Best place to stock up on water

[Apprentice Dreamer]

Hi,

I'm wondering about the best place to pick up water pre-BRC, I see Gerlach

"will be selling potable water for RVs and portable water containers. We will have containers for sale on a first come basis. 15 gallon containers are $45.00, 6 gallon containers are $20.00 and 7 gallon containers are $25. Free water when you purchase a container from us! We will not be taking reservations for water sales or containers. "

I don't want to take a risk with the 1st come 1st served as I know I won't be anywhere near the start of the line. Also I'm in a standard hire-car so don't know how well it'd fit 6g+ jugs. I was planning to buy water at walmart, etc in Reno but I've seen that advised against as it's a long road to haul the water.

So what's the nearest locations to BRC that I'd be able to get my water & that I can safely rely on not to have run out?

[C.f.M.]

There's a place in Reno called something like "Simply Water." They have the huge reservoirs, and let us fill up the little blue containers. Google them.

[JayBobBoy]

You're over thinking this whole thing. You've got your rental car, so just stop in Reno or Sparks and get your supplies and head out. You'll be fine.

Others, like myself, are towing trailers or driving RV's with big water tanks. We are the ones who really need to consider going to Gerlach for their water.

Don't sweat it...get your ass to the playa! Safely!

[dragonpilot]

Second JayBobBoy...buy your water in Reno or Sparks...get easy-to-handle 1 gallon or 2.5 gallon containers. You don't have to fill up a 55 gallon barrel...get the smaller containers.

Know that many folks supplement their daily dose of water from other sources such as sodas, soup, fruit juices, tea, coffee...beer (and don't give me that crap that "beer is bad 'cause it's a diuretic..." it's almost all water)...anyway...YMMV.

[Apprentice Dreamer]

Thanks guys, sounds like I've nothing to worry about with loading up on water in Reno so that's what I'll do.

[Canoe]

Gerlach will have the water.
But they might be out of containers.
Containers can be had at a number of places, including the Savemart parking lot at Keystone, where a water-filtering machine will be setup for bulk purchases.

(The white 5 gallon buckets at Walmart (paint department) are around $4.00 with a lid (plus tax). They're HDPE (recycle #2), which is used for milk containers and the like. These don't have dyes like coloured buckets which contaminate food. Some people are using them for bulk long-term storage of food, but I don't have any info on if they're "food safe" for water: conflicting reports on if that HDPE is food grade or not. Could be different manufacturers supplying walmart around the country. )

If you're buying pre-bottled water, the Arrow Head seems to have the best taste. Often available at Costco. Savemart on West Plumb (near Virgina) usually has it cheaper than Savemart Keystone... and more sizes available as Keystone sells out. It's available in 1g, 2.5g and 5g. 2.5g is still easy to manage.
The walmarts that see a lot of Burners tend to get extra pallets of the Arrow Head and others, which they'll roll another pallet out of the back once the one out front gets low. So if you don't see it, ask.

To get 5 gallons:
* 2x 2.5 gallon Arrow Head containers is around $9.
* a walmart bucket filled in Gerlach is around $6.75 ($4.25 for bucket, $2.50 for water).

How much water are you intending to bring and for how many people?

[Apprentice Dreamer]

Thanks Canoe,

Think I'll go for 2.5L bottles for convenience rather than the white buckets.
It's only water for myself, ~10g, so I'm probably overthinking it like Jaybobboy says, but I figured if there's one thing to get right its the water.

[Canoe]

...I'll go for 2.5L bottles...
It's only water for myself, ~10g,
if there's one thing to get right its the water.

2.5L or 2.5 Gallons?
2.5 gallons are very convenient. And Costco is showing them at 2x for $6.45, for $1.29 a gallon.
old and new? packaging
(NOTE: that's Arrow Head SPRING water, not distilled water.)

arrow head 2.5g.png

In 2010 I had the container type on the left. Added electrolyte powder (o.k., it was Gatorade, but I don't want to promote that, you should get something better) to them and took them out to esplanade to provide drinks.

Monday to Monday is eight days. 8x 1.5 gal = 12 gal, plus more for the Sunday.

Maybe grab a case of 500ml bottles for you to grab and go when you're on the playa? And you want to start sipping water as soon as you're heading up to the playa. Stay hydrated from the start, don't fall behind and have to catch up.

And you certainly don't want to get the water wrong.