# What’s the latest on stored water expiration? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 23, 2026, 8:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-latest-on-stored-water-expiration/1031867 "2026-07-23T08:58:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2026, 8:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-latest-on-stored-water-expiration/1031867/1 "2026-07-23T08:58:44Z")
I’ve had a jug of water bought from the store that I was keeping out of direct sunlight and heat (except the water heater, but the closet doesn’t seem warmer than the other rooms) for multiple years; the expiration date is way way out. I’m getting mixed messages from the internet on whether I should consider it safe to drink right now; most of the sources don’t seem that authoritative, and many talk about bottled water or jugs you fill yourself, neither of which apply here. So should I or should I not take thus water on a camping trip and drink it? ---
**Author:** ![Petek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/petek/32/1590_2.png) [@Petek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Petek)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2026, 9:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-latest-on-stored-water-expiration/1031867/2 "2026-07-23T09:23:48Z")
I store gallon jugs of (purchased spring) water the same as you: out of direct sunlight and at reasonable temperatures. I label each jug with the month and year stored and then rotate each jug out after 1 year. That way I have 12 gallons of potable water for emergencies. I use the one-year-old water for coffee, drinking and cooking. For your situation, I’d discard the water if you have any doubts about it (such as a musty smell). ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2026, 11:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-latest-on-stored-water-expiration/1031867/3 "2026-07-23T11:02:38Z")
This thread from a few years ago may be of interest. There is no doubt that after some number of years, the plastic bottles of spring water had deteriorated to the point that they were extremely flimsy. There was some debate about the extent, if any, to which plastic had leached into the water, or conversely, whether water had leached into the plastic molecular structure. In that situation, I poured out the water and threw the bottles into recycling. > [@Old bottled water -- wow!](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-bottled-water-wow/1001141): > > For obscure reasons, I’ve had a case of bottled spring water sitting on the landing at the top of the basement stairs untouched for what must be several years now. Normally I keep it in the garage in the winter and down in the basement in the summer. Now that warm weather is here it’s time to move the water from the garage down into the basement, but I figured, may as well have one of those old bottles sitting at the top of the stairs. I believe spring water is supposed to have an expiry date… ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2026, 11:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-latest-on-stored-water-expiration/1031867/4 "2026-07-23T11:12:58Z")
I doubt there’s an FQ answer for this. If the expiration date is in the future that means the manufacturer is confident enough they won’t hurt anyone and get sued out to that date and to some unknowable later date beyond even then. If you (generic you) are upset about microplastics, no water that’s ever been in a plastic bottle is safe enough for generic you. The truth is somewhere in the middle. IMO the truth is closest to where the manufacturer put it. Not because manufacturers are wonderful trustworthy folks, but because they’re putting their wallet where their mouth is. Which is generally a reliable sign of sincerity. As a practical matter for your camping trip, I might not choose to take that one jug as my _only_ potable water. What if you open it up and find it tastes nasty? Not necessarily unhealthy, but certainly unpleasant. Now you’re stuck. If instead you bring several jugs, then it’s only e.g. 20% of your water supply, and you can probably still enjoy your trip and leave it for last or emergency use. As a general matter, it does no good to stock up for emergencies and then not rotate your stock at a pace that leaves you comfortable with the age of what you’d be consuming. Everything in your emergency supplies should be fresh enough that you’re sure (to your personal standards) that it’s fresh enough to still be good. That includes batteries, lights, food, drink, tools, containers, etc. Every bit of that stuff deteriorates just through the ravages of time. And it’s all subject to vermin, water intrusion, overheating, whatever, that can radically shorten its lifespan. An emergency larder or backup bag is not a buy and forget item. It’s a buy and curate roughly monthly item. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2026, 12:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-latest-on-stored-water-expiration/1031867/5 "2026-07-23T12:01:35Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > IMO the truth is closest to where the manufacturer put it. Not because manufacturers are wonderful trustworthy folks, but because they’re putting their wallet where their mouth is. Which is generally a reliable sign of sincerity. The water should be okay for at least as long as the “use by” date, but is probably okay for longer. Manufacturers list the length of time they’ve tested, and they don’t have a lot of incentive for testing longer times. That being said, plastic bottles leach stuff into the water, and make it taste nasty. And the plastic breaks down over time, and gets more brittle, so there’s a greater chance the bottle will break and leak on everything instead of being a source of drinking water. You can usually tell if the latter is a risk by feeling the bottles. The amount of plasticizer or whatever that’s leached into the water is unlikely to be toxic if you just use it for this one hiking trip. Even if bacteria got into it somehow, there’s not enough carbon in bottled water for a lot of bacteria to grow. I, personally, would not worry about the water making me sick. But also, I, personally, eventually dumped the bottled water i stocked up on before 2000, because i was pretty sure it wouldn’t be nice to drink. Would i take your bottled water? If the plastic still felt springy and the bottles were still full, and i was feeling lazy and didn’t want to obtain water any other way, i would. But i also might regret it on the trip, because i don’t like the flavor of plastic. > [@LSLGuy](#): > > An emergency larder or backup bag is not a buy and forget item. It’s a buy and curate roughly monthly item. Or, you know, buy just-in-case for something in the near future, and then not have any reason to use until it goes bad. 😆 ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2026, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-latest-on-stored-water-expiration/1031867/6 "2026-07-23T12:19:02Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > Or, you know, buy just-in-case for something in the near future, and then not have any reason to use until it goes bad. 😆 Oh yeah. Back when I had a larger residence with storage space one of my favorite ways to save money was to buy multiple [whatevers] when they went on sale, then use one and store the rest for 2 years, then throw them away unused. So much money saving! 🤦‍♂️ ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2026, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-latest-on-stored-water-expiration/1031867/7 "2026-07-23T12:26:11Z")
