50-Year Shelf Life Canned Water-Blue Can Pure Water
I posted this article a few years ago about canned water, specifically Blue Can water. Many of the references are based on my living in the St. George, Utah area. Here’s the deal, we all need water stored no matter where we live. There isn’t a community in all of the U.S. that hasn’t faced some type of emergency or disaster in recent years.
Yesterday in my neighborhood, a few people called me asking if I “had water”. I had just called the Public Works Department in our city and county to discuss water quality in the tap water of our community.
There was indeed a waterline break in our neighborhood. Luckily they found the problem and it was fixed rather quickly. We are used to going into the kitchen or bathroom and turning on the faucet most of the time.
A Long Shelf Life is Awesome
When I hear there is a 50-year shelf life with this canned water product, it’s a cartwheel moment for this prepper chick! I’m not kidding, I’m so excited about this BLUE CAN Premium Emergency Water product. Yep, I had several cases that were stored behind a tall dresser in my southern Utah home. I plan to have a number of cases available for use in my new South Jordan home once it’s completed.
This stored water is for drinking so you stay hydrated. It could also be used for cooking on a limited basis, depending on how much water you feel you’ll need for emergencies.
Treated water in larger water barrels like 55-gallon water barrels is great as long as you treat the water before storage with a Big Berkey or PortaWell water storage system. That way you have an emergency water supply to cover things like meal preparation, personal hygiene, and limited laundry chores.
One of my readers mentioned one case may be the price of eating out just once a month. I would rather have water stored than eat out, but that’s me. I love the comparison since it makes the storage of water for emergencies seem more real.
Quality Water Is Important
I’m extremely fussy about my water, I mean the taste of my water. In years past I used liquid chlorine bleach to treat some of my stored water. To be honest, I was not too fond of the taste or smell. I also had to replace the bleach-treated water every six months, what a pain! Clean and pure water is an absolute necessity for a healthy life. Don’t compromise on the quality of your water.
I have had reverse osmosis water in the past because of where I’ve lived, and plan to have it again in the new home. I still would put a product called Water Preserver in my stored water since the water is then good for five years if stored in a BPA-free storage container. That’s surely better than having to bring your boiled water to a rolling boil before use or trying to figure out how many water purification tablets to use for treated water.
I love the fact that this company uses 95% recycled aluminum to manufacture their cans for this emergency water product. WooHoo! A durable product that’s good for our environment and it’s cheaper to manufacture than stainless steel.
The Little Blue Cans are 12 ounces of pure water. Blue Cans filters and purifies its premium canned water to less than one part per million of dissolved solids. They recommend a temperature to store these cans between 33 degrees F to 150 degrees F. Being able to store the cases or individual cans in a dark place out of direct sunlight is important.
This means they could freeze in the garage if you have brutal winters, so keep that in mind. My garage got up to 120 degrees F (sometimes) in the summer so we were okay in Southern Utah.
Condensed tips from the Blue Can brochure:
“Disaster Water Methods Available”
1. Tap Water: unavailable and more than likely will need to be boiled to make it drinkable (will need fuel to boil it).
2. Plastic Bottles: usually expire in 6-12 months (I don’t like the taste of most plastic bottled water).
3. Toilet Bowl Water: needs to be boiled to be drinkable (again will need fuel to boil it).
4. Bathtub Water: needs to be boiled to be drinkable…more fuel is required.
5. Pool Water: needs to be boiled…or use a water purifier. Algae will build up pretty fast in a pool if the water isn’t circulating and filtered when the power goes out.
6. Water Heater-be careful of cross-contamination. If the water from your utility company is contaminated, so is the water in the heater!
7. Water Barrel Storage: needs to be rotated. If bleach treated you rotate on a six-month cycle, if treated with Water Preserver you can go up to five years.
Here’s the deal, if you have the water sources listed above you can use it for personal hygiene (portable toilet) or wash your clothes. Please store some ready-to-drink pure water like the Blue Can canned water. It is easy to store in the closet and ready to drink right from the can. I’m going to put a 12-pack in my car. I love these Blue Cans!
The CHEAPEST place to buy this awesome water is here: BROWNELL’S
Shake The Canned Water:
If you shake the can it cools the water, I am not saying it is ice-cube cold. When I received the box and pulled one can out of the case the can was cool to the touch. I found out later that it is because it is pure water that keeps it cool.
The aluminum cans won’t rust or corrode like juice cans where the liquid eventually eats through the can. The water is pure, I am talking about pure water. These would make great Christmas gifts for family and friends. They have a special liner to protect the water inside the aluminum cans.
