Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

This water storage tank has a vented cap. The vent is spring-loaded to keep it closed. Its purpose, as explained to me by WaterPrepared, is to make it easier to drain water from the tank using the built-in spigot. The vent is redundant in that loosening the cap will do the same thing. It is my understanding that long term—5 years—storage of water preserved with a water preserver requires using an airtight container. The vent in the cap of the tank I received allows air to pass both from the top of the cap going in and the bottom of the cap going out. As the temperature changes, the pressure in the tank will change allowing the tank to “breathe” exposing it to the atmosphere. In short, it is not airtight. Pluses: The wide 5” opening makes it easy to see the water level when filling it as compared to a water storage drum. Its shape allows it to be stored closer to a wall than a regular drum. The built in spigot means you don’t have to use a pump to withdraw water. The tanks can be stacked 2-high to save floor space. Minuses: Most importantly it is not airtight. The wide opening cap is easily opened without a tool unlike a drum that requires a bung wrench. The tank should be stored in a secure place so that no one can open the tank and drop in something unwanted. The spigot should come with a hose end cap—available at Amazon—to keep it clean. WaterPrepared’s Web site says the tanks are made of FDA approved food-grade materials. I could find none of the standard symbols for these qualities embossed on the tanks.