How Much Water Should You Store at Home? (The Real Numbers)

The one-gallon rule, what it leaves out, and a simple worksheet for your household.

Most of us have three weeks of food in the cupboard and about two days of water. I didn't notice that gap until our street's main broke one February and the store shelves were empty by noon.

The baseline

The common guideline from Ready.gov is one gallon per person per day, with at least a 3-day supply and ideally two weeks. That gallon covers drinking plus a little cooking and washing. Hot climates, nursing mothers, kids and sick family members need more.

What the gallon leaves out

• Pets: roughly an ounce per pound of dog per day, more in summer.
• Cooking dry foods: rice and beans from your pantry need water too, about 2 cups per cup of rice.
• Flushing and cleaning: this is separate "utility" water and doesn't have to be drinking water.

Quick worksheet

People × 1 gallon × 14 days = drinking water. Add 10% for pets and cooking. A family of four lands near 62 gallons, which is a lot less scary when you see it's two 30-gallon barrels plus a few cases.

Start small

Three days first. Then a week. Then two. Each step is just a few jugs on a shelf.

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