Water Storage for the suv/car nomad

[HLigg13]

forgive me if there is a thread already for this.

From my understanding, water should be stored in a cool shaded place. As of now I own two collapsable 5 gal containers and a 2.5 gal hard plastic with spout. My plan is to store 10 gallons in the roof box on top of my forester, but I imagine that could get pretty hot. So I was thinking of making a reflectix "tarp," to cover the roof box/and roof of my car. Additionally, I would like to add another three 5 gal collapsable container, giving me a total of 27.5 gallons (this might be a little ambitious though). So my question is, how do others store their water for long term? .... Thanks

 

[highdesertranger]

you are starting to get a lot of weight up high 27.5 gallons of water is over 200lbs. I would be more concerned about that more than anything else.

long term water should be stored in a cool place out of direct sun light. but for short term it won't hurt a thing to have it in the sun.

highdesertranger

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

Water weighs just a little over 8 lbs per gallon. 27.5 gallons = 220+ lbs.  How much can your roof rack hold?  Can you lift 40 lbs over your head easily?

When I lived in a Forester, I had 6 one gallon jugs that fit in the foot wells behind the front seat.  This gave me about 5 days before I needed to return to civilization to restock.  By then I needed ice and fresh food anyway.  What is your daily water consumption and how long can you stay away from the grocery store?

Water heated in a plastic container can get a very plastic taste.

 

[Jora]

I carry two three gallon containers in my suv, a Ford Expedition. They're kept in back of the front passenger seat next to each other. I pour some into a one gallon jug for easy dispensing. This is enough for my dog and I four 4 to 5 days, then I go into town anyway for groceries, laundry, library, etc., anyway.

 

[HLigg13]

roof rack can hold 75 pounds. I was only planning to store two in that, and only when I got to my campsite. The other 5 gallons containers I was hoping that I could leave on the ground in the shady side of my car. The 2.5 gal was going to be in my car. I also have my katadyn backpacking filter if the there is water access where I stay. I was looking at a max consumption of 2.5 a day, so I would be able to stay out 10 days (I'd like to shoot for fourteen though). I don't have any problem lifting 40lbs over my head.... yet... knock on wood...

 

[Minivanmotoman]

Place your spare empty containers collapsed in your roof storage. Fill up just before you arrive to campsite, store in vehicle in transit. Then place water under vehicle if you have narrow containers or in shade or under your shade tent when you arrive. Doable with planning.
JIT resupply, just in time.
The narrow 6 gal jugs from Walmart fit well into lots of narrow spaces, like between seat and door, passenger foot well, etc...
And if you wanted to get really creative and custom, look up water storage tank fabrication. Could fit tanks in open space behind the interior panels around the rear wheel wells if you had room as one idea.

 

[Moxadox]

There are also some nifty hitch mounted racks that increase water carrying capacity. I had one that even swung out for easy rear door access. I personally wouldn't carry water on the roof unless there is a weight distributing rack.

I met a van dwelling couple last year who towed a utility trailer full of 5 gallon water jugs. They also had a portable black tank that they transferred the contents of their porta potty into. The trailer did yeoman's duty holding down their campsite while they went on adventures. They said it gave them the capability to stay out 3-4 weeks at a time, the limiting factor now being fresh groceries, since they carried enough water to hand wash laundry.

What I use instead of Reflectix to keep sun off of stuff is a survival tarp (orange one side, silver on the other). It's more flexible and has grommets on the corners for tiedowns.

The Dire Wolfess

 

[Firtree]

For info, I have no connection.
Amazon has a listing for Reliance Products Desert Patrol 3 Gallon Rigid Water Container currently for $16.50.
The shape might be more convenient for some storage situations.
Others have mentioned the gallon Arizona Tea jugs are a useful size and shape.

 

[maki2]

The water in the roof top box gets hot? How nice, you can take full advantage of that free heating source for nice warm water for bathing, dish washing, etc.

 

[vanman2300]

H2O was always the reason I had to leave camp. I could make 7 gallons last at least a week by developing alternatives to washing dishes, showering, etc. Weight can be a problem generally speaking especially when you consider payload includes your weight, water, and everything else you have loaded into the Forester. Even experienced RVers are guilty of overloading. So less water is more in this case.

Regarding sun exposure, there is no danger to having them sit in sunlight for long periods of time UNLESS it is in plastic that contains BPA. Even in that case simply boiling the water will outgas the BPA. The only other thing that could possibly happen is bacteria could bloom in the water faster. HOWEVER, put a little chlorine into the jug and nothing can grow to hurt you. Make sure to check how much to use though. Usually it takes so little you won't even taste or smell the chlorine.

 

[maki2]

I have always ended up with algea bloom on any clear or translucent water container that has sun light hitting it. We have a water cooler with a bottle on the top that has filters in it. I got algea in it, the solution was easy, I put a brown pillow case over the bottle and that blocked the sunlight. We also had a clear water filter type pitcher that had a dispensing spout that sat out on the counter of the boat. Sunlight coming into the overhead hatch started algea blom in it. So it too had to get a slip cover over it.

So don't use clear plastic bottles or the white type of translucent PETG milk jugs for storing your water if sunlight is going to shine on them. The dark plastic jugs are a better choice. Of course then you can't see if the water gets dirty. Or just do like I did, make some simple slip covers to put over the water jugs if you don't have a cabinet to store them in. The cover can be as basic as putting a brown paper grocery bag over the jug. All you have to do is block the sunlight. A towel will also work.

 

[bullfrog]

There is a black plastic water jug being produced in Mexico and sold to people crossing the border as they don't show up as well at night in spot lights. Tons of them get thrown away every night near the border. Maybe you could recycle!

 

[HLigg13]

Thanks Everyone!
So my plan is: use the three bpa free jugs totaling 12.5 gallons (two of them are collapsable), and add one more. I won't fill them until I get close to my destination. I love the survival tarp Idea, which I will most likely use as my "awning" and just store the collapsable jugs under the tarp.
It's hard to predict how much water I'll really use until I get out west (less than two months now). As for showers, I have a 10 litre backpack shower bag I have had for years, but will really rely on body wipes and a spray bottle with a mix of h20 and Dr.Bonner's (for my hair). I would really like to maximize my stay at my campsite. So the more h20 I can bring the better. i do have a katadyn filter for when the opportunity arrises.

 

[wayne49]

"There is a black plastic water jug being produced in Mexico and sold to people crossing the border"

I'm sure these containers are high quality, designed for lasting use, free of weird chemical compounds.

After all they depend on repeat customers and their reputation for service after the sale.

 

[bullfrog]

Got to admire a business that sees a need and fills it. They probably special order it through Walmart from China. I didn't see any with "Hecho en Mexico"

 

[Homeless in Canada]

Those 7 gallon blue aquatainers are a good deal. At $15 a piece that's just over $2 a gallon for water portability. I've had mine for years and never gave me any trouble. I remember my dad had the round ones but now they're square which is handy you can store them side by side.

I'd spend a couple hundred bucks on a used trailer before investing in a roof rack or buying more expensive water jugs to fit every nook and cranny of my car.

I prefer having two vehicles. My trailer is my living space and the pickup is where I keep all my gear. Living in a car is going to get old fast if you have to unpack and move everything around every time you want to do anything.

 

[Neal]

I brought 17 gallons of water to the RTR. I have the blue 7 gallon container that I keep in my car and 2 five gallon containers on my privacy tent