FEMA 1 gal per person per day is the floor, not comfort. Heat and labor push you toward 2. Run the free calculator. Weight is 8.33 lb per gallon.
People treat FEMA's 1 gallon per person per day like a comfort target. It is the floor. Drinking plus a little cooking and hygiene. Heat, labor, nursing, and pets sit on top of that.
I'm Mike. Union electrical work in New Jersey. I care about the number you can actually lift, not a Pinterest pantry.
We may earn a commission when you buy through these links, at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Researched, not a field-test of every jug.
| What | Gallons / person / day | Use |
|---|---|---|
| FEMA floor | 1 | Drinking plus minimum cook and hygiene |
| Comfort | ~2 | Heat, hard work, extra washing |
Do not average them into 1.5 and call it science. Run the household, climate, and activity. Write down what comes out.
Weight: 8.33 lb per gallon. If the total scares you, that is why you store it at home instead of packing it.
Kids under 5 count at 0.5× in the calculator, not every child. Nursing adds. Dog 0.5 gal/day. Cat 0.25.
Hot and arid climates need more (about 1.5× to 2× on the floor). Heavy labor does too.
Run yours: Water Storage Calculator.
Clean empty bottles first if money is tight. Then sealed storage if you do not want to hunt jugs this week.
The calculator has a Shop My Patriot Supply card when gallons are above zero. That is the Water Containers shelf, not emergency food. Amazon rows for Sawyer and Reliance stay for filters and jugs MPS does not sell.
Do not buy a 55-gallon drum for a third-floor apartment. Living situation in the tool drops tanks that will not fit.