Collapsable Water Container

By Dennis Michael

Water containers come in many different shapes and sizes, but here is an idea that I've been using for many years. The plastic bag from boxed wine is a great short-term solution to store water for drinking and showering. It can even be used as a pillow. You can't do that with a five gallon bucket!

Select boxed wine with the valve that twists to open and close, as shown in the photo. The push-button or lift style doesn't seal as well for this application. Rinse the bag (after the wine is gone) by opening the valve and filling it with warm tap water. You could add 1/8 teaspoon of chlorine bleach to sanitize the bag and kill any bacteria that may develop between uses. Shake well and rinse thoroughly. Fill it with tap water from home, or filtered water from camp. Carry an extra tube to put on the clean side of your water filter, take the filter out of your pump and fill the bag with water for showering. Be sure it's clearly marked so that your camp buddies don't drink from it.

These bags collapse completely when empty, making them very easy to transport, and they are tough and durable and can be used many times. I like the three-liter size for a pillow and the five-liter size for drinking and showering. Spray paint the shower bag black and leave it in a sunny location during the day for a nice warm shower in the evening.

As you can see there are many ways to use these lightweight, durable, plastic bags. If you don't drink wine from a box, perhaps you can ask friends or neighbors to save them for you. If you do drink wine from a box, you are doing your part to save the environment from all those plastic bags in the landfill. Cheers!