How much water to store, and where to put it all

Ready.gov puts it in one line: store at least one gallon of water per person per day for several days, for drinking and sanitation. Children, nursing mothers and anyone who is sick may need more. In very hot weather, water needs can double.

Source: Ready.gov, Water, checked October 17, 2026.

The American Red Cross sets the number of days: a three-day supply for leaving home and a two-week supply for staying put. That gives you two supplies: one stays home, and the other goes in a bag you can carry out the door.

Source: American Red Cross, survival kit supplies, checked October 17, 2026.

1. Count the people

   Everyone who sleeps in the home, including a baby. If a guest is staying for the season, count them too.

2. Multiply by 14 for home

   Four people times 14 days is 56 gallons.

3. Multiply by 3 for the go-bag

   Four people times 3 days is 12 gallons. That's on top of the 56.

4. Double it for very hot weather

   If outages where you live come in the summer heat, plan on 2 gallons a person a day. For four people over two weeks, that's 112 gallons.

5. Write the totals down

   Home gallons, go-bag gallons, and what you already have. The difference is your shopping list.

Source: Ready.gov, Water, checked October 17, 2026; American Red Cross, survival kit supplies, checked October 17, 2026.

Pets need water too. Ready.gov's kit list says to add extra water for your pet. Write the pet's share on its own line so it doesn't get counted as the people's water.

Source: Ready.gov, Build a Kit, checked October 18, 2026.

For the home supply, gallon jugs are the easy count: one jug is one gallon, so 56 jugs covers four people for two weeks. For the go-bag, small bottles are easier to carry and share. A 16.9 fl oz bottle holds 16.9 of the 128 fluid ounces in a gallon, so 12 gallons is about 91 bottles. If your cases hold 24 bottles each, that's 4 cases.

Ready.gov's advice is to buy water that was bottled commercially and keep it in the sealed original container. If you fill your own containers from the tap, Ready.gov says to replace that water every six months. Write the fill date on the jug with a marker, and the replace-by date next to it.

Source: Ready.gov, Water, checked October 17, 2026.

Fifty-six gallons won't fit on one shelf in most homes. Split it. Ready.gov says to keep stored water in a cool, dark place, so look for floor-level spots out of the sun, away from windows and heat.

Source: Ready.gov, Water, checked October 17, 2026.

• Hall or bedroom closet floors: jugs stand in a row along the back wall.
• Under the beds: flat cases slide under a bed frame and stay out of sight.
• The bottom pantry shelf: a few cases where you'll see them when you shop.
• By the front door, or in the coat closet: the go-bag water, so it leaves with you.
• The garage or basement, if it stays cool and dark: note which shelf on the list.

Give each spot a letter and write one line for it: where, how many gallons, store-bought or filled at home, and the date. That one list answers two questions later: do we have enough, and is any of it due?

Water you filled yourself gets replaced six months after the fill date. Jugs filled on November 1, 2026 are due on May 1, 2027. Put that date on the jug, on the water list and on the calendar.

Source: Ready.gov, Water, checked October 17, 2026.

Ready.gov also says to rethink your needs every year and update your kit. A new baby, a roommate who moved out, or a dog all change the count. An easy day to remember is the fall time change, the first Sunday in November.

Source: Ready.gov, Build a Kit, checked October 18, 2026; NIST, daylight saving time rules, checked October 12, 2026.

• Tip 01

  Buy it over a few trips

  Fifty-six gallons is a lot to carry home at once. Get the go-bag water first, then add a few jugs each time you shop until the list is full.

• Tip 02

  Same marker, same spot

  Write dates on the jug shoulder with one permanent marker, so you can read every date without moving the row.

• Tip 03

  Put the oldest in front

  When you replace jugs, put the new ones at the back. If you ever use some, take from the front.

• Tip 04

  Count the cases, not the bottles

  On the list, write cases and bottles per case. It's quicker to check than counting loose bottles.

This page is one part of a bigger job. The system page puts the parts in order.

• SystemStorm and outage prep recordOne record for the next storm: count water and food by people and days, list what needs power, write contacts on paper, date the kit and check it yearly.9 steps · 5 parts · 1 page to printOpen the system

• Chapter 05Outage supply plannerCount the water, food and flashlights for a home supply and a go-bag from the Ready.gov and Red Cross lists, with refill dates and a printable supply list.Open the tool
• Practical noteBooking the cooling check-up: what to have ready before you callBook the spring AC check-up with the system's model, its service history and the rooms that run hot in front of you. Then write the date down.Read the guide
• Practical notePower outage checklist: what to write down before the next stormList what runs on power, count a flashlight per person, note battery sizes, phone backup and numbers to call, and tape it inside the kit.Read the guide
• Chapter 05All calendar toolsA home maintenance calendar for your climate region: the jobs to book, check and write down each month, for owners and renters, with a year sheet to print.Open the chapter

• Water, Ready.gov (U.S. Department of Homeland Security, FEMA). Checked October 17, 2026.
• Survival Kit Supplies, American Red Cross. Checked October 17, 2026.
• Build A Kit, Ready.gov (U.S. Department of Homeland Security, FEMA). Checked October 18, 2026.
• Daylight Saving Time Rules, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Checked October 12, 2026.

Every outside number on this page names its source and the date we checked it. See them all on the sources page. Spotted an error? Tell us.