As hot and dry as it is already I want to encourage everyone to store water.  As you think about storing water, keep in mind that if you have pets or livestock you will need to include them in your water storage plans.

You should store 1 gallon of water per day per family member.  So, if you want 2 weeks or 14 days of water storage, and you have a family of 4, you will need to make sure you have 56 gallons of water stored.  Dogs and cats need 2-6 cups per pet per day; Chickens - 2 cups per bird per day; goats - 1.5 to 2 gallons per day and I would recommend the higher amount if you are milking the goat at the time they need to use water storage.

There are many types of containers made for storing water.  You can recycle 2 liter soda pop bottles and fill them with water and you can also use juice bottles.  Do not use the plastic milk jugs as they will degrade much more quickly and leach water.  I've heard people talk about having a big mess to clean up when they've used milk jugs for water storage.  Always store plastic water containers up off the concrete; you can set it on plywood, a couple layers of cardboard or a shelving system.  Water should be treated with bleach for long term storage.  8 drops per gallon or 1/4 tsp; 1 tsp per 5 gallons.  Let it sit a few hours before drinking.  You can also aerate your long term stored water by pouring it back and forth between containers before drinking or leave it sitting unopened for a few hours to help the chlorine evaporate.

There are also many types of water filtration systems available for use.  You should really invest in some type of filtration device but that's another post for another day!  Just make it a priority to store water now.  In my state, over 70% of the state is in a extreme drought situation.  Know what's going on where you live.  Live Prepared!