Blue Can Website. I quote, “1 Case – 12 oz of water per can – 24 cans per case – 2.25 gallons of water per casePure Fresh Taste, Hermetically Sealed, Purified with 12-step Filtration, Reverse Osmosis, UV Light Treatment, Eco-Friendly Packaging, Tested BPA Free, No Chlorine or Flouride.”
Why You Need Water Stored
Please store at least 4 gallons per day per person. This way you have water to hydrate yourself, cook your food, wash dishes, wash your clothing (at least your underwear), and for personal hygiene. I recommend this water for drinking. Please store water in several different ways.
Some emergencies to consider when thinking about water storage needs:
- Local City Water Contamination (there were two cities in Utah that had issues in this week’s news)
- Tornadoes
- Floods
- Hurricanes
- Tsunami
- Power Outage
- Earthquake
- Terrorist Attack
Final Word
It gives me so much peace of mind having water stored that doesn’t have to be rotated or drained and refilled. It’s ready to drink. May God Bless This World. Linda
Did you check the price on this product? It’s $24 for a 12 pack… $2 a can! Out of budget for most people.
Hi Debbie, yes I did see the price. I realize that many people will not be able to buy most emergency products. The thing I like about this Blue Water can is the fact I would only have to buy it once. One to maybe three cases a year when my budget can afford it. I will put them in my hall closet and know I have water. It is pure water and needs no purifying. I have readers that do not even have money to buy fuel to boil the water out of a home water tap if it is contaminated. The larger the family…the more that family will want to buy a $300.00 water purifier. I like to show my readers all options. I would love a 12 pack of this in my car. Thanks for commenting, Linda
People pay 2.00 for soda! I think it is worth it.
Hi Donna, you are so right! Thank you!! Linda
This is the best news, for people who are preparing for an emergency. In a cup and a half containers, and a fifty year shelf life, how would you figure out how much , or many, you would need to buy, and how much room would you need, just for storing water. Do they come in larger sizes? Where are they being sold ? We have a rather large family, by blood, and of the heart, nearly 50 of us spread over a forty mile radius. This sounds like a very good thing, to have to purchase water, only once, and it would keep for half a century.
Hi Jonnie, I thought the very same thing-fifty years! I love how you said it half a century! Buy it once! If you contact Patty Kirby #818-209-8333 she can see if a group buy is possible. I would call or email her. Look on the website: http://www.bluecanwater.com Her email is: Patty@bluecanwater.com I am going to look at getting several to order some and share in shipping costs where I live. Blessings, Linda
Wouldn’t it be LOTS cheaper to just can your own water? I pressure can food already so adding a jar or 2 of water each time to fill the canner and it’s cheaper and will taste just fine. The way I do it is each time I empty a quart or pint I set them aside until I get enough for a pressure canner full (7 quarts or 10-20pints depending on if I stack or not) then I run the canner at 10lbs for 20min. Hot water in hot sterilized jars and then pressure canned makes the water shelf stable and no need to buy water and I get a water that I like the taste of. I also re-use lids when I can water because if for some reason the lid doesn’t seal there is no waste as it’s just water and I can run it through with the next batch. 99% of the time the lids seal and the quarts and pints are pretty easy to store basically back in the same spot where I took the jar with food in it out.
Hi Kim, I have heard of people bottling their own water. I personally do not have enough room to store quart bottles of water. Our utilities are so expensive I would be better off buying the Blue Cans and set them in the closet for 50 years and pass them down to my kids after I die. I love the fact that I can store the Blue Cans in my car and not worry if they will break or not. We need to do whatever our individual budgets, storage space, etc. will work. Thanks for commenting, Linda
Now this is brilliant! While it is pricey, I love the fact that I’d only need to buy it once and not have to worry about it. I think picking up a case or two every month (or every few months) is easily doable. Heck, just give up eating 1 meal out a month and there’s a case right there! Thanks for sharing!
Hi Frankie, I am so glad you like these Blue Cans. I must say I was over joyed with excitement. I like to buy right the first time….these cans will not corrode. Of course you cannot let them freeze but the 50 year, all aluminum cans…yippee! Thanks for stopping by, I really appreciate your comment! Linda
This is one of those products or resources that has it’s place. There are many things that people purchase for preparedness that they put away or cache for someday later. I can’t bring myself to buy stuff, particularly things that don’t expire like knives, flashlights and other long life items and never see or use them, but it’s wise and often necessary to have extra or backup tools and supplies. We buy matches, candles, ammunition, first aid supplies, tarps, etc., just to have them for a crisis.
