Recommend Containers For Water Storage?

Get 2 l pop bottles. I have a couple in the trunk of the car all year round, switch the water out after summer, then back in again. Yes it freezes but never had a problem with the 2 l. bottle breaking.
They fit nicely into small spaces. 😉 They also seal nicely so can be laid on their sides with no leaking, at least I have never had a problem with them doing so.
I have bigger containers too, but like the 2 l pop bottles for many reasons.

There's jerry cans (plastic) on shelves, stackable water cubes/water bricks. Both of those can also go under a sheet between a bed and the wall if enough wiggle room is left to make the bed (doesn't take much for a smallish bed and long arms) and that storage method can withstand a 75# dog going after its tennis ball, and slamming against them and slamming the bed against them as they jump on and off playing tag with the cat. The sheet keeps them out of sight and makes "lounge space" with a quilt rolled/folded as a puppy chin rest or "ankle rest" or to prevent dust getting into hard-to-vacuum spaces. Just saying.

Inside the closet, food-grade buckets (catering companies, delis, bakeries that get flour and icing in 3 and 5 gal buckets) can get filled and used as base for a small shelf (made of free lumber from cracked shipping pallets from the equiv of Craigslist or the local transfer company) that holds soda bottles. Modern #1 clear-plastic recyclables are FDA approved for long term storage of non-carbonated, low-acid liquids and solids. BPAs were eliminated in that class and unless they get hot repeatedly and sit forever, they won't get a plasticy taste.

If you're storing extra canning jars and freezing isn't an issue, they can get used for water as well, process clean water for 5-10 minutes in a hot water bath (you can make saline IV fluid and eye wash that way, too). By the time in-use jars start cracking, you need to rotate water, anyway.

Wine jugs can also get used for 6 months if you use some paraffin around the edge of the cork or buy the plastic sealers for wine bottles or the one-use caps people use for home beer bottling.

I don't love the bottles of either type because they don't stack well (requires shelving or cases; cases can usually be had from liquor stores for free for either type) but it's a way to possibly be reusing something that's trash (save the earth, save money until better can be had, plus the skinnier bottles fit inside the gap between layers of drywall or, say, behind a bookcase or books on a bookcase with less notice). The canning jars are only efficient for water and dry foods storage if they'd be saved anyway. They're too thick, otherwise, and too heavy (my opinion).

I keep several flats of bottled water, they can be stored in closets, under beds, etc and are easily stacked. I also refill my empty 2L bottles (though we don't drink much pop...) and empty plastic milk containers after a good wash. I would use that water for drinking unless I run it through the berkey first, but for washing or flushing a toilet - in a short term emergency - that would do. It's an easy and affordable way to store water. Think of unused spaces in your place where you cans tore a few of those : under the sink, shelf in a broom closet, etc.

Even in your garage, you could still store water. If you are concerned about the bottles freezing, empty about 1/4 from each bottle, that should suffice to allow for expansion. Then you can camouflage your bottles / barrels in your garage with whatever you want from a cheap dollar store tarp to an old blanket and even put stuff on those.

I keep several flats of bottled water, they can be stored in closets, under beds, etc and are easily stacked. I also refill my empty 2L bottles (though we don't drink much pop...) and empty plastic milk containers after a good wash. I would use that water for drinking unless I run it through the berkey first, but for washing or flushing a toilet - in a short term emergency - that would do. It's an easy and affordable way to store water. Think of unused spaces in your place where you cans tore a few of those : under the sink, shelf in a broom closet, etc.

Even in your garage, you could still store water. If you are concerned about the bottles freezing, empty about 1/4 from each bottle, that should suffice to allow for expansion. Then you can camouflage your bottles / barrels in your garage with whatever you want from a cheap dollar store tarp to an old blanket and even put stuff on those.

I was at Canadian Tire just now, picking up a hatchet I saw on sale, and I ended up getting 2 24 cases of bottled water while I was there. Since you say you stack these, could you tell me how high you can stack them? Looking at the closet they're going in, it looks like I can easily stack them 3 across, and I was thinking 3 high for a total of 108 Litres. Can I go higher without getting leaks?

Probably hide some more around the house as well.

I've seen them at stores packed several flats high. At home, I do 3 high.

Another way to store water that I use : I fill the empty spots in the back / bottom of my freezers with 4L milk jugs filled about 3/4 with water. A full freezer runs more efficiently, it keeps cold longer without power and I have extra water stored. You could do the same with space in your fridge(s).

Of course, you'll never be able to store enough water for a long term emergency. Finding a way to gather and purify water is as important as storing water. Unless you're lucky enough to have a good well.

For the spring-fall period, you could also keep a rain barrel outside. It doesn't scream " crazy survivalist" but that's a way to keep 100s of litres of water. The water wouldn't bring drinking quality, but with a little filtration, could be used to wash / clean and of course, water plants and garden.

For.

I also refill my empty 2L bottles (though we don't drink much pop...) and empty plastic milk containers after a good wash. I would use that water for drinking unless I run it through the berkey first, but for washing or flushing a toilet - in a short term emergency - that would do. It's an easy and affordable way to store water. .

Just a note on the milk jugs - they were not made for long term storage, break down relatively quickly and eventually will leak. If you are going to use them put them somewhere that a leak is not a problem - not in a carpeted closet anyway 🙂 The milk proteins in them are also very difficult to wash off so the toilet flushing idea is a good one!

It sounds like you're in Calgary. We have purchased some products from Briden Solutions in Springbank.

Here are some ideas;

http://www.bridensolutions.ca/water/storage-containers

(No, I don't get a commission but they are local, knowledgeable and friendly)

Since non-potable water came up:

Liquid detergent jugs: They can be tipped on their side and stacked and used for toilets or plants. You can also rinse them well and use them at a sink or over a bucket (catchment to re-use water from handwashing for laundry or toilets or plants) the same way they're used as hand washing stations for camping. They're not appropriate for storing water for consumption. If you buy powder or make your own, check condos and apartments with recycling dumpsters. They're big enough they typically don't go in bags. Pine sol or bleach makes everything new and safe. 🙂

Garden Sprayers: 3-5 gallons tend to run $15-25 where I am, there are caps they can be fitted with instead of the sprayer top, and they're nice for watering in small seeds near the surface and when sheathed in black plastic they can be turned into an okay shower or hand wash station with warm/hot water. They have to be stored vertically but they fit in the back of a closet pretty well.

If you have a cat, you can always "find a sale" and stack kitty litter buckets filled with water containers - hiding in plain sight. I use cleaned Tidy Cat buckets in layers (the lids won't handle a lot of weight) and blame my dogs - they take a biscuit and forgive me for the white lie that the kitty box needs a castle wall around it. I have a mental block about food stuff that close to the box, but it lets me store their supplies, non-food items, and some extra buckets inside the bottom layers that can be used to expand the container garden or water catchment. The lids need a layer of plumber's tape (the non-sticky white stuff) to return them to a water tight level. The buckets are also used in my current container garden for SIPs and for keeping various kits in my truck nice and neat and protected from the elements.