Storing water in a small apartment sounds challenging until you run the actual math. Storing water in a small apartment for a 3-day supply (the FEMA minimum) for one person requires just 3 gallons — roughly the size of a large milk jug. Even for two people, a 6-gallon supply fits under a bed or in a closet corner.
The real challenge isn’t space — it’s knowing what containers to use, how to treat the water for long-term storage, and when to rotate it. This guide covers all of it.
How Much Water Do You Actually Need?
FEMA’s guideline is 1 gallon per person per day. This covers drinking (half a gallon) and basic sanitation and cooking (half a gallon).
Adjust upward for:
- High heat environment or physical activity: 1.5 gallons/person/day
- Medical needs (dialysis, certain conditions): consult your doctor
- Nursing mothers: add 0.5 gallons/day
- Pets: a medium dog needs about 0.5 gallons/day; cats about 0.1 gallons/day
The minimums by supply target:
- 3-day supply (FEMA minimum), 1 person: 3 gallons
- 2-week supply (recommended), 1 person: 14 gallons
- 2-week supply, 2 people: 28 gallons
Container Types: What to Use
Food-Grade HDPE Containers (Best Option)
Look for containers labeled with the recycling symbol #2 (HDPE — high-density polyethylene) and the words “food grade” or “BPA-free.” These are the only plastic containers suitable for long-term water storage.
Good options:
- 5-gallon water jugs: Standard, stackable, widely available. Three 5-gallon jugs = 15 gallons for under $30 total. Fits in a closet corner.
- 1-gallon jugs: More flexible (use some, keep others sealed), easier to carry. A case of 6 fits under most beds.
- WaterBrick containers (3.5 gallon): Stackable, handle-equipped, interlocking. About $25 each. Excellent for apartment use.
What NOT to Use
- Milk jugs: HDPE but not food-grade for water storage. Milk residue is nearly impossible to remove completely and harbors bacteria. Not recommended even if thoroughly washed.
- Soda bottles (2-liter): Food-grade PET plastic — these are actually acceptable for short-term water storage (1–2 weeks). Not ideal for long-term.
- Decorative glass bottles/carafes: Not sterile, not sealed, too fragile.
- Cardboard containers: Not waterproof for long-term storage.
Space-Saving Strategies for Apartments
Under-Bed Storage
A standard queen bed has approximately 13 inches of clearance underneath — enough for flat-profile containers. AquaBrick containers (1.6 gallons each) are designed with a low profile specifically for this. Six of them = 9.6 gallons under your bed, enough for a 3-day supply for one person.
Closet Corner Storage
Three 5-gallon jugs stacked in a closet corner occupy approximately 1 square foot of floor space and provide 15 gallons. This fits in virtually any apartment closet without significantly impacting usable storage.
Kitchen Cabinet Top Shelf
The highest shelves in kitchen cabinets are often unused. Standard 1-gallon jugs fit vertically here. Two gallon jugs = 2 gallons, enough for most short outages.
WaterBOB (Bathtub Storage)
A WaterBOB is a food-grade polyethylene bladder that fits inside a standard bathtub and holds 100 gallons of water. You fill it when a storm or extended outage is anticipated — it takes about 20 minutes to fill. The included hand pump lets you extract water without contaminating the supply.
This is the highest water storage option for apartments — 100 gallons for $30, requires zero ongoing storage space (the empty bag stores in a small box), and fills in under an hour using your existing bathtub. The water stays safe for 16 weeks per manufacturer testing.
Treating Stored Water
If you’re filling your own containers from the tap (rather than buying commercially sealed water), treat and date them properly:
- Clean containers thoroughly: Wash with soap and water, rinse with a diluted bleach solution (1 tsp bleach per quart of water), air dry.
- Use regular unscented bleach: Add 8 drops of unscented liquid chlorine bleach (5.25–8.25% sodium hypochlorite) per gallon of water before sealing.
- Seal tightly and label: Write the fill date on each container with a permanent marker.
- Rotation: Rotate every 6–12 months. Pour old water into plants, garden, or drains, refill and re-treat.
Commercially sealed water bottles (unopened) are typically safe for 2 years per manufacturer, though water itself doesn’t expire — the plastic degrades over time and can leach into the water.
How Much Space Does a 2-Week Supply Take?
Let’s do the math for a common apartment scenario: 2 people, 2-week supply = 28 gallons.
- Option A: Six 5-gallon jugs = 30 gallons. Stack 3 in a closet corner (about 1 sq ft), 3 more in a second location. Total footprint: 2 sq ft.
- Option B: WaterBOB (100 gallons, fills bathtub before outage) + 6 gallons in jugs for ongoing access. Zero permanent storage space needed.
- Option C: Twenty 1.6-gallon AquaBricks under a bed. Total footprint: zero visible.
Water storage is solvable in any apartment. Start with a 3-day supply (3–6 gallons depending on household size) and build from there.