BUCKHORN CLIFFS

Food · Supply

Bottled Water

Bottled Water: real shelf life Indefinite if sealed when stored well (Cool, dark).

INDEFINITE IF SEALEDMULTI-USEWorks without power

Quick facts

Real shelf life
Indefinite if sealed
Label date says
2 years
Best storage
Cool, dark
Watch for
Plastic taste, broken seal

What else it does

  • Hydration
  • Cooking
  • Emergency sanitation

Notes from the field guide

  • Commercial Bottled: Longest-lasting. Keep sealed, cool, and dark; best by about two years.
  • The water itself does not expire. What fails is the bottle: plastic can pick up a stale, plastic taste or absorb odors over time, faster in heat, sunlight, or near gasoline and pesticides, and a broken seal or light exposure can let in bacteria or algae. Store it cool, dark, and sealed away from fumes, and rotate stored water every 6 to 12 months for taste. If it smells or tastes off, aerate it or re-treat it (boil or disinfect) before drinking; discard any that is cloudy, discolored, or from a broken seal.
  • Bottled water, 3 gal per person

Questions this answers

Tap a question for the short answer.

How long does bottled water last?

Sealed bottled water lasts indefinitely, even though the label date says 2 years. The water does not expire. The bottle is what fails, picking up a plastic taste or odors over time, so rotate stored water every 6 to 12 months for taste.

How do I store bottled water long term?

Keep it sealed, cool, and dark, away from fumes like gasoline and pesticides, since plastic absorbs odors faster in heat and sunlight. Rotate stored water every 6 to 12 months for taste. I plan on 3 gal per person.

How do I tell if bottled water has gone bad?

Watch for a plastic taste, an off smell, or a broken seal. If it only smells or tastes off, aerate it or re-treat it by boiling or disinfecting before drinking. Discard any water that is cloudy, discolored, or from a bottle with a broken seal.

Keep going

Read nextWater: Storage and PurificationStore one gallon per person per day, half for drinking and half for hygiene, and aim for at least a two-week supply at home. When stored water runs low, know how to make more safe to drink.Water · Guide

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