An ode to the five-gallon bucket

Well, not really, since I'm not a poet. These light, tough plastic buckets are very useful. Handymen get a cloth or leather toolholder for them, making the bucket the cheapest toolbox around. You can store practically anything in them, from non-perishable food to seeds, from lead weights for casting bullets to... water?
Why store water in five-gallon buckets? It's fast and easy to put water in and dump water out, making it much more likely that you'll rotate your water storage. They stack well (don't go more than two high with water, but light stuff can still go on top)and won't be too heavy for most people to move around. Five-gallon buckets are also cheaper than a dedicated water container.

Why wouldn't you store water in five-gallon buckets? Well, it can be a pain getting a drink. Regular five-gallon water containers have a spigot attached or the ability to screw one in quickly. Instead, one should use a cup or scoop with an attached handle. Of course, that spigot is a weak point, too. There is also an increased chance to have crud fall into your drinking water. Finally, the lids on these five-gallon buckets are a pain to remove by hand.

So, get a lid remover, have a water cup handy like great-grandpappy did, and keep more water stashed! If you need it, you'll really need it.