Water Jug Information
Per suggestion from Randy at Drinking water Resources , we are adding an information page for water jugs. Let us know if there is any other info you need and we will see what we can do.
We searched the web and could find no site for selecting, cleaning and storing water in jugs. We did find some general information at the Bottle Water Web, FAQs. If someone knows of a site with useful information, let us know and we will post it. The information we are providing is based on our general knowledge and experience with storing water in jugs and customers' comments. Almost all of the problems we have encountered are odors in jugs or odors affecting the taste of the water and have all been due to unclean jugs. We are not aware of anyone getting ill from drinking water from their own jugs, regardless, we highly recommend that the water containers be kept clean, especially for those people with immuniodefiencies.
Materials
The most popular materials for water jugs are as follows.
Polyethylene is the translucent soft white plastic jugs that milk comes in.
Polycarbonate is the harder, clear, or blue tinted plastic normally used in 3 or 5-gallon water dispenser containers and refrigerator containers.
PET is the clear plastic used for the small personal bottles of water you buy at the grocery store.
PVC is the clear plastic used for various food products you buy at the grocery store.
Glass is the hardest and heaviest of the four and can come in different colors and clarities.
All of the materials can be reused for personal water consumption provided they are cleaned and disinfected after they are emptied of water. We do not recommend the one-gallon clear disposable PVC jugs without first sampling them because the ones we tried affected the taste of our water. The polyethylene cannot be used for storing water once it has been used for anything other than plain drinking water because the rough inner surface cannot be cleaned of all organic material and will eventually cause an odor. Used milk jugs are a good example, even though we know of customers who use them.
We personally use polyethelene and glass. With the exception of the isolated case with PVC, we have had no problems with any of the materials provided they are kept clean, especially when empty. We have recently read where plastic bottles, other thatn polyethelene, can leave traces of chemicals in the water , so we recommend you investigate further if you are using plastic . Regardless of the material, the jugs must still be kept clean.
Provided the water is filtered and disinfected before entering your jug, there are not very many nutrients for things to grow. Full containers are not normally a problem because, not only are there few nutrients, there are also few moist areas for bacteria, mold, or mildew. The only moist area of a full jug is the area under the cap, so it is important to always check the underside of the cap for any type of clear biofilms (they will feel slippery) or dark spots. Caps are normally made of polypropylene and can be washed in the dishwasher or with a small brush. The same applies to the sports water bottles, which have drinking caps. The saliva from one's mouth can end up in the cap and bottle and cause problems.
Type of Water
Our experience is with spring water with the natural colloidal minerals and no disinfectants. While most of the information here is applicable, regardless of the water used, demineralized, distilled, and deionized waters do not have any minerals in the water and have a greater tendency to absorb odors and dissolve trace amount of certain jug materials.
Length of use for plastic bottles (glass lasts indefinitely).
There are no standards to follow. You must use common sense for this one. Look at you jug or bottle. Is it discolored or dirty? Is the clear PET or PVC bottle cloudy? Smell the bottle before you fill it each time. Does it have a faint odor even after you cleaned it out? If so you need to reclean the jug or dispose of it.
How to clean jugs.
Clean the lid with a new toothbrush and disinfectant. Fill the empty jug with about 1/8 cup of disinfectant, install lid and swish around so all areas are covered, including hollow handle and lid. Keep the jug stored with lid tightly installed. Do not empty disinfectant until ready to use. If an abrasive cleaner is needed, use either rock salt or crushed ice mixed with salt. When ready to use, rinse completely at least three times with one cup of water.
Where to store.
Store in a clean, dry, odor free, dark area with no directly sunlight contacting the jugs and preferably cool. If water is to be stored for long term, store jugs upside down or on the side to keep the cap and seal completely immersed. Do not store in areas where chemicals, pesticides, or petroleum products are kept, such as in the garage.
Length of Storage Time
The length of time the water can be stored depends on how well you have cleaned the jugs, the cleanliness of the water you are storing, and whether any disinfectants, such as chlorine, have been added to the water. If the water and jug are clean they can be stored indefinitely. See Bottle Water Web, FAQs . Although we do not recommend it, we have stored one-gallon polyethylene jugs of water for up to one year as a test and there was no change in the water. If you need to store water without any disinfectants for very long periods of time, say for use in unexpected emergencies, we would suggest using disinfected one-gallon glass jugs and filling them with boiling water. Regardless of the treatment, we suggest checking your water at least every 6 months to make sure it is okay.
Disinfectant
Although we do not like to use chlorine, we are providing information for those who do.
City water is a natural disinfectant since it always has residual chlorine content in the water.
Chlorine Bleach (taken from www.c3.org, Emergency Disinfection of Drinking Water) Common household bleach contains a chlorine compound that will disinfect water. The procedure to be followed is usually written on the label. When the necessary procedure is not given, find the percentage of available chlorine on the label and use the information in the following tabulation as a guide.
Available Chlorine
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Drops per quart of clear water
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1%
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10
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4-6%
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2
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7-10%
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1
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(If strength is unknown, add ten drops per quart of water. Double amount of chlorine for cloudy or colored water) The treated water should be mixed thoroughly and allowed to stand for 30 minutes. The water should have a slight chlorine odor; if not, repeat the dosage and allow the water to stand for an additional 15 minutes. If the treated water has too strong a chlorine taste, it can be made more pleasing by allowing the water to stand exposed to the air for a few hours or by pouring it from one clean container to another several times.
Chlorine Tablets can be purchased at sporting good stores
Water Dispenser Cleaning
For the small polycarbonate water dispensers that you use in your refrigerator or on the counter you can use the same cleaning procedure as for jugs. For the 3 or 5-gallon water dispensers mounted in the office we suggest following the manufacturers instructions. We personally do not like these type of dispensers unless they are the refrigerated type or a disinfectant is added to the water. Each time you let water out of the container, an equal amount of air enters from the bottom, and if the water is not kept cool, it can be a breeding ground for bacteris. This air contains bacteria, pollen, dust and odors such as smoke, which end up in the water creating an environment for water problems. See Bottle Water Web , FAQs for common algae problems with this type of dispensers.
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