How Much Water Do You Need in Your Emergency Kit?

According to UK government advice you should have 2.5-3 litres of drinking water per person per day in your emergency supplies. I believe that you should prepare 3 litres as an absolute minimum. This amount will cover your drinking needs for all situations. For example if an emergency situation occurred during the peak of summer, your drinking requirements will be higher.

To calculate the total amount of water required, simply multiply 3 litres by the number of occupants in your household. Note that children also require the same amount of water as adults. Then you need to decide how many days supply you would like to build. It is recommended to build up at least 3 days of water supply as a minimum.

So if you are a family of four, we can calculate your minimum water requirements as follows:

It's important to note that this allows drinking water only. You will also require an additional supply of water for hygiene, cleaning and cooking. However, one of the main reasons I recommend tinned foods is because they do not need additional water to be heated. This reduces your water requirements. As does using wet wipes and hand sanitizer.

Even so, the ultimate target would be to build 10 litres of water per person, per day. This is in line with UK government advice and allows for drinking and any additional water needs. If you are trying to build your emergency kit on a budget, it's best to start with the 3 litres per day figure. Once you have achieved this then begin the second stage which is to add an extra 7 litres per person per day, if your budget and storage space allow.