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About 2 years ago I purchased two Aqua-pod Emergency Bathtub Water Bladders for storing 75 gallons of water in your tub and keeping it drinkable for up to a month. I believe they cost about $35.00 each and I felt good about having the ability to use them during a Hurricane or other emergency situation.
Well, that time came last Wednesday when Hurricane Ian hit us. About 6 hours prior to the storm making landfall, I filled the bladder with 75 gallons of water and sealed it as per instructions. After dinner I went into the bathroom to check on it only to discover that the bladder had failed and the seam opened up on a 3 foot section of the side rendering the bladder useless! Needless to say, I was not a happy camper!
As luck would have it, we fared better than most and we did not need the water - but that is not the point. This was supposed to be an emergency item (made in USA ) and when we needed it, it was a piece of junk and failed.
The hurricane has gone, we suffered no damage in my development (with the exception of trees and bushes that is - but no structural damage to our homes) and I figured I'd call the Aquapod Corp. and let them know. They have NO contact information on their website that I could find and no phone number either. Very frustrating - but that now seems to be the norm with big Company's and the only phone number they do post is the sales hotline. They now sell exclusively through Amazon I believe.
Quite honestly, even before I filled the Bladder I was a bit taken back by how thin it was and the flimsy construction. I did however expect it to work.
PSA: DO NOT rely on this cheap flimsy excuse of a month long water storage system! If you do already own one, I'd suggest using it ONLY as a back up and secure your potable water in better storage containers or systems. The biggest hurricane of the century is not the time to figure out that your water storage system has failed. The only saving grace here is that we never needed it - but I did not know that at the time. There are other Company's that produce similar products (made in China) and I have no idea if they are any better.
My suggestion would be to just clean your bathtub very well prior to filling it and make sure you rinse it well before filling it. I'd also make sure that the tub drain seals well so your stored water does not leak out. Last but not least, boiling it before drinking would also be a good idea - just in case..... Oh - I also do have water purification tablets on hand if needed. I wonder if others have had similar results.......
Well, that time came last Wednesday when Hurricane Ian hit us. About 6 hours prior to the storm making landfall, I filled the bladder with 75 gallons of water and sealed it as per instructions. After dinner I went into the bathroom to check on it only to discover that the bladder had failed and the seam opened up on a 3 foot section of the side rendering the bladder useless! Needless to say, I was not a happy camper!
As luck would have it, we fared better than most and we did not need the water - but that is not the point. This was supposed to be an emergency item (made in USA ) and when we needed it, it was a piece of junk and failed.
The hurricane has gone, we suffered no damage in my development (with the exception of trees and bushes that is - but no structural damage to our homes) and I figured I'd call the Aquapod Corp. and let them know. They have NO contact information on their website that I could find and no phone number either. Very frustrating - but that now seems to be the norm with big Company's and the only phone number they do post is the sales hotline. They now sell exclusively through Amazon I believe.
Quite honestly, even before I filled the Bladder I was a bit taken back by how thin it was and the flimsy construction. I did however expect it to work.
PSA: DO NOT rely on this cheap flimsy excuse of a month long water storage system! If you do already own one, I'd suggest using it ONLY as a back up and secure your potable water in better storage containers or systems. The biggest hurricane of the century is not the time to figure out that your water storage system has failed. The only saving grace here is that we never needed it - but I did not know that at the time. There are other Company's that produce similar products (made in China) and I have no idea if they are any better.
My suggestion would be to just clean your bathtub very well prior to filling it and make sure you rinse it well before filling it. I'd also make sure that the tub drain seals well so your stored water does not leak out. Last but not least, boiling it before drinking would also be a good idea - just in case..... Oh - I also do have water purification tablets on hand if needed. I wonder if others have had similar results.......
