Water Storage: How Much You Really Need

Four Gallons. Not One. FOUR.

Let's have a meaningful talk about water storage, because this is critical and most people underestimate how much they actually need.

You need 4 gallons per person per day. Not one. FOUR.

I know FEMA says one gallon. But FEMA also told us 72 hours was enough, and we all know how that's working out.

Why Four Gallons Is Realistic

Here's the breakdown:

• Drinking: 0.5-1 gallon (more in heat, more if you're sick)
• Cooking: 0.5-1 gallon (rice, pasta, coffee — and freeze-dried food uses MORE water than you'd think)
• Hygiene: 1-1.5 gallons (brushing teeth, washing hands, basic cleanup)
• Sanitation: 1 gallon (flushing toilets)
• Buffer: That extra bit matters (trust me)

For a family of four for two weeks? That's 224 gallons.

Two weeks is the new realistic minimum we should all be planning for. Your family deserves better than 72 hours.

Real Experience

We've lost water for up to 6 days after storms.

Having stored water worked like a charm. Could flush toilets, brush teeth, cook, stay clean. Meanwhile, neighbors were scrambling.

Don't be the neighbor scrambling.

WaterBOBs — The Game Changer

This was THE revelation during the hurricanes. When you know a storm is coming, you fill your bathtub. But a regular bathtub? The water gets gross. It drains. It's hard to use. BUGS! The toddler's hands... enough said.

A WaterBOB is a food-grade bladder that fits in your tub. Fill it, seal it, and you have 100 gallons of clean water ready to go.

We bought WaterBOBs for everyone in our family. It's the cheapest, easiest water prep there is.

WaterBOB on Amazon →

Storage Solutions

Bottled water flats — I keep 10 flats stored. My teens rotate through them every Friday with their friends, so they never expire. Grab new flats, replace them. Built-in rotation system.

WaterBOBs — 2 per bathtub (just in case), fill when the storm is coming.

5-gallon stackable containers — We use Legacy Premium containers. I buy them on Amazon in groups of 6. They stack beautifully, don't take up insane amounts of space, and are actually manageable to move when full. Start with 6. Do more as you can. Shoot for at least 5 sets.

5-Gallon Stackable Containers on Amazon →

Large tanks — Hard Truth? Those big 55-gallon drums? They work, but they're HEAVY and unwieldy when full. If you have the space and the strength (or a pump system), they're an option. But for most people, the 5-gallon stackables are more practical.

One More Thing

I also have a saltwater desalinator that can make fresh water from the ocean. That's a whole separate discussion — more on that in a future article.