- 01 Carrier or storage — what's the difference?
- 02 The main types
- 03 Collapsible carriers
- 04 Rigid jerry cans
- 05 Bottles and personal carriers
- 06 Carriers that clean the water too
- 07 What to look for when buying
- 08 Food-grade and BPA-free
- 09 A decent tap or spout
- 10 Capacity and weight
- 11 Stackable and storable
- 12 Filling, using and keeping it clean
- 13 How a carrier fits your water plan
- 14 Frequently asked questions
- 15 How much water should a carrier hold?
- 16 Are collapsible water carriers any good?
- 17 Can I store drinking water in any container?
- 18 Do I need to purify water from a carrier?
- 19 The short version
When the tap stops or a boil-water notice lands, storing water is only half the job — you also have to move it and pour it. That's what a water carrier is for: a container built to be filled, carried and drawn from, whether that's collecting from a standpipe or a neighbour's supply, or simply dispensing your home store without wrestling a heavy jerry can over the sink. UK households lose mains water more often than most people expect — a burst main in a cold snap, a pump failure during a power cut, a contamination alert — and a good carrier turns a miserable job into a manageable one. This guide covers the types, what to look for, and how a carrier fits alongside your wider water storage and purification plan.
Carrier or storage — what's the difference?
It's worth being clear, because the two overlap. Water storage is about how much clean water you keep at home and in what — sealed jerry cans and bottles sat in a cupboard for the day the tap fails. A water carrier is about moving and dispensing water: filling up at a standpipe and carrying it home, or drawing from your store through a tap without lifting the whole thing. Many containers do both jobs — a rigid jerry can with a tap stores water and pours it — but a collapsible carrier is bought mainly to fold away small and be filled when needed. Decide which problem you're solving and the choice gets simple.
The main types
Collapsible carriers
A collapsible carrier folds or concertinas flat when empty, so a 10–20 litre container takes up almost no cupboard space until you need it. That makes it ideal for a household that wants collection capacity in reserve without dedicating a shelf to it, and for a flat or a car kit where space is tight. The trade-offs: the fold creases can be a weak point over time, they're less happy being knocked about full, and the cheaper ones can taste of plastic when new (rinse a couple of times first). Look for a sturdy tap and a carry handle that won't dig into your hand when it's full — 10 litres of water weighs 10kg.
Rigid jerry cans
A rigid, food-grade jerry can in the 10–25 litre range is the workhorse. It stacks, survives being dropped, and a good one has a proper tap or a spout so you can draw water without heaving it over a sink. It's equally good for storage and for carrying, which is why it's the backbone of most home water plans. Buy one clearly marked food-grade or BPA-free, ideally UN-approved if you want a container rated for safe transport, with a wide filler cap for cleaning. Two 10-litre cans are easier to carry and store than one 20-litre — and give you redundancy if one fails.
Bottles and personal carriers
For an individual, a wide-mouth 1-litre bottle or a collapsible water bottle is the everyday-carry end of the spectrum: enough for a person on the move, easy to refill, and a natural pair with a water filter. A hydration bladder suits a rucksack. These aren't for supplying a household, but they're the right tool for a grab bag or a day out, and for topping up from a larger carrier.
Carriers that clean the water too
A few carriers double as purifiers — a jerrycan with a built-in filter, for instance — so what you pour out is safe to drink even if what you put in wasn't. These cost more and are overkill if you're only ever dispensing tap water you stored while it was clean, but they're a strong single-item answer if your worry is collecting from an uncertain source during a longer outage. For most people, a plain carrier plus separate purification tablets or a filter is the more flexible, cheaper route.
What to look for when buying
Food-grade and BPA-free
This is non-negotiable for anything you'll drink from: the container must be clearly marked food-grade or BPA-free. Generic fuel or garden containers are not made for drinking water and can leach into it. If a listing doesn't state it, don't assume it — pick one that does.
