I did this each winter in Denver for the many years I had singled pane windows, though I did not use water....I taped the bubble wrap I scrounged from furniture rental and shipping businesses' dumpsters using scavenged rolls of extra wide clear tape...it did WONDERS to lower my heating bills by keeping my house much cozier while still admitting light

http://homesteadsurvival.blogspot.com/2012/10/insulate-your-windows-for-winter-with.html