I live in an area where four months a year you can expect it to freeze at night and thaw (partially if not entirely) during the day. Use empty sanitized 2-3 liter soda bottles. All plastic will streatch and possibly split depending on how full you fill them and how tight (two separate issues). Leave about 3 inches empty at the top (cap) of the bottle. Then squeeze it in an inch on both sides and cap the bottle tight. The water should still have room to expand a little at the top. But most of the expansion will occur with the space you squeeze out of the bottle. I've stored water for years this way in my trunk. They freeze all of the time and thaw all of the time. Never a split bottle with this method. I have nearly split the heavy duty 5 gallon jugs. Same method applies.

How long will it stay fresh? Opinions vary greatly. Officially replace it every 6-months to a year. Unofficially, if you start with a clean container and clean water, add a few drops of (new, unscented) bleach for unseen circumstances, it will last forever. I follow that process and exchange it out every 3-5 years when I think about it. Water tastes fine. Just have to oxygenate it a bit (poor back and fourth between containers to get more air in it).