Redsack guide · 2 October 2026
How to Keep a Five-Gallon Jug and Its Pump Clean
How much water you go through, how to sanitize the bottle and where it should stand.
How much water a home goes through
Store at least 1 gallon of water per person, per day for 3 days.
Start with the number the CDC uses for planning. It is a floor for drinking and cooking, and a hot Nevada summer pushes it higher.
At that rate two people empty close to three five-gallon jugs a week. A Redsack pump moves about 75 gallons per charge, so the same two people charge it roughly every five weeks.
| People at home | Gallons a week | Five-gallon jugs a week | Weeks per pump charge |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 7 | 1.4 | 10.7 |
| 2 | 14 | 2.8 | 5.4 |
| 3 | 21 | 4.2 | 3.6 |
| 4 | 28 | 5.6 | 2.7 |
| 5 | 35 | 7 | 2.1 |
Sanitize the bottle before you refill it
Sanitize the container with a solution made by mixing 1 teaspoon of unscented liquid household chlorine bleach in 1 quart (4 cups) of water.
A refill bottle picks up a film inside after a few rounds. Wash it with dish soap, rinse it, then sanitize it with a weak bleach mix.
Shake the bottle so the mix touches every surface, wait half a minute and pour it out. Let the bottle air-dry before it goes back to the refill station. Run a quart of clean water through the pump tube at the same time.
Where the jug should stand
Keep containers away from direct sunlight.
Replace water every six months.
Light and heat are what spoil stored water. A pantry floor or a shaded corner of the kitchen beats a sunny porch.
For water you fill yourself and keep in reserve, date the bottle. Our silicone caps seal a spare jug between uses and come off with one pull.
Match the pump to the bottle
Bottle size decides the pump. Standard 3 and 5 gallon bottles take either model. The 1 and 2 gallon bottles need the adapter of the SP-03.
| Pump | Fits | Flow | Per charge | From |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Redsack SP-02 Water Pump | 3 and 5 gal | 4,000 ml/min | 75 gal | $49.99 |
| Redsack SP-03 Water Pump | 1 to 5 gal | 4,000 ml/min | 75 gal | $54.99 |
Sources
This guide covers everyday bottle care. In an emergency, follow your local health department.
- CDC: How to Create and Store an Emergency Water Supply. Read 2 October 2026.
