Water storage containers UK: what to buy, how to fill them and when to swap the water
Last reviewed 24 October 2026 · 6 min read
Quick checklist
Quick checklist
0 of 7 doneChoosing water storage containers in the UK
Look at the features before you look at any product. Four things matter.
- Food-grade. The container should be made to hold food or drink. Look for the words "food grade" or "suitable for drinking water" on the label or listing.
- A tight lid or cap. It keeps dust and insects out of your water.
- A weight you can handle. A 10 litre container holds about 10 kilograms of water, and the container adds to that. A full 20 litre container is too heavy for many people to carry far.
- Easy to clean. A wide neck lets you reach inside with a hand or a bottle brush.
Avoid anything that once held something other than food or drink. Avoid milk cartons too, because they are hard to clean and can split.
Reused drinks bottles
Free, and a good place to start. Use 2-litre bottles that held water, and replace any that crack or turn cloudy. They are light enough for most people to carry when full.
Rigid food-grade containers
A 10 to 20 litre container holds a lot in one place and stacks neatly. Food-grade water containers (Retailer link coming soon) vary in price, so check the current price. Choose a size you can lift and pour from.
Collapsible carriers
Collapsible water carriers (Retailer link coming soon) take almost no room until you fill them. That suits a flat. They also work well when you know a storm or planned water shutdown is coming and want to fill up on the day. Check the seams for leaks before you rely on one.
Jerry cans with a tap
A water jerry can with a tap (Retailer link coming soon) lets you pour a glass without lifting the whole weight. It costs more and takes more room. Check the tap is food-grade, and wash it with the rest of the container.
How to clean and fill them
- Wash the inside, the lid and the cap with hot water and a little washing-up liquid. Follow the maker's cleaning instructions if they give any.
- Rinse until there are no suds and no smell.
- Fill from the cold kitchen tap, which is your drinking-water supply. Fill to the top so little air is left, and close the lid tightly.
- Label each container with the date. Date-label stickers (Retailer link coming soon) work well, or use masking tape and a pen.
- Wash your hands before you handle the containers, and pour the water out instead of dipping a cup in.
Where to keep stored water
- Somewhere cool and dark. Light can help algae grow in stored water, so keep containers out of sunlight.
- Indoors. Water can freeze in an unheated shed or garage, and ice can split a container.
- Away from warm spots, such as next to a boiler or radiator.
- Away from fuel, paint and cleaning products, which have strong smells.
- Low down. Put heavy containers on the floor or a low shelf, never up high.
In a small home, spread the water around. Put a few litres in a cupboard, some under a bed and some at the bottom of a wardrobe. Our guide to emergency supplies in a small flat has more ideas.
When to swap the water
Be Ready suggests checking supplies about every six months. We suggest swapping your stored water at that check. We found no single official refresh date to point you to, so treat six months as our reasonable practice, not a rule. Use the old water on plants or for washing, then clean the container and refill it.
Swap it sooner if it smells, tastes odd or looks cloudy. If you are unsure about a container, tip it away and start again. The same visit is a good time to run through our monthly emergency kit check too.
How this fits with the rest of your plan
Storage is only part of the picture. Our guide to how much water to store for an emergency covers the sum. Our guide to what to do when the water supply is off covers what to plan if your supply stops for a day or two. If you are wondering whether you need a filter or tablets, read our water purification tablets vs filter guide first. They are a back-up, not a replacement for stored tap water.
Do this today (free)
- Wash two 2-litre bottles that held water.
- Fill them from the cold kitchen tap and close the caps tightly.
- Write today's date on each with a pen and tape.
- Put them on a low shelf in a cool cupboard.
- Set a reminder for six months' time.
If you have £10, £25 or £50
These are budgets, not quotes. Prices change, so check the current price first.
- About £10: date labels or tape, and a spare bottle or two.
- About £25: one or two food-grade containers, or a collapsible carrier.
- About £50: add a jerry can with a tap, or more carriers, until you reach your total.
Questions people ask
What are the best water storage containers in the UK?
The best containers are clean, food-grade, tightly lidded and light enough to lift when full. Rinsed 2-litre drinks bottles cost nothing and work well. Add rigid 10 to 20 litre containers or collapsible carriers if you want more. Avoid milk cartons and anything that held non-food products.
Can I store water in old drinks bottles?
Yes, if the bottle held water and is clean and undamaged. Wash it with hot soapy water, rinse well, fill from the cold kitchen tap, close the cap tightly and label it with the date. Avoid bottles that held anything other than food or drink, and replace any that crack.
How long can I store tap water at home?
Be Ready suggests checking supplies about every six months. We suggest swapping stored water at that check, or sooner if it smells, tastes odd or looks cloudy. Keep containers sealed, cool and out of sunlight. There is no single official refresh date we can point you to.
Where should I keep stored water in a flat?
Use low, cool, dark spaces: the bottom of a wardrobe, under a bed, or a cupboard away from the boiler. Collapsible carriers take almost no room until you fill them. Spread the weight across several places instead of one shelf, and keep containers away from fuel, paint and cleaning products.
Sources and further reading
Sources
firesidefolk.com/water/water-storage-containers-uk · Last reviewed 24 October 2026 · Fireside Folk