Water storage - Whats best for keeping water clean and drinkable?

Last week we looked at how the Swiss Cleanwater Kiosks can be used to set up stations for collecting clean water. The next challenge becomes how to maintain the provided drinking water in a clean state.

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A "jerry can"

The jerry can is one of the most common ways of transporting water in third world countries, but unfortunately it is often polluted, or dirty. So the newly treated water from a water kiosk only remains fresh for a very short time. To solve this challenge we need to ensure that the flasks used are sanitized from within.

The Lifesaver Jerrycan may not be the most affordable solution costing GBP 167 for one can, something that will not be afforded by most of the people who need it. Nonetheless, it is a great concept that should ensure that no bacteria or virus come into the final drinking water. Watch the video below to see what the Lifesaver is about or see more here:

http://www.lifesaversystems.com/lifesaver-products-1/lifesaver-jerrycans/lifesaver-jerrycan-10000

So what can we do instead? Clean current cans? That requires some common cleaning techniques that may require bleach or other chemicals that will remove common things such as algae from cans. If we are talking about a "soft" plastic bottle, then this should only be reused once or twice, but if it is a hard plastic bottle, then it can be reused again and again as long as it is cleaned. If you want to know how to clean your water can then read here: http://www.ehow.com/how_6179938_remove-algae-drinking-water-bottles.html

The optimal water container for storing clean drinking water is heavy-duty, "food-grade" polyethylene containers. The containers are often blue and can contain up to 50 gallons of water. For dispensing, a small tap is often placed on the side of the barrel.

If you want more great tips on water storage then go to this site:
http://eartheasy.com/blog/2010/01/water-storage-tips/