I ate almost everything in my pandemic stockpile. (I bought a lot of rice, beans, and canned fruit early in the pandemic.) I feel pretty good about that. Most of my y2k water supply was a giant bottle from a friend who has a spring water contract with someone, and had a ton of bottles in his garage. He offered to lend me one for two weeks, just in case. I returned that the next time i visited after the turn of calendar. But i don’t feel bad about the extra gallon or two of drinking water i eventually tossed. It did its job. 🤷‍♀️ ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2026, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-latest-on-stored-water-expiration/1031867/8 "2026-07-23T14:40:27Z")
Our emergency water is in cans. ---
**Author:** ![ricepad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b38774/32.png) [@ricepad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ricepad)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2026, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-latest-on-stored-water-expiration/1031867/9 "2026-07-23T15:57:59Z")
Somewhere around here I have an emergency can of dehydrated water. Back in the late '60s and early '70s, they were pretty popular items at the local joke shop. ---
**Author:** ![mixdenny](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mixdenny/32/2962_2.png) [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2026, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-latest-on-stored-water-expiration/1031867/10 "2026-07-25T23:46:30Z")
I reuse the gallon bottles my wife buys distilled water in. I self fill them at a local spring for 25 cents. (certified to federal standards). I have noticed that after a while green or blue stains will appear on the bottom which I assume is mold. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2026, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-latest-on-stored-water-expiration/1031867/11 "2026-07-26T00:33:11Z")
> [@susan](#): > > Our emergency water is in cans. Good choice- cans or bottles. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2026, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-latest-on-stored-water-expiration/1031867/12 "2026-07-26T00:35:47Z")
I looked at Hot Springs, Ark and their natural springs you can fill bottles up at. There are naturally occuring silicas in the water that cause that blue green tint in your bottles. It gives the water that extra oomph that people like in spring water. If it’s a cold water spring it can be micro algaes that are harmless. Outta sunlight and that shouldn’t be a problem. So yeah, I have a spring at my house it’s called my well. I don’t like the taste of it. I imagine frog and snake pee. And bugs dying in there. I prefer plastics, I guess. I buy bottled water. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2026, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-latest-on-stored-water-expiration/1031867/13 "2026-07-26T00:35:56Z")
MHO: Take the water with you, and if in doubt, use it for something other than drinking, or boil it first if you feel that’s appropriate. ---
**Author:** ![pullin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c57346/32.png) [@pullin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pullin)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2026, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-latest-on-stored-water-expiration/1031867/14 "2026-07-28T12:18:07Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > As a general matter, it does no good to stock up for emergencies and then not rotate your stock at a pace that leaves you comfortable with the age of what you’d be consuming. […] And it’s all subject to vermin, water intrusion, overheating, whatever, that can radically shorten its lifespan. Agreed. We have a supply buffer of most household items, but keep it to an amount that can be used within age limits. We usually re-supply kitchen/fridge/etc. from the buffer, and grocery runs are to restock that. I guess it’s turned into a kind of hobby for us. Also, you should periodically sample any long-term storage. I bought two of those sealed 30-day freeze-dried food supply containers (Augason Farms). Opened one of them to periodically sample, and the other has remained sealed. So far the stuff is surprisingly tasty, although salty. > [@susan](#): > > Our emergency water is in cans. We use plastic leg tanks (below). These are supposedly safe to store water for human use, and water sampled from these is indistinguishable from our tap water. We rotate this at approximately 3 month intervals. It varies somewhat as we wait for a time when we need to water lawns, wash cars, or pressure wash surfaces. With two (65 gal,) tanks we can alternate and empty one completely for such projects. I (inadvertently) let one of them age for a full six months and it was drinkable and tasted fine. [![Imgur](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51751655900_c09abc54a0_b.jpg "20210401\_135823") ](https://www.flickr.com/photos/156627026@N05/51751655900/) ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2026, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-latest-on-stored-water-expiration/1031867/15 "2026-07-28T12:35:16Z")
> [@pullin](#): > > We use plastic leg tanks (below). That sounds like a chore. What is the hypothetical situation you are holding them for? ---
**Author:** ![ricepad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b38774/32.png) [@ricepad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ricepad)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2026, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-latest-on-stored-water-expiration/1031867/16 "2026-07-28T17:22:54Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > What is the hypothetical situation you are holding them for? Emergency car washing? ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2026, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-latest-on-stored-water-expiration/1031867/17 "2026-07-29T15:26:10Z")
> [@nearwildheaven](#): > > boil it first if you feel that’s appropriate Does boiling actually help with the issues discussed here? ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2026, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-latest-on-stored-water-expiration/1031867/18 "2026-07-29T17:24:02Z")
What issues are being discussed? You asked “Is it safe?” with no elaboration on what you were worried about. ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2026, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-latest-on-stored-water-expiration/1031867/19 "2026-07-29T17:42:21Z")
It seemed like a lot of the discussion was about plastic leaching. ---
**Author:** ![pullin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c57346/32.png) [@pullin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pullin)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2026, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-latest-on-stored-water-expiration/1031867/20 "2026-07-29T18:13:45Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > What is the hypothetical situation you are holding them for? Water system breakdowns – storms, floods, grid interruptions, and the ever-present construction digging mishaps. We try to keep a comfortable 2 week buffer of everything, and this is one part of that. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-latest-on-stored-water-expiration/1031867.md?page=2)