Household water planning system
Household Water Plan Worksheet
Record a usable water baseline, then make it realistic by accounting for added needs, container weight, storage locations, rotation, and a verified refill path.
1. Calculate
Use household-specific inputs.
2. Verify
Check labels, manuals, and local guidance.
3. Practice
Confirm the plan works before an outage.
Step 1
Define the household and time window
The CDC planning baseline is at least one gallon per person per day for three days, with a two-week supply encouraged when possible. It is a starting point, not a promise that every medical, pet, heat, cooking, or hygiene need is covered.
| Duration | Baseline formula | Use | Your gallons |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 days | people × 3 | Short baseline | |
| 7 days | people × 7 | One-week planning target | |
| 14 days | people × 14 | Longer target when practical |
Step 2
Document added needs instead of guessing
| Need | Person, pet, or condition | Extra gallons | Source or reason |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medical or pregnancy | |||
| Infant or formula | |||
| Pets | |||
| Hot conditions or exertion | |||
| Cooking or hygiene | |||
| Other |
Step 3
Make the container plan liftable and reachable
Water alone weighs about 8.34 pounds per US gallon. A five-gallon container holds about 41.7 pounds of water before the container’s own weight. Split the supply into sizes the people who may need it can safely move and dispense.
| Container | Capacity | Count | Full weight | Location | Filled / inspect date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Step 4
Verify storage, treatment, and refilling
Next action
Verify the numbers behind this plan.
Methodology reviewed July 26, 2026.