FEMA recommends storing one gallon of water per person per day for at least three days. That keeps you alive. It doesn’t cover washing hands properly, cooking anything that needs to be rehydrated, basic hygiene, or any emergency medical needs. It’s a survival floor, not a plan. Here’s what a real water storage plan looks like — and why the number is higher than most people expect. The Real Number For comfortable emergency living (cooking, drinking, basic hygiene), the actual nu