This is a consumable, but I think for an emergency kit it might be worth it. After all you have 50 years to occasionally open a can and can replace and refresh or even increase the supply at a pace that suits your finances and shopping or spending style. Magnesium bars, space blankets, clothing and many other items have short lifespans meaning they get used up and have to be replaced.
Hi Frank, well said….I really appreciate your comment. I totally agree, Linda
Okay, it’s a year later and I’m wondering where to get these?????
Hi Cindy, I’m confused about your question where to get these a year later??? I’m so so sorry if you missed the links on my post. You can get them from the person I mentioned in the article or on Amazon. They are a great product. If you live close to one of the distributors you may save money on shipping. I would go to http://www.bluecanwater.com I am slowly adding these to my water stash, thanks so much! Linda
I think that I’d do my own pressure canning of water as I find the idea of 50 years of water in contact with Aluminum and it’s possible link to Alzheimer’s…too risky.
BTW it is now $29.95 + $14.92 shipping = $1.87 per can.
Pressure canning still sounds like the best alternative.
Being careful with storage and breakage is a minimum in the car.
Hi Howard, I just bought 12 cases of this water because it has a shelf life of 50 years. That’s all I wanted for the last three years, besides a 250-gallon water tank secured in my garage. I have heard of people canning water. The Blue Cans are pricey, but they do have a coating inside them that the FDA has approved. The water does not touch metal. I choked paying for the large quantity of Blue Cans, but I can sleep at night. I rarely eat out and I cook from scratch. If I do not have water I would be in trouble. The cases of Blue Cans come in stackable boxes that my daughters can move to their house after I die if I don’t use them. I can only justify the purchase for me, not anyone else. I do not have a place to store very many pints of home canned water safely. I have a very small house. Thanks for commenting Howard, Linda
Linda where did you buy your cases of water from?
Hi Maria, I tried to buy it from someone in California, but she never got back to me. I found a place in Salt Lake City, UT at Honeyville Grain who would give me and my readers a discount if they pick it up until their supplies are depleted. I had no way to go up north at the time so I bought it from Amazon. No discount, but I had a gut feeling I needed some water NOW not next week. Yes, I paid a premium but I live in a very small town and very little options. I even tried to get a store to carry the Blue Cans but they were not interested because we have so few people here in my city who are interested in emergency preparedness. It ended up being about $40.00 per case but they stack nice and I have them stacked behind a cabinet. It took so much stress off of me knowing I have water for Mark & I for months. I bought six cases for one of my daughters who is a single mom in California. It’s hard where I live because I cannot get people interested in buying a pallet and splitting the cost. Check out the Blue Can Water website and see if you live near one of the states. If you can pick them up you would save so much money. It’s the best water I have stored. Linda
$47 dollars for a 24 case of water (Amazon), even if it has a 50 year (debatable) shelf life is isn’t very close efficient in my world. I would rather buy a good filtering system and a couple of cases of store brand water every year. Just my opinion.
Hi Carol, I totally understand what you are saying about the price of the Blue Cans of water. I just bought 12 cases for my house for Christmas. That’s all I wanted. I store them behind a dresser that is placed on an angle. I have several ways I store water. Lots of water. If you can pick them up locally you save on the shipping. I had to pay for the shipping because they do not sell them in my town. I like the fact that I do not have to purify the water and they can be stored up to 145 degrees. I live in the desert so I need several options. I needed some to set and forget, so to speak. I rotate all my other sources of water every five years. I can’t rotate any more water. I need several ways to store water, this is just an option. I have a Big Berkey which I will use when needed. Thanks for commenting. Linda
aluminum cans leach aluminum into the water, you drink it and it can cause dementia and alziemers. 80 percent of deminta/ alzhimers patients who had a autopsy run were found to have high contents of aluminum in their brains. MY DAD died of such and I ask his nurses about it and they said they were told the ama told them about this. my dad drank aluminum can drinks and we started to notice his change and memory loss. id warn you all not to drink from plastic due to bpa, and nothing from aluminum cans either. every since we got away from drinking out of glass containers, this dreaded disease has exploded. research it for yourself. this is my opinion based on my research.
Hi Daniel, thanks for your comment. I have read about that as well. There is one difference in these cans. These cans have an epoxy coating inside. I quote: What is the can liner made of? In accordance with the FDA requirements, Blue Can Water cans have an epoxy coating on the inside to protect the contents from the metal. (Aged water in the can has been tested BPA-Free by an FDA certified lab) Blue Can Pure Water is always at a neutral PH to prevent any decay of the epoxy coating inside the containers. End of quote. BlueCanWater. Check out bluecanwater.com. Thanks so much, Linda
We only have your word that it last any time even close to fifty years. Why should I believe anything about this product?
