How much water to store for a 72-hour emergency
How much water to keep at home, according to official guides, how to store it, and how to add your pets. No rush: a simple sum is enough.
Updated 15 November 2026. Independent website: we do not speak for any organisation.
Store at least 3 litres of water per person per day, mainly for drinking and cooking. This is what the Swedish agency MSB recommends. Switzerland asks for 9 litres per person for 3 days. MSB BWL
The guides do not all give the same figure. BBK gives 2 litres per person per day, of which 0.5 litres are for cooking. Catalonia asks for at least 1.5 litres. If you count basic hygiene, Sweden (MCF) gives 3 to 5 litres per adult per day. BBK Catalonia MCF
What the guides say
These are the figures we read in each guide, without rounding:
- Sweden (MSB, 2024 leaflet): at least 3 litres a day, mainly for drinking and cooking. MSB
- Sweden (MCF, website): 3 to 5 litres per adult per day, for drinking, cooking and basic hygiene. MCF
- Switzerland (BWL): at least 9 litres per person for 3 days, for drinking and cooking. BWL
- Germany (BBK): ideally 2 litres per person per day, of which 0.5 litres are for cooking. BBK
- Finland (72tuntia): at least 5 litres per person of bottled water for 72 hours. 72tuntia
- Catalonia (Generalitat): at least 1.5 litres per person per day. This is a regional source. Catalonia
- European Union: does not set a figure in litres. Its aim is that every home can cope for at least 72 hours, and its guidelines ask for stored water for drinking, basic cooking and hygiene. EU EU
Litres for 3 and 7 days
Water needed at 3 litres per person per day
| People | 3 days | 7 days |
|---|---|---|
| 1 person | 9 L | 21 L |
| 2 people | 18 L | 42 L |
| 3 people | 27 L | 63 L |
| 4 people | 36 L | 84 L |
| 5 people | 45 L | 105 L |
Our own sum: people × days × 3 litres. These 3 litres are the Swedish and Swiss figure for drinking and cooking, so they do not include hygiene. For 3 days, Switzerland recommends 9 litres per person, the same as the first row. MSB BWL
How to store it
- Store water in drums or containers that are safe for food. MSB
- Use containers with a lid. 72tuntia
- If you do not have containers, you can buy bottled water. MSB
- Count water for cooking and for hygiene separately: it is not the same as drinking water. 72tuntia BBK
If you need a container, look for an empty drum or carrier that is safe for food and water:
- Water container with a lid, safe for food
To fill at home. Check that it says it is food safe.
See on Amazon: Water container with a lid, safe for food. Opens in another tab. - Empty water carrier, safe for food
To store water. Check that it says it is food safe.
See on Amazon: Empty water carrier, safe for food. Opens in another tab.
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If you have pets
Add water for your pets. The calculator adds it to the total. The Finnish guide includes food and water for pets in the home stock. 72tuntia
Work out the exact water for your home
Tell us how many people and pets live with you, and we will give you the amount of water along with the rest of your list.
Frequently asked questions
How much water should I store per person?
At least 3 litres per person per day for drinking and cooking, according to the Swedish agency MSB. Switzerland recommends at least 9 litres per person for 3 days. If you also count basic hygiene, the Swedish agency MCF gives 3 to 5 litres per adult per day.
Should I count water for cooking and hygiene separately?
Yes. The German BBK guide says that, of the 2 litres per person per day it recommends, 0.5 litres are for cooking. Finland (72tuntia) says that, as well as drinking water, you need water for cooking and for hygiene. The EU asks that stored water covers drinking, basic cooking and hygiene.
What containers can I use to store water?
Drums or containers that are safe for food, with a lid, according to the Swedish agency MSB and 72tuntia of Finland. If you have no containers, the Swedish guides also mention bottled water.
Official sources
We have read these documents. Where the guides are in other languages, we translated the quotes ourselves.
- BWL: leaflet on emergency stock (Switzerland)German-language PDF. Quote of 9 litres per person for 3 days.
- MSB: leaflet «Om krisen eller kriget kommer» (Sweden)Swedish-language PDF, 2024 edition. Quote of at least 3 litres a day.
- MCF: access to water in a crisis (Sweden)Swedish-language page from the Swedish Civil Defence agency. Quote of 3 to 5 litres.
- BBK: «Vorsorgen für Krisen und Katastrophen» (Germany)German-language PDF, 2025 edition.
- 72tuntia.fi: home stock (Finland)In Finnish. Quote of at least 5 litres of bottled water per person for 72 hours.
- 72tuntia.fi: water (Finland)In Finnish. Water for drinking, cooking and hygiene, and containers with a lid.
- Civil Protection of Catalonia: emergency equipmentGeneralitat de Catalunya, Department of the Interior. Regional source.
- European Commission: 72-hour self-sufficiency guidelines for the public (SWD(2026) 826)PDF in English, 30 October 2026.
- European Commission: Preparedness Union Strategy (joint communication)26 March 2025. Action on self-sufficiency for at least 72 hours.
In an emergency, call 999 or 112 and always follow what the authorities say.