I saw this on my local TV news and thought I'd pass this along.

A company is making a storage container that'll turn a bathtub into a 45 gallon fresh water storage. It looks pretty sturdy and is one of those "why didn't I think of this" type of things, called a HEWS (Home Emergency Water System)

Their website is http://www.hewsystem.com

It looks like they are just taking reservations for orders for now, but when I called the phone number on the website, they told me that they should be able to sell online by the weekend. They're working on having it in stores along the Southeastern & Gulf Coasts by summertime. Until they do, the only way to buy one will be over the internet or by phone. The guy I talked to said they're going to have a booth at a big world-wide Hurricane Disaster Conference to be held Memorial Day Weekend in Atlanta Ga.

According to the TV report, it's a 45 gallon bag made from 2-ply food grade polyetheline. It comes with a siphon hand pump, a filler tube, and caps for dispensing and storage. I guessing that it could also work outside, in a back bed of a truck, ect. Seeing it on TV, it looks real sturdy.

I guess the plan is to fill up the bag before a hurricane in the tub using tap water. Then you'll have clean drinking water for several days after. I fill up my bathtub before a big storm, but it's hard to keep the water from draining out and I'd never drink from it, just use it to wash and flush the commode. With this I would.

I got my name on the list when they start selling.
Check it out.
RobertD

It looks good, but what is the cost?? I didn't see the cost listed.

OOps! I forgot...$49.95

Good idea and I agree, it is better than just filling the bathtub.

Their are a few drawbacks to consider:

1. It doesn't look like you can move it once it's filled. You may want to consider storing some water in smaller (5 gallon or smaller) movable containers too.

2. If you don't get any warning of a impending crisis, it won't be much help.

3. It seems like work to prepare before every major storm. I would prefer to store water in containers that can stay in storage and then be rotated once every 6 months or so. They you will always be ready.

Looks like I'll be ordering a couple then.

For events with a bit of warning, like severe weather, this sounds like a great idea. Could be great gifts for people who aren't "into" preparedness and don't want to normally store containers of water around the house. Even those kinds of people will generally feel the need to stock up on bottled water when a hurricane is headed their way. This gives you a good amount of stored water with minimal hassle and easy emptying afterwards. Certainly less hassle than frantically trying to buy all the bottled water at the local supermarket just before the storm hits.

You got some good points, but around here when a hurricane is coming (it's the big threat around here) we usually have plenty of time to prepare, at least 72 hours before. As for storing water, tap water doesn't keep too well long term unless you treat it, and I'm not too keen on taking up the space that 45 gallons of water would use.
At 45 gallons, this could give a family of four, more than 10 days of drinking water at a gallon of water per person per day. The longest I've ever spent without safe water at my house was 5 days after Hurricane Hugo. We lost electricty, so we lost our well water until l I could rig a generator. Even after that, we had to boil & bleach our water to be safe, or use storebought. Without electricity, we used a Coleman stove and prayed we didn't run out of fuel.

I like the idea of not having to buy bottled water, 45 gallons of storebought drinking water costs big$$! And can you imagine trying to carry out over 300 pounds of water out of Wal-Mart during the build-up to a storm?

Looks like a cheapo copy of the original WaterBOB for twice the cost.

http://www.waterbob.com/

We have two to test, which I hope to do in the next couple weeks.

I was going to mention the WaterBob. Those have been selling on Ebay for $25 for at least the past year or so, it looks like someone copied the idea. I've read some preliminary reviews on other sites, and it seems to work well, and i think it even comes with a siphon to get the water out.

I would buy a better one......is called a "water bed".....would hold around 200 gallons and all that you would have to do is to put a couple of spoonfull of clorox before filling it.

If you want you can change the water every couple of years, good for drinking, toilet or whatever.

Not bad, thanks.

HoooBoy! I think I gave the guy at HEWS a heart attack. I called them and referred then to the WaterBob website. After the guy dropped the phone, he picked it back up and I swear almost started crying. I really think they had no idea that there was another product out there like theirs.

Looking at the WaterBob it sure looks alike, I like the price better but I wonder if this HEWS costs more due to things like thickness of the bag and the accessories, ect. I told them they should check out www.equipped.org and maybe send the product in to be reviewed.

If you are referring to an actual waterbed (a bed matress of water), I believe they recommend you NOT use them for water storage because the insides of the bladders contain an anti-algae or anti-microbial compound or some other tasty chemical.

Interesting idea but I have 5, 5 gallon reliance water containers that I fill during hurricane watch/warnings. The problem with this system is what happens if you get enough damage to puncture the container? 4mil means it can get leaks eventually.

It's been a few weeks since this post. Any chance of a review?

Interesting ideas, both the HEWS and the WaterBOB (Oh, it's YOU Bob!)

I like that they both fold away flat and small when not needed, and the idea of an integrated hand pump is very practical, too.

GarlyDog is correct that neither system appears to be mobile; they both look as if they couldn't be moved out of the bathtub once full. But I think that in home preparation, you can afford redundancy that weight and size restrictions would prohibit in a BOB or PSK designed for pocket or vehicle use; in other words, keep the bottled water, and fill up one of these puppies in advance of a storm, as well.

I'm going to recommend these systems to some of my friends who live in Hurricane Alley, as a supplement to their bottled water. If all else fails, the additional fresh water can be used for bathing and flushing the toilet, but it's nice to know you've got a high-capacity bladder of potable water should you need it.

Another thought is that the bath tub is the last refuge if the wind is ripping your house appart. My understanding is that most houses in Florida do not have basements.

It might make the tub a more comfortable place if it can hold your weight or it might take up a safe hiding place.

I usually fill one or more of our tubs as a storm approaches, just for washing and flushing. I wouldn't be afraid of drinking it though if we had to. Could always boil, filter or treat it.

I use a little clear packing tape around the drain to seal it. That cleans up a lot easier than RTV or other sealant. Or lining the tub with plastic sheeting or a plastic shower curtain will seal it in a pinch.

45 gallons of water is not that expensive to store. I store a lot of 1 gallon jugs from Wal-Mart at about 60 cents a gallon, including container and packed 3 jugs per box. 2 liter soda bottles are a lot sturdier and are essentially free.

Considering the humidity and the amount of work you might have to do during cleanup, you might want to consider at least 2 or 3 gallons of water per person per day.

The HEWS now has a "Special Internet Price" of $39.95 marked down from $49.95. I guess RobertD's phone call shook 'em up a bit...

-phil

Any results yet from testing the WaterBob? I would like to buy a couple for myself and relatives, but would like some data on quality and durability.