Camping Water per Day

Water per camper per day

For basic camp planning, count on 3-4 L/person/day to drink, another liter for cooking, and 1-2 L for hygiene, which lands you at roughly 5-6 L a day. In hot weather or under hard effort (climbing, ultra running) the drinking share alone can climb to 5-6 L/day. The American Wilderness Medical Society puts the figure at 0.5 L for every hour of moderate exertion.

Pulling water from streams or lakes? You have a few ways to treat it: a 0.2 μm filter (Sawyer Squeeze, Katadyn), chemical tablets (chlorine dioxide, 30 min), UV (SteriPEN), or boiling (a 1 min rolling boil at ≥1000m altitude). Each one kills off Giardia and E. coli, though the chemical route leaves any particulates behind.

Applications

Handy for camping, hiking and trekking (ICMBio trails), Scout outings (UEB), Defesa Civil training, multi-day expeditions, and ultra-trail support stations.

FAQ

How heavy is a day's water? About 5 kg (5 L). On multi-day hikes, map out the distances between water sources or pack a filter so you can refill along the way.

Can I drink stream water without treatment? It's a gamble. Even water that looks pristine can carry Giardia and leptospira, so treat or filter it every time.

Best storage container? A hydration bladder (Camelbak, Osprey) keeps your hands free on the trail, while rigid bottles (Nalgene) are better for cooking at camp.