In case of an emergency, the local water supplies could be affected which means that you would have to rely on your own services. In extreme situations such as the one which incurred in Texas during the cold times or in places where Earthquakes damage the water lines, these emergencies can be quite frequent.
Storing water in a separate tank is essential. Not only should it be sufficient but it should also be clean so that it can be used for drinking purposes as well. However, many people simply store some water in a tank but do not rotate it frequently which could have serious consequences.
What is Water Rotation in a Tank?
Water Rotation means that water must be emptied from a particular tank where it is being stored and new water should be added there. One must clean up the tank and then add more water to it. Since an emergency could come up anytime, it is important to have water stored in your tank which is safe for drinking as well as for other purposes too. Rotating water has its benefits but it becomes quite important too. Not having your water rotated at suitable intervals could cause a range of problems for you.
Does Water Rotation Mean Wasting Water?
Water rotation does mean that the previous water should be removed from the tank and a new one should be used. However, it does not mean that one has to waste the water necessarily. This water can be used in numerous useful ways to avoid wasting it. Keep reading to find out more tips on how to save water while rotating it in your storage tank.
Why is Water Rotation Important?
Many people had this question in mind that why can’t they use water if it has been stored for a long time. If the water does not have any contamination, isn’t it still safe? Sorry to burst your bubble, but it is not safe to use this water. The main reason for this is that water has the ability to produce bacteria if left for a long time.
The bacteria can grow because of the nutrients of water. As a result, the water will be exposed automatically even though it hasn’t had any external contamination. However, keep in mind that you can use it for other purposes such as watering your lawn but for washing the dishes or drinking the water, it has its consequences.
There are several reasons why water rotation has become quite important. For example, sometimes the storage tanks are not completely secure and may have some air coming in from outside which could bring in the dirt making the water unsuitable for drinking purposes. Water with its own-made bacteria or the one that has been exposed to germs could create a bad odor too. You won’t even think about drinking it as it would smell so bad.
In addition to that, health hazards are there if you don’t rotate the water on time. Due to excessive bacteria production, the water can cause different issues such as Cholera or digestive problems as well. In a nutshell, water rotation is important if you want to have a suitable source of water maintained for a long time making it safe to drink.
Learn more about tips on surviving during an emergency in the urban areas. – Emergency Kits for Urban Survival.
Tips on Rotating Water Storage
Fortunately, there is a lot we can do to ensure that water can be rotated in a productive manner while keeping the entire process highly efficient and least-effort consuming.
Use Water Preservers After Rotating Water
If you simply change the water by removing the previous water and adding more, you will be creating a hassle for yourself. Nowadays, one can get water purifiers such as the Liquid Chlorine Derivatives which can be used to extend the life of drinkable water. The reason why Chlorine is important is that it would kill any disease-causing germs as well as eliminating molds, algae, and bacteria that often emerge where there is water storage.
Different types of water purifiers are available in the market and depending upon the requirements, you can get one easily from Amazon.com. Since the requirement is not of commercial use, therefore, a light dose would prove valuable too.
Keep your Water Tank in a Cool Shaded Place
If you keep your tank on the top of the roof, it will have high heat and light as compared to the tank being placed somewhere in the backyard. High heat and light will increase the chances of the creation of bacteria. Therefore, we do not advise it. If you do so, it will also make your Liquid Chlorine Derivative useless.
This is because Chlorine works best if the water is in a cool place away from light, for example, the swimming pools we generally go to. If the water is in a cool place and has Chlorine in it, you don’t have to worry about it for over a year but if it stays in heat and light exposure, it is recommended to have the water rotated every 6 months if it is with chlorine and every 2 – 3 months if it is without chlorine.
Use 2 Tanks Instead of One
Perhaps the most important tip is that you should be using 2 storage tanks instead of one. For example, people who are using a 60-gallon tank for storing extra water should use 2 30-gallon ones. The reason is that water rotation is a process that would be emptying your tank and if you don’t have any alternative, there are a few chances that while removing the water, there is a problem with the actual water supply.
As a result, a backup tank should be available. Both of these tanks should be rotated at different timings. For example, One in January and the other in March and so on. This would mean that you will always have one tank available for water while the other might also be available but not when you are rotating water. However, it is a very small risk.
If you want more information about water storage tanks, read here – Containers for Water Storage.
Use Water Wherever Possible
The dilemma that many people face is between wasting the stored water and practically using it. Of course, no one wants to be the bad person and waste so much while there aren’t many practical uses of water that is not entirely drinkable. As we said, the first thing is to use it for washing purposes. Wash your lawn, your patio, your lawn furniture, and even your car.
Other than that, you can water some plants too. When that is all done and you still have water left, you can use it for flushing out your toilets. It is recommended that you set up water plumbing when you buy a tank so that the water rotation can be done in a wasteless manner. As this water is not suitable for drinking, you can have a small water fight party too. 
Use Filters
If you have stored your water for a long and due to some emergency, the water supply gets cut off and the only reliance is the backup storage tank. What could you do to make it drinkable? Well for one, there are many filters available in the market which can be purchased. These filters will provide maximum clearance against the bacteria and other substances turning it into consumable water.
Keep in mind that there are a range of filters present in the market and you should only get those that provide maximum protection. These filters can be connected to any water supply and will give clean water easily.
Make Water Rotation a Routine
Perhaps the best tip of all is that water rotation shouldn’t be done after a whole year or so. Many people believe the marketing tactics of companies selling chlorine tablets that the water will stay drinkable for 5 years while ignoring the loads of conditions that they are implying. Instead, we recommend using chlorine tablets and rotating water once every six months. If you have two tanks, you should be doing it every 4th month so that (with the exception of a few days), two tanks are always present for providing sufficient water.
Some people can also use two big water tanks and alternatively use both for the everyday rotations. As a result of this, there will be no requirement of particularly rotating water every few months as you will be constantly using it. However, the water tanks may grow algae after 1.5 years or so which would mean that they have to be emptied and cleaned thoroughly before making them suitable to be used again.
Read more about Emergency Drinking Water Storage.
Conclusion
Drinkable water has become rarer in the world. Where many people are trying to save out on the water, there are plenty of those who are wastefully using it. For the safety of yourself and the protection of the environment, we recommend you follow the tips mentioned above and rotate water every few months making it drinkable as well as not wasting it in any manner. Keep in mind that water treatment tablets such as chlorine and others could be quite useful but will still not replace the concept of fresh and completely natural water.