because the larger jugs weigh too much for me to haul and pour. I store 8 of them, 4 each in milk crates that I bought from H/D. I do make sure that I rotate stock so that the water is never that old so as to become funky or stale. I also carry 2 extras in the kitchen for a total of 10 gallons when full. That and filling up the solar shower and then filling the water jugs means that I have 8 to 10 days worth of water with me.

 

[John61CT]

Yes disposables may break down, I'd go blue cube if not an installed tank.

 

[Almost There]

^^^ That's fine if you can heave the weight of a full blue cube around.

Not all of us can do that!

My disposables don't 'break down', they may occasionally develop a pin hole from abuse or get so dirty with desert sand and forest loam that I simply don't like the looks of them anymore and replace them with nice looking clean ones.

 

[lenny flank]

The whole "leaches into the water" thingie is a myth.

I store my water in the plain ole one-gallon jugs they come in.

 

[lenny flank]

 I KNOW the milky plastic leaches a horrible taste into the water in hot weather (not in the sun), haven't tried the clear plastic.

Food-grade plastic is inert and doesn't leach anything into the water.  I suspect your difficulty is coming from bacteria/fungus/other nasties in the water, which grow well in warm temperatures.

 

[sephson]

Here's what I use. It's a 2.5 gallon BPA free plastic container. It's easy to use, easy to fill, easy to carry and easy to store, while also being fairly inexpensive at $7.26 per container. I got mine at my local Walmart. I carry four of them when I'm on the road, giving me ten gallons of water. I've had them for three years with no problems. My water has always tasted fine. There's also a 1.25 gallon version, two of which take up almost exactly the same amount of space that a 2.5 gallon container takes if the larger size is too heavy.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Arrow-H2O-2-5-Gal-Slimline-Beverage-Dispenser-Blue/15915151#about-item

 

[TrainChaser]

LF: "Food-grade plastic is inert and doesn't leach anything into the water. I suspect your difficulty is coming from bacteria/fungus/other nasties in the water, which grow well in warm temperatures."

Sorry to disappoint, but it tasted like liquid plastic, so I just assumed that it came from the container, bought new, sealed.

 

[highdesertranger]

to kill the plastic taste put vinegar in the container and shake real good, wait awhile shake again, repeat 3 or 4 times. dump the vinegar fill 95% water and a little vinegar shake well and let sit, if this is a first time treatment let it sit for a few hours shaking every so often. pour the water out and rinse well. make sure if you are using a hose that is is a potable water hose. rinse it until you can't taste the vinegar anymore the plastic taste should be gone. I do this on all new plastic containers. even on my Camelbak. highdesertranger

 

[Every Road Leads Home]

I don't have much an opinion on glass vs plastic, i'm sure glass is safer over your lifetime, but as with everything, you gotta chose your battles. Plus you have to consider the source......chances are the water you put into a glass jug has gone through plastic at some point....whether it's stored in a plastic tank where you fill your jugs from or through plastic pipe from the well or city supply, or even the plastic hand pump you put on top.

I used HDR's method on a few new blue containers I bought last fall and the water tastes like water to me.

 

[lenny flank]

LF: "Food-grade plastic is inert and doesn't leach anything into the water.  I suspect your difficulty is coming from bacteria/fungus/other nasties in the water, which grow well in warm temperatures."

Sorry to disappoint, but it tasted like liquid plastic, so I just assumed that it came from the container, bought new, sealed.

No disappointment---I don't own stock in a plastic company.  (shrug)

But food grade plastic is inert and doesn't leach anything into the water. The science on that was settled years ago.

 

[TrainChaser]

"The science on that was settled years ago."

More likely: The OPINION on that was PAID FOR years ago. Like the 'fact' that fat makes you fat and sugar doesn't, that iodine is 'toxic', and that Monsanto doesn't lie.

If the water tastes like plastic, I would suspect that it's coming from somewhere.

 

[lenny flank]

"The science on that was settled years ago."

More likely:  The OPINION on that was PAID FOR years ago.  Like the 'fact' that fat makes you fat and sugar doesn't, that iodine is 'toxic', and that Monsanto doesn't lie.

If the water tastes like plastic, I would suspect that it's coming from somewhere.

Well, when people start telling me that science is a corporate conspiracy, I stop listening to them.

 

[John61CT]

Unfortunately in many key areas of science, pharma and agriculture being major examples, that seems to be the trend.

https://theintercept.com/2017/08/18...rifos-pesticide-ban-ignoring-health-concerns/

The tobacco and fossil fuel industries certainly do / have done their best to subvert public acceptance of science over the years.

But this is a general observation, I am not saying there is anything to the BPA / leaching plastics scare specifically.

 

[lenny flank]

And of course the science of global warming is just a Chinese plot to destroy our economy, and by Greenpeace to make money. 

Once again I am completely surprised (not) by how much alike the conspiracy theories from the left and the right are.

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

You guys are being too imprecise.  There are at lease five different types of plastic used as liquid food containers:  #1 PET, #2 HDPE, #3 PVC, #4 LDPE, #5 PP.  Then there are the mold release agents and other chemicals that come in contact with the bottle as it is processed.  Sometimes the only difference between a plastic bottle containing food and containing soap is the processing agents used.  The difference between food grade and non-food grade buckets (usually HDPE, but some are PP) is primarily the mold release agent used.

Personally, I use 1 gallon water jugs made of PET (clear, looks like glass); water stored in them for six months had no noticeable taste.  However, HDPE (milky white plastic that some water comes in) does impart a taste to me after water has been sitting in it for a while.  The crap they make bicycle water bottles from (LDPE) leaves a taste right away.

I use 1 gallon PET jugs for water in my camper for three reasons:

1. easier to handle, weigh less so they are easier to pour.
2. easier to store, I have a number of small cubby holes that I can store them in.  I can carry 15 gallons without them being in the way.
3. easier to fill, I can fill them most anywhere I find a faucet.

 -- Spiff

 

[Putts]

^^^Maybe I'm a geek, but some posts around here are music to my ears.