*Reliance Container Review*
(Note: Be sure to read the update down near the bottom of this article)
I was at my local survival store (Wal-Mart) today and saw six- gallon Reliance brand food-safe water containers sold under the “Ozark Trail” brand. At 7.98 each I decided to pick two up and see how they worked out for me, I like the idea of some of my water supply to be portable.
The walls seem to be fairly thin but I knew this when I bought them and since they will be sitting in my relatively safe garage I decided they were adequate.
After the pictures I cleaned out any plastics pieces leftover from the manufacturing process then rinsed them with tap water several times (I settled for this because I had no way of getting a cleaning brush through the small mouth. I then disinfected each container with a ten to one bleach solution (one part bleach to ten parts water) and rinsed.
Next I filled up each container then added one and one-quarter teaspoon of bleach to each container (one teaspoon for every five gallons of water).
Here they sit in my garage just waiting to be used. I reversed the store label to mark and date my water. As you can see they bulge when filled with water, I expected this because of the thin-wall construction.
After a bit of thinking I came up with 2 concerns. One, the cardboard label I reversed to date my water can be easily ripped off. I am going to replace these with a more permanent label because I don’t really want to drink “mystery” water. Second, there is a small amount of air space because of the hollow handle and that worries me a little, I will be checking my water monthly for six months to ensure that it will last.
(UPDATE: 10 September 2007)
I received an email from Templar about these water containers: (Thanks for the FNV heads up Templar)
"…I have used those jugs from Wal-Mart for water storage and they only last about a year with water in them before they begin to buckle down on themselves and leak. Just a FNV FYI so you don't have a water mess in about a year like I did."
I have subsequently decided to keep these containers empty to be used as a quick means of portable water storage should I need it. I have now moved to larger 15 gallon drums for my primary portable water storage. I can still lift one myself and my wife and I both are capable of moving them around...
"Time" can make all the difference in the world. One of the great things about the Rubicon is that many people have tested products over longer periods of time. What may seem "very good" initially may turn out to be "not so good" after a longer period of time
Jambi
www.alpharubicon.com
All materials at this site not otherwise credited are Copyright © 1996 - 2007 Trip Williams. All rights reserved. May be reproduced for personal use only. Use of any material contained herein is subject to stated terms or written permission.