Hi William, you may want to do the research yourself. I did and I highly recommend them. Here is a link that may help you decide for yourself. https://www.bluecanwater.com/FAQs.html Thank you, Linda
For those that can their own food. You may have canning jars laying around you don’t use. what I do is can my own water. You just fill the sterile jars to the top put the canning lids on just like you would if you were canning food. Put in pressure canner about 20 minutes and you have canned water that will last a good 50 plus years. Yes they are in glass jars and not the cans that won’t break but it is still cheaper than the canned water. Although I would like to buy some of the canned water for my car. The canned water I do in mason jars is for home use and would be harder to take if you had to leave home. But better than nothing. I have about 6 boxes of 12 in each box in quart jars under the bed.
Mary, canning water is great if you have room for it. It’s a great option for all who have the jars and the pressure canner. Great tip! Linda
I am emptying another of the 20 water drums to give one drum to a guy who helped me with my mower. This is the 12th one I’ve emptied.
The water that has been in the drum since summer, 2011, is pristine.
No additives, treatments of any kind–just been in those drums for 12 years…wow!! time flies.
I have a water filter I use.
Hi JayJay, yes on storing water!!! I love hearing the water is pristine even after 12 years. You have a water filter you are good to go! Thank you for sharing this great comment! Linda
I visited the Blue Can and Brownell’s sites and their prices are pretty much the same. But! Brownell’s has 32 oz cans (9pack). Someone from an earlier posting asked if the cans came in larger sizes. I purchased water in BPA-free pouches from another company-64 pouches at 4.2 oz per pouch for 19.95 on sale (reg price 39.95) with a 5 year shelf life. The Blue Can case is 288 oz of water, the pouch water is 268.8, a difference of 1 pouch…but for me it’s the shelf life. While I love the products from the other company, I am going to buy Blue Can to supplement my supply. Thanks Linda!
Hi Pam, I think its wise to buy different containers to store water or buy water in pouches like you mentioned. I love having more water that’s easy to store and I can put it under my bed until I need it. The difference is the shipping costs. It’s !5.99 shipping for 4 cases from Brownells. This is why I suggest Brownells. A reader showed me that several years ago. I just ordered 4 more cases just now from Brownells. Total $142.55 and if I had purchased the same 4 cases from Blue Cans it is $181.66 (shipping is 61.86 to my zip code). I can;t remember who gave me thhat tip but I will be forever thankful to her. Linda
Linda,
Yeah, it is expensive, but I clicked on your link and finally broke down and bought a case of this water. The thing that sold me on it was it would stay good even in a hot car. Jane and I used to use plastic bottles but in a hot car–well, yuck. We’ve used quart jars but they are subject to breakage (I still store water in quart jars in my pantry for use with dehydrated foods). I have 55 gallon drums and other water storage containers as well as the best water purification and filtration device money can buy (Aquarain 400), but you simply cannot have too much stored water–especially if it will last for fifty years. Water, after all, is life.
HI Ray, it’s perfect for your car or truck. It can freeze but where you live it would be easy to move it into the house if your had to. I love hearing you have so many different ways you have water stored. I gave my 55-gallon barrels away to my sister in Las Vegas, I didn’t want to move (empty) them. Plus, it got her on her water storage journey. I gave her some of my WaterBricks, here again, I didn’t want another U-Haul! LOL! But I purchased more once I got here, they are unfilled in the storage unit. Water, after all, is life. Great statement, I love it! Linda
Well, Linda – it appears that the price of the canned water is now affordable at $29.99 per case of 24. BUT – shipping/shipping protection to my location at $13 puts this out of my price range! I checked both sites and 2 cases would ship for the same amount but still out of range for my budget right now.
We are going through a major winter storm right now and it is so cold (well -3 this morning but it was down to -19 overnight) and my landlord wanted me to run the kitchen faucet a tiny bit. I wasn’t able to save all the water but I put a large pan in the sink to catch as much as I could! I will filter the water through my Berkey and store that for making coffee, tea and for drinking. I know it isn’t much but every drop counts.
I told my daughter when she was canning this summer and fall to fill her canners. If she didn’t have enough food product to fill the canner, I suggested canning water. She now has a few quarts of water on the shelf.
Hi Leanne, it is indeed expensive, I totally understand. Leanne open every outside cabinet that has a sink/faucet, that helps as well as letting the faucet drip. Every drop of water does indeed count no matter how you store it (BPA-free containers). Plus you have a Berkey, a filter is always wise to have. Linda