Water does come in the tougher clear plastic gallon bottles, but sometimes you have to search for them. In my area, I seem to see them mostly in the dollar-type stores. They have a smaller base than the milky bottles (store more per floor area) and they have a tough top-ring handle for carrying.
But DFW, one thing is certain: you will NEVER, EVER make that mistake again, will you?
I hope the damage was minimal.
Sue