Best Emergency Water Storage Containers

How much water to store

Ready.gov says to store at least one gallon of water per person per day for several days, for drinking and sanitation. The American Red Cross is more specific: a three-day supply for evacuation and a two-week supply for home. Ready.gov adds that children, nursing mothers and sick people may need more, and that in very hot temperatures water needs can double.

Based on the Red Cross baseline of one gallon per person per day. Add water for pets and hot weather.

The simplest start, according to Ready.gov, is commercially bottled water kept in its sealed original container in a cool, dark place. The containers below make sense once you need more than a few cases, want to refill from the tap, or need water you can carry.

Quick picks

Specifications are from each maker’s product page, checked October 5, 2026 (WaterBrick from an archived copy of its specifications page).

The picks

Reliance Aqua-Tainer 7-Gallon: best all-round container

The Aqua-Tainer 7-Gallon, model 9410-03R (Search Amazon for Reliance Aqua-Tainer 9410-03 ) is a rugged, thick-walled container with a molded carry handle, a screw-on vent cap and a hideaway spigot that reverses into the container for storage. Reliance lists it at 11.5 by 11.25 by 15.75 inches and 2 pounds empty. The containers stack when empty, which helps when you buy several before filling them.

The spigot is the main reason to choose it. You can dispense from a low shelf without lifting the full container. Plan on a floor-level spot, since a full 7-gallon container is a heavy lift. The Aqua-Tainer review covers placement and handling in more detail.

WaterBrick 3.5-Gallon: best for tight spaces

WaterBricks are flat, 9 by 18 by 6 inch containers with interlocking tops and bottoms, so they stack like building blocks. WaterBrick lists the standard brick at 3.5 gallons, 2.52 pounds empty and 27 pounds filled with water. The container is HDPE, and WaterBrick says the container, lid and gasket are all BPA-free, FDA-compliant materials.

At 27 pounds full, each brick is easier to move than a 7-gallon container, and the flat shape fits under beds and in closets. The 3¼-inch lid opening is wide enough to reach inside for cleaning. WaterBrick also says the bricks can hold dry food, so a stack can double as pantry storage.

Scepter 2.5-Gallon Military Water Can: best for carrying

The Scepter 2.5-gallon military water can (product 05587) is a smaller version of the rugged cans Scepter makes for military use. Scepter lists it as food-grade and BPA-free with superior impact resistance, and says its military water containers suit camping and emergency management.

Choose it when water has to move: from a distribution point, to an upstairs room or into a car for an evacuation. Scepter does not publish its dimensions or empty weight.

WaterPrepared 55-Gallon Tank: best bulk home reserve

The WaterPrepared 55-gallon stackable tank (Search Amazon for WaterPrepared 55-gallon tank ) holds enough for the two-week Red Cross home target for a family of up to three. WaterPrepared lists it at 22 by 28 by 30 inches, made from BPA-free HDPE, and describes it as “FDA/NSF approved.” Its front utility valves connect to a standard garden hose, and the tanks can be stacked or set side by side.

A full 55-gallon tank can’t be moved, so set it where it will stay, on a floor that can carry the load. Fill it in place and draw water from the spigot.

waterBOB: best for a storm warning

The waterBOB (Search Amazon for waterBOB ) is a liner that sits in your bathtub and fills from the tub faucet. waterBOB says it holds up to 100 gallons, though most standard bathtubs hold about 60 to 70 gallons. It is made of 10 mil food-grade LLDPE plastic within FDA guidelines and comes with a siphon pump for filling jugs and pitchers.

It is for short-notice storage, not a permanent reserve. waterBOB says the water stays fresh for up to 16 weeks, depending on humidity and temperature, and that the liner is designed for one-time use. Keep one in the storm kit and fill it as soon as a hurricane or winter storm is forecast.

How to store emergency water safely

Ready.gov gives these steps for filling your own containers:

• Use food-grade water storage containers. All five picks carry a food-contact claim from their makers.
• Clean and sanitize first. Wash the containers with dishwashing soap, then sanitize with a solution of one teaspoon of non-scented liquid household chlorine bleach to a quart of water.
• Replace it every six months. Ready.gov says water that has not been commercially bottled should be replaced every six months. Write the fill date on each container.
• Keep commercially bottled water sealed. Store it in the original container in a cool, dark place.

If your stored water runs out, Ready.gov says to treat any water of uncertain quality before drinking it. Boiling at a rolling boil for one full minute is its safest method. The LifeStraw Peak Squeeze review covers one portable filter as a backup, not a replacement for stored water. The emergency water filter comparison sets out gravity, pump and bottle options.

How to choose water storage containers

• Start with the gallons. Use the table above, then pick the mix of containers that adds up to your target.
• Match weight to the person lifting. WaterBrick lists a full brick at 27 pounds. A 7-gallon container is much heavier. A 55-gallon tank stays where you fill it.
• Plan how you will dispense. A spigot (Aqua-Tainer, WaterPrepared) or pump (waterBOB) saves lifting. WaterBricks and the Scepter can are poured or used with an add-on spout.
• Mix sizes. A bulk tank or several Aqua-Tainers at home, a few carry cans for moving water, and a waterBOB for storm warnings cover most situations.
• Plan the space. Measure the shelf or floor and check that it can carry the filled weight.

Which water storage containers to buy

For most homes, buy enough Reliance Aqua-Tainers to reach your three-day target and keep them on a low shelf. Add WaterBricks where space is tight, a Scepter 2.5-gallon can for carrying, a WaterPrepared 55-gallon tank if you want a two-week reserve, and a waterBOB for storm season. Then fill, date and rotate them every six months. For the rest of your supply list, see the 72-hour emergency kit guide and the home emergency kit checklist .

Sources checked

• Ready.gov: Water
• American Red Cross: Survival Kit Supplies
• Reliance Outdoors: Aqua-Tainer
• WaterBrick: Product Specifications
• Scepter: 2.5 Gallon / 10 Litre Military Water Can
• WaterPrepared: Blue 55 Gallon Water Storage Tank
• waterBOB: Order and FAQ