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Expiration Date for Water Stored in Hot Climate?

Anne P. - September 9, 2020

Is there a table or guide to indicate how long tap water can be stored in hot conditions?  I checked the CDC site for guidelines and read very good instructions for preparing/sterilizing a water container and the amount of bleach to add to tap water.  The instructions said to replace stored water every six months and to keep it in a dark area at a temperature between 50 and 70 degrees F.  That’s not realistic for people living in hot climates where the air conditioning would not be functioning in an emergency, nor is it realistic for those of us who would like to store water in the garage where summer temperature reach 100 degrees during the day and cool off to 80 for much of the night.

Is there a table or guide to show the storage limits based on temperatures at which the water is maintained?  

Also, how can you tell if the water is still good?  Those large blue 55-gallon water drums have a very small opening which would make it hard to see if mold or algae is growing inside the container.

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