It is recommended that you add 5-7 drops, about 1/8 teaspoon, of chlorine bleach per gallon of water stored. This precaution protects you against any lingering organisms in storage containers that may have been inadvertently missed during the cleaning process.

Clearly label all water containers "drinking water" with the current date. Store the water in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight and heat sources. Do not store it near gasoline, kerosene, pesticides or similar substances.

When potable water is properly stored, it should have an indefinite shelf life; however, it's a good idea to use and replace the stored water every 6 - 12 months. Rotating water this way provides you with an opportunity to experiment and check the amount of stored water against what you require. It also serves as an additional precaution against bacteria or viruses growing in containers which may not have been thoroughly or properly cleaned and sanitized.

If you have freezer space, storing some water in the freezer is a good idea. If you lose electricity, the frozen water will help keep foods in your freezer frozen until the power is restored. Make sure you leave 2 to 3 inches of space in containers because water expands as it freezes.

Don't cut yourself short! Water only expands 4% when it freezes, so if your container is a Foot Tall, you only need a Half Inch of room for expansion, so even if you left a whole Inch, there would be wasted space.

Do a Test!

Is there a way to preserve the water without putting somthing like bleach that could potentially kill you if you put too much in?

http://www.bigberkeywaterfilters.com/
Frenchy; You could elect to use the Big Berkey water filter (link above); however, chlorine bleach (a solution of approximately 3–6% sodium hypochlorite, NaClO) is quite safe. If you have stored water that has a strong chlorine odor when opened, you just leave the container open for 24 hours and the excess chlorine escapes. Another source of chlorine for drinking water prep is swimming pool shock - 68% Calcium Hypochlorite (link below). Each 1 lb (453 gm) bag can treat 10,000-15,000 gallons (37,000+ liters) with a high concentration, up to 60,000 gallons with a nominal concentration of about 5 ppm (most estimates are that .5 ppm is adequate for sterilization of water born bacteria).

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B002WKQ3IE/ref ... B002WKQ3IE

more on the topic:

http://phc.amedd.army.mil/phc%20resourc ... 8-1004.pdf

One thing I'm seriously thinking about making is a. Biosand filter I seen a link on the site under the water filter area and this looks like a really great idea so maybe u won't have to stock water if u have a close by water source in your area. It looks simple to make and should last a long time. I watched a few YouTube videos on the system and thought this is something I can do. I'm also going to be working on a grey water system and rain water system over the next several months. I'm searching around for a good deal on either blue or black 55 gal drums no white because it can let light in and can cause Algae growth. So if anyone knows a good place to buy drums at a great price and maybe reasonable shipping let me know. I'm looking to buy between 20-30 barrels

http://www.survivalbus.com/archive/1498 ... leach.html
Using Calcium Hypochlorite to Disinfect Water