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How Much Water Do You Really Need to Store?

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PrepperLinda65

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Apr 30, 2025
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How Much Water Do You Really Need to Store?

Most guidelines say 1 gallon per person per day, but that never seems like enough for washing and cooking, especially with kids around. How much water does everyone really set aside for a two-week emergency? Would love to hear what works for larger families.
 
One gallon per person a day is honestly pretty bare bones—enough for drinking but not much else. I always double that for a more realistic buffer, especially with grandkids running around, since spills and extra messes happen. For a family of five, that's 10 gallons a day, so
 
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Doubling the amount really does make sense, especially once you count in cooking and the messes that come with kids. I tried sticking to the one gallon per person guideline at first, but I ran out way too fast just doing dishes and keeping hands clean. These days, I store closer to two gallons per person per day, and it feels a lot less stressful. Do you ever rotate your stored water or just keep adding to it?
 
I always aim for at least 2 gallons per person per day—just feels safer, especially for cooking and cleaning. Anyone else have trouble keeping the water tasting fresh after a few months?
 
Two gallons per person feels about right here too, especially in summer—kids use up so much for washing! Anybody have tips for keeping stored water from tasting plasticky after a while?
 
Doubling up to two gallons really is the sweet spot, especially if you’re washing produce or dealing with sticky hands all day long. I rotate my water every six months or so, just to keep it from going stale or tasting off. For that plasticky taste, storing in glass or food-grade barrels helps a lot—plastic jugs never seem to taste quite right after a while. Has anyone tried adding a few drops of lemon juice to freshen up flavor?
 
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