A decent tap or spout
The single biggest quality-of-life feature is a tap that lets you draw water one-handed into a kettle or cup without lifting the container. Heaving a full 10–20 litre can to pour is awkward and spills; a sturdy tap on the front, ideally one that stands the container on a worktop with the tap overhanging the edge, makes it genuinely usable. Check reviews for taps that drip or snap — a failed tap ruins an otherwise good carrier.
Capacity and weight
Remember water weighs a kilo a litre. A 25-litre can holds a lot but weighs 25kg full — more than many people can comfortably carry any distance. For collection you'll actually do by hand, 10 litres per container is a sensible ceiling; buy two or three rather than one huge one. For static storage with a tap, larger is fine since it isn't going anywhere. Match capacity to whether the container will be carried or just dispensed.
Stackable and storable
If it's living in a cupboard or garage, a shape that stacks and a cap that seals tightly matter. Stackable jerry cans use the space efficiently; a tamper-evident or well-sealing cap keeps stored water clean between refreshes. Collapsible carriers win outright on stored footprint if you only fill them when needed.
Filling, using and keeping it clean
Before first use, wash a new carrier with warm soapy water and rinse thoroughly — cheap plastic can taste odd otherwise. Fill from a known-clean supply where you can; if you're collecting from an uncertain source or during a boil-water notice, treat the water with purification tablets or a filter, or boil it, before drinking. Between uses, empty and dry the container with the cap off so it doesn't go stale, and rinse taps and spouts, where bugs like to sit. If you're storing water long-term in it, rotate the supply every six months or so and keep it cool and out of sunlight. Label carriers used for drinking water so they never get mixed up with ones used for anything else.
How a carrier fits your water plan
A carrier is one part of a simple three-part water plan for an outage. First, store a few days' clean water in sealed containers — roughly three litres per person per day. Second, keep a way to move and dispense it: a jerry can with a tap, or a collapsible carrier to fill at a standpipe if the outage runs long. Third, keep a way to make questionable water safe — tablets or a filter — for anything you didn't store clean. Together those three cover the great majority of UK water interruptions, from a few hours to a few days. Add a portable toilet or the know-how to flush with grey water and you've the sanitation side covered too.
Frequently asked questions
How much water should a carrier hold?
Plan on about three litres of drinking water per person per day, plus more for washing and flushing if you can. For carrying by hand, keep individual containers to around 10 litres (10kg) so they're manageable — buy two or three rather than one huge one. For static storage with a tap, a larger 20–25 litre can is fine since it stays put. See our water storage guide for how much to keep overall.
Are collapsible water carriers any good?
Yes, for the right job. They fold flat when empty, so they're ideal for keeping collection capacity in reserve without using cupboard space, and for flats or car kits. They're less robust than rigid jerry cans and the folds can weaken over time, so they suit occasional fill-when-needed use rather than permanent full storage. Rinse a new one before use, and check it has a sturdy tap and a comfortable handle.
Can I store drinking water in any container?
No — use only containers clearly marked food-grade or BPA-free. Fuel cans, garden containers and unmarked plastics can leach into the water and aren't safe for drinking. A UN-approved food-grade jerry can is a safe, hard-wearing choice. Wash any new container before first use and keep drinking-water carriers separate from ones used for anything else.
Do I need to purify water from a carrier?
Only if you're unsure it was clean when it went in. Water you stored from a good mains supply while it was safe is fine to drink straight from the carrier. Water collected from an uncertain source, or tap water under a boil-water notice, should be boiled, filtered or treated with purification tablets first. Keeping a carrier and a means of purification together covers both cases.
The short version
A water carrier is how you move and dispense water when the tap fails, and it's the natural partner to a home water store. Buy food-grade or BPA-free, choose a rigid jerry can with a good tap for the do-everything option or a collapsible carrier if space is tight, and keep containers to around 10 litres each if you'll carry them by hand. Wash it before use, keep it clean and dry between times, and pair it with a way to purify uncertain water. Get those basics right and a water outage becomes a manageable inconvenience rather than a crisis.
