How long can unopened bottled water be kept and still be safe to drink?

[luvflorida]

We have a water cooler in our house and once a month we have four, fifty gallon bottles of water delivered. The contract is for four bottles every month for two years. We overestimated the amount of water we drink in a month, so usually we have one bottle of water that never gets used. That means every month we put out three empty bottles, but receive four full ones.

By the end of the contract we're going to have a lot of bottles left over. We figure the water will still be good, and that we'll use them up before signing another contract. Do you think the water will still be good? Also, where do you think would be the best place to store the unopened bottles? Right now, we just keep them in the garage, but I think we'll move them to the basement for the summer.

Reading over this post and it sounds like a math problem! If we have four bottles of water and only use three...

 

[Honu]

Officially, there is no expiration date. I replace the bottles in our emergency supplies every 2 years. That is the FDA's recommendation.

 

[ford family]

If you use only three per month yet receive four per month that means you will have 24 left at the end of the two year contract.
But, if you use the bottles in the order you receive them, then the 24 left over will be the last ones delivered so will be no older than six months.

ford family

 

[luvflorida]

If you use only three per month yet receive four per month that means you will have 24 left at the end of the two year contract.
But, if you use the bottles in the order you receive them, then the 24 left over will be the last ones delivered so will be no older than six months.

ford family

It took me a minute to get what you're saying! I never thought about it that way. The problem is that we haven't been keeping them in any special order, but from now on I'll mark each bottle with the date it was delivered.

 

[Jennifer S]

We have that same contract. We usually run out though. Too bad you didn't live close to me. I'd buy it.

You could use the water to make coffee, ice tea, etc. Fill up the dogs dish if you have a dog.

On the up side you will have water for free for awhile once your contract is up. I think water lasts for years. If you keep them in order I see no problem - just storing them. Maybe you'll drink more in the summer.

Oh and did you mean 5 Gal tub? Fifty seems HUGE!

 

[Brutie]

We have one of those water coolers too, but we just take the 5 gallon bottle and fill it up when it runs out. We are only about a mile from the water place and its only a quarter a gallon to fill it up, so we do ours that way. We taste tested several different brands of water to have them delivered but we just couldnt get a decent water that had a decent plan. Its just the 2 of us, so we wouldnt need the 4 bottles a month. Right now we're using almost a whole 5 gallon bottle a month.

I agree with the other poster who said to use it for other things. I use ours for cooking, for the cats dish, use it to wash your hair, etc, etc. Perhaps if you could post a free ad somewhere online for your area you might can sell the ones you're not using also. Craigslist.org is a great place, but they might not have a listing for your area but its worth a shot.

 

[luvflorida]

We have that same contract. We usually run out though. Too bad you didn't live close to me. I'd buy it.

You could use the water to make coffee, ice tea, etc. Fill up the dogs dish if you have a dog.

On the up side you will have water for free for awhile once your contract is up. I think water lasts for years. If you keep them in order I see no problem - just storing them. Maybe you'll drink more in the summer.

Oh and did you mean 5 Gal tub? Fifty seems HUGE!

Yes, they're FIVE gallon bottles, not FIFTY gallon! Sorry about that!

There have been a few months that we've actually used all four, but I agree that we'll probably drink more water in the summer. We started the delivery at the end of last summer, and I think we were calculating what we drank during the summer months.

 

[momrek06]

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On the up side you will have water for free for awhile once your contract is up. I think water lasts for years.

No necessarily, because I just moved and when P***** S****** came to pick up my refridgerator/cooler I had to return all the EMPTIES or be charged.

Also, I would CALL the company if I felt I had over-ages because of say vacation and they would ONLY bring what I ordered. They even allowed you to change your USUAL order over the Internet on their web-site. You can tell them via Internet if this was a ONE time change or a permanent change. So try calling the water company and downsize your delivery.

 

[momrek06]

To the OP:

I am not sure if I was clear...I do NOT mean EMPTIES..what I meant to say whether or not you have any WATER left over, they WANT ALL THE BOTTLES...full or empty! OR BE CHARGED.

I actually had TWO extra on my moving day and the water dude HAD to open them and DUMP them out as they cannot TAKE WATER BACK.

So I would downsize your order. Call them.

 

[luvflorida]

To the OP:

I am not sure if I was clear...I do NOT mean EMPTIES..what I meant to say whether or not you have any WATER left over, they WANT ALL THE BOTTLES...full or empty! OR BE CHARGED.

I actually had TWO extra on my moving day and the water dude HAD to open them and DUMP them out as they cannot TAKE WATER BACK.

So I would downsize your order. Call them.

Wow, we figured we'd just use the bottles after the contract was up. I THINK when we went with this plan that there was something somewhere that said we couldn't change it. Now that you've said that about returning them, I'm definitely going to call them tomorrow and see if there is any way we can change to the three bottles a month plan.

 

[momrek06]

Wow, we figured we'd just use the bottles after the contract was up. I THINK when we went with this plan that there was something somewhere that said we couldn't change it. Now that you've said that about returning them, I'm definitely going to call them tomorrow and see if there is any way we can change to the three bottles a month plan.

YES, I did with PS!! No problem. DH & I travel allot and we (at times ) did not necessarily use all the water from delivery to delivery. They understood completely so it was NO PROBLEM. And yes, when your contract expires EVERYTHING gets returned. Full or empty bottles and the cooler. PLUS, what would you do with the FULL BOTTLES if the company has taken the cooler?

OP: You are from Maine...are you using PS???

 

[Jennifer S]

If the OP has the same contract as me the cooler was free- yours to keep forever- if you signed up for a two year contract. We cannot change the amount of water. It's not PS but DP.

 

[luvflorida]

YES, I did with PS!! No problem. DH & I travel allot and we (at times ) did not necessarily use all the water from delivery to delivery. They understood completely so it was NO PROBLEM. And yes, when your contract expires EVERYTHING gets returned. Full or empty bottles and the cooler. PLUS, what would you do with the FULL BOTTLES if the company has taken the cooler?

OP: You are from Maine...are you using PS???

Yes, we use PS. I just went on their website and it DID say that water amounts could be changed. Whew! I changed from the four bottles a month to the three bottles a month. And you're right, I never thought about what we'd do with the full bottles without the cooler.

 

[luvflorida]

If the OP has the same contract as me the cooler was free- yours to keep forever- if you signed up for a two year contract. We cannot change the amount of water. It's not PS but DP.

With PS we have to return the cooler. I didn't realize we'd have to return all the bottles at the same time, so keeping any full bottles wouldn't be allowed I guess.

 

[momrek06]

WHEW...luvflorida: That is settled. I am glad you posted on here for all the help you as you do NOT need to stock pile all that water in your house (to begin with). AND you do not need to accept all those bottles month after month. Change to even 2 bottles for a few months UNTIL you are pretty much all used up and then if you need, increase a bottle to THREE. ALSO, as the contract winds down...make sure you have NO full bottles when they come to take the cooler as they will NOT credit you returning FULL bottles as they can NOT take back the full bottles. AND you cannot KEEP the bottles either. They will charge you. GOOD LUCK!!

 

[Jennifer S]

That's great! Esp since you have to return the cooler. Start drinking!!

 

[Megan23]

You should have just kept the original contract...Daniel and I will help drink the water this summer!! Especially Daniel, he drinks a lot of water. Me, I prefer soda, as you well know!!!!! Stock root beer for me, and TASTYKAKES!