I have 55 gal water storage drums for my family, but I am trying to help recent GIs get stuff together as quickly and cheaply as possible. I ordered bags that would line 55 gal drums to store wheat in from Glitchprood last year, but they are no longer available. I would like to find food-safe liners for 32 gal trash cans which could then store large amounts of water. I have found food-safe BUCKET liners, but no large ones. Also 55 gal drums from Coke and Pepsi are no longer available. Thanks for any help.

-- Sylvia (bluebirdms@aol.com), September 26, 1999

Answers

Sylvia:

Try watertanks.com. They are not cheap but they have 35 gal. and 55 gal. drum size.

Marci

-- Marci (weernst@bellatlantic.net), September 26, 1999.

Sylvia,

You might try U.S. Plastic Corp. I have no connection with the company other than I have ordered from them in the past (pre-GI for other needs). Some of their things seem pricey-- other items seem reasonably priced... "Your mileage may vary." I went out to their website search page and did a search on "Food grade plastic bags." It returned a lot of products (over 2,000), but the closest matches came up first.

They have about 4 types that have 55 gallon capacity ranging in price from $1.89 to $5.87 (different dimensions, thicknesses...) Part numbers for these are 10033, 10034, 10035 and 10036. Because I'm not compeletely sure how the 'search' worked, you may want to verify with the company that these bags are indeed food grade. (One disadvantage of an on-line catalog...)

Their website/search online catalog page (and toll free #s) is at:

http://www.thomasregister.com/olc/usplastic/home.htm

One somewhat related note-- try to be thinking alternatives, too. Are there available water sources? If there are any around, may want to consider getting a water filter. There are some reasonably priced ceramic filter cartridges (set up as siphons) from http:// www.pwgazette.com/gravity.htm (Another disclaimer-- no connection to this company). These are the same cartridges used in the British Berkefield (sp?) or "Big Berky" (sp?). No water sources? What about melting snow? May want to filter it before use. Be thinking of ways to replenish the water you use from storage...

And, a really great site that was mentioned here that helped me-- Y2K and the Single Woman (though practical and applicable really to everybody): http://community-1.webtv.net/SharonGoodman/ Y2KandtheSingle/index.html

Hope this helps. And thank you for helping some recent GIs. I only GI at the end of June. It can be completely overwhelming at times. Yes, time is short. But there still is _some_ time to work toward preparation.

-- winter wondering (winterwondering@yahoo.com), September 28, 1999.

IMHO, I'm not entirely convinced that liners are needed. I guess it depends on how long you are planning on storing the water.

Early this summer I wrote to Rubbermaid (via their web page) to find out if there was anything different between the plastics they use for their "food storage containers" and what is used for their "roughneck trash cans". Their response letter basically said that their "roughneck" refuse containers "were designed for the typical residential storage, misc. bulky items, and other non-food products." They also said the polymers they're made of "comply with food additive regulation 177.1520 for olefin polymers". At the time, I wasn't sure just what exactly this meant, but I was betting that if it *complies* with a food additive regulation, this is a good thing. After some tough digging, I found the following at a gov't web page...

******************** From the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) TITLE 21--FOOD AND DRUGS CHAPTER I--FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) PART 177--INDIRECT FOOD ADDITIVES: POLYMERS--Table of Contents Subpart B--Substances for Use as Basic Components of Single and Repeated Use Food Contact Surfaces Sec. 177.1520 Olefin polymers. The olefin polymers listed in paragraph (a) of this section may be safely used as articles or components of articles intended for use in contact with food, subject to the provisions of this section. (a) For the purpose of this section, olefin polymers are basic polymers manufactured as described in this paragraph, so as to meet the specifications prescribed in paragraph (c) of this section, when tested by the methods described in paragraph (d) of this section. ********************

Rubbermaid went on to say that since the containers weren't designed for food storage they have never been submitted for NSF or USDA sanction, but they were aware of them being used this way without problems. In a nutshell, my guess is they are coming out of the same plant. I figured if they work for food, why not water?

My plans are to squirrel away some "store bought" bottled water, some home-grown 2 liter "soda pop" bottle water, and at least a couple of 45 gal Rubbermaid trash cans to store "other water" such as for washing, etc.

One final note. I figured I'd better try this idea out before I relied on it. So I bought two of the square Rubbermaid "roughneck" containers. They are the 45 gal. ones with two wheels, model #1345. I chose them because I figured the square design would take less room to store. One thing I didn't count on... once filled with water, they were very unstable. I attribute this to the shape (narrow bottom) and the wheels. I filled them with city water (with clorox added at 1/2 the recommended "disinfection" rate) and set them out on the deck this summer as a test - figuring the outdoor heat (90+ degrees on most days) would speed up any mold problems, etc. After about 1 week, one of them tipped over. Two weeks later, the second one tipped over. While filled, they also showed signs of "stress", i.e. the sides had some strange bulges that weren't evident before filling.

My recommendation to anyone thinking about this is to get the round cans instead of the square ones. I have filled round ones before with none of the "tippage" problems - the force of the water seems to be more evenly distributed in the round cans. Also, although the water from the 3 week test still smelled slightly of chlorine (since I was starting with clean tap water, I only used half of the recommended "disinfection" amount), I was surprised at the number of bugs, including moths and millers, that had made their way into the can, even with the lid on. My lids will be taped/sealed to keep the critters out.

I think the plastic cans, at least the "round" shaped Rubbermaid brand, could probably be used safely, at least for your "other water" needs. *Beware* that some brands are made of recycled plastics - you never know what you're getting, or what that plastic had originally been used for (insecticide containers? oil or petroleum products?). For me, Rubbermaid is the only one I would trust since that is the one I have the letter for.

E.M.

-- Eyell Makedo (make_do@hotmail.com), September 30, 1999.

Sylvia,

Sorry to post this to the forum, but having a few e-mail woes. Thanks for your note. When I first started posting to the forum I felt like I was writing "I only recently GI" every other sentence... I'm glad I GI when I did, but it would have been nice had I GI sooner than the end of June. I admit I had a general sense of uneasiness about y2k earlier than that-- like seeing the countdown clock at the post office and feeling a slight disquietude. Nothing compared to the anxiety that hit me when the implications of interconnectedness and y2k came together.

So, have been prepping for about the same amount of time as what's left before the rollover. Had similar problems as many others-- living paycheck to paycheck and having most paychecks already 'committed' to things like the mortgage and utilities and food for "right now". Have relatives that "SGI" (sort of GI), but not to the point of trying to prep. Another who thinks y2k is a big joke. So trying to get what I can for them, too.

I still hope that things won't get as bad as I know they have the potential for getting. But I am not kidding myself that if it's bad we'll be prepped enough to make it for very long on this side of eternity. But we are prepped to make it longer than we would have had none of us GI. And work toward a little more each day.

Best to you,

winter wondering who is working on trusting God, while at the same trying not to presume upon Him.

-- winter wondering (winterwondering@yahoo.com), October 01, 1999.

I'm glad to see the info about the Rubbermaid trash barrels. I have been buying the 30gal roughnecks for awhile now to use as rain gatherers after the first year. The light grey one (stiff plastic) with the blue lid and black locking handles works very well- holds its shape without stress when full of water (as far as I can tell). They are only $5.97@ at Wal-Mart, when they have them. They seem to be disappearing from the shelf recently and they only get 1 order a week. (A cashier told me people have been buying 3 or 4 at a time- just like me!)Better get your soon!

-- Midnightmom (myhouse@bigfoot.com), November 11, 1999.