Portuguese Prepper
WaterBob vs. Bathtub Liners: Emergency Water Storage
When a hurricane or severe storm warning is issued, the standard advice is to “fill your bathtub.”
However, water stored in an open bathtub is generally unsafe to drink. It collects dust, debris, and residue from soap or cleaning chemicals remaining on the tub surface.
To safely store 100 gallons of potable water in your bathroom, you need a food-grade liner. The WaterBob is the industry standard because it is a fully sealed bladder, while cheaper liners are often just open plastic sheets.
Standard bathtubs hold 60–100 gallons of water.
Open tub water is for flushing toilets; sealed bladder water is for drinking.
WaterBob includes a siphon pump for easy dispensing.
The Problem with Open Tubs
Even if you scrub your bathtub, the water inside is exposed to the air. In a storm scenario, you may lose power and windows may break, introducing dust and contaminants. Furthermore, scooping water out of a low tub with a pitcher is back-breaking work.
Why the WaterBob Wins
The WaterBob is not just a liner; it is a heavy-duty plastic bladder that fits the shape of your tub. You lay it out, attach the fill sock to the faucet, and fill it up. Once full, you screw on the cap. The water remains potable for up to 16 weeks.
Crucially, it comes with a siphon pump. This allows you to easily pump water into bottles or pans on the counter without bending over or dipping dirty cups into the supply.
Which emergency storage to buy?
When to fill it?
Do not wait until the power goes out. These bladders are single-use items. If a storm is 24 hours away, open the package and fill it. If the storm passes without incident, you can drain it and recycle the plastic, but you cannot dry it out and reuse it safely.
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