We all know water filtration and storage is critical to effective prepping. To help with that, I’ve written a Sure Water tank review. They make the biggest indoor water storage tanks – to my knowledge – marketed to preppers.
Water filtration is important when you’re lost in the woods, bugging out, or trying to secure potable water in a post-apocalyptic world.
Water storage is critical if you have to stay indoors. Maybe radioactive fallout is raining down on your neighborhood. Maybe bands of thugs are wandering about post-natural disaster. Whatever the reason, with a general guideline of one gallon per person per day, storing water isn’t exactly the easiest thing to do, particularly for urban or suburban preppers. Sure Water tanks might be your solution.
Table of Contents
Water is Heavy
Water takes up a lot of space, it needs to be rotated, and – it’s heavy!
If you’re aiming for basic 30-days’ worth of resources for a family of four, you’re looking at 120 gallons of stored water (minimum). Now, you might think I can’t drink a gallon of water a day even if I tried.
Water storage is not just about drinking water. You’ll need water to clean your smelly self. If you’ve stocked up on long-term freeze dried foods to get you by, you’ll also need water to reconstitute that food. Besides that, what if Auntie Em crawls to your door on the verge of dehydration?
It’s better to be over-prepared!
Large Water Storage Solutions
People advise all sorts of solutions for water storage, from storing water in old milk jugs to buying 55-gallon water barrels. I lean more toward the latter, but what happens if you take that 55-gallon barrel and put it on steroids? You get the 260-gallon Sure Water water tank.
Here is picture of my Sure Water tank situated in my food/water storage room in the basement of my house:
Overkill? I think not! Sure, it’s a beast of a tank, and it doesn’t come cheap (I got this one long before current prices), but do the math.
This tank stores nearly the same amount of water as five 55-gallon barrels! As of this writing, the barrels (with accessories) cost about $150 each. $150 x 5 = $750. This tank costs around $500 (no shipping).
It’s virtually the same price in a much more compact, easy to use, better-constructed water tank.
Sure Water tanks are:
- Manufactured in the USA
- Made from food-grade material
- BPA free
- 70 pounds empty
- 82 inches tall
- 2,170 pounds full
An alternative to the 260-gallon tank is breaking it in half with two 160-gallon tanks, one stocked on top of the other. This will be an easier option for many as the tanks are smaller (easier to move in place when empty) and – in the end – give you more total gallons stored.
- ALWAYS BE PREPARED: Be ready to face any water emergency or water shortage by safely and conveniently storing 160 gallons of water in your backyard, garden or garage. With a huge water capacity of 160 gallons, this tank can keep any person hydrated for 160 days.
- HYGIENIC & SAFE DRINKING WATER: The WaterPrepared barrel is reinforced with a specially blended UV-resistant plastic that protects your water. The large tank cap and standard garden hose spigot makes for easy rotation system, this water tank will keep your water safe for when you need it most.
- STRONG, RESILIENT CONSTRUCTION: Manufactured with a rugged high-density polyethylene material (HDPE), this emergency water container is BPA-free, and made from FDA/NSF compliant materials and engineered to handle the pressure of hundreds of gallons of water for decades.
The Smart Tank is another option for those that want the convenience of a top fill hole and a bottom drain. This tank is preferable to the lower-cost 55-gallon barrels because they don’t require hand pumps to withdraw the water. They’re infinitely easier to maintain.
- BE PREPARED, STORE YOUR WATER! This 50 gallon water storage tank will ensure you're prepared for emergencies during natural disasters and water shortages.
- PROUDLY MADE IN THE USA! These tanks are made in the USA and are made of high density, durable plastic.
- KEEP YOUR STORED WATER SAFE- BPA Free and UV resistant, these tanks are made to last and won't harm you when drinking the water.
How I Easily Rotate Fresh Water
You might think that dealing with a tank this size is a serious problem. In the right circumstances, it’s just the opposite – much easier than dealing with mid-sized water containers. You can fill these in place.
To make filling the tank easy, I connected a Pex line (with ball valve) to existing water lines and cut it off atop the tank. Now, when I want to rotate the water, I drain the tank and just open the ball valve from above until its full. You can easily connect your own Pex lines to existing house Pex lines or to copper lines. Follow this helpful guide. You can buy all of the parts at your local hardware store.
I just turn that ball valve and gush goes the water.
I was fortunate when we bought our house because it already had a space in the basement with a spare drain, making draining water as easy as connecting a garden hose and turning the bottom valve.
I know not every house has a spare drain like this, but odds are you might have a washer drain that you could use for the semi-annual occasions that you need to drain the tank.
This solution to water storage woes won’t work for everyone, but if the conditions are right, it very well could be the best solution for suburban and urban preppers. You just need enough space, the ability to fit the tank(s) through doorways, and – this is important – strong enough flooring to support the weight. After all, 260 gallons of water weighs over 2,000 pounds!
Sure Water Tank Review Summary
For bug-in purposes, you can relegate the debate over a water filter vs water purifier to your back up plan if you have sufficient at-home water storage. In a grid-down or societal collapse situation, this means the safety of being able to stay in your home rather than travel out in search of water.
The Sure Water tank is a solid solution. It’s strong, convenient, and built specifically for preppers looking for large-scale home water storage solutions.
2 comments
Be careful draining that sucker if you are on a septic tank. You do not want to over fill your tank. Find a way to drain into your garden.
1.insure your Floor can support the weight.
2. I would put it in a drain Pan ,Like water heater has.(Just in case of a leak)