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08 — Food & water quantities (5 adults + small dog)

Scope: Quantities derived from official Prepare/WHO water figures and Prepare food framing. No invented personal medical/diet FILL facts. Scale for 5 adults + 1 small dog.
Last researched: 27 Sep 2026 (Europe/London).

ESSENTIAL — Water

Prepare cites WHO:

Basis	Per person / day	× 5 adults
Drinking survival minimum	2.5–3 L	12.5–15 L
Drinking + basic cooking + hygiene	~10 L	~50 L

Pets: Prepare — additional water for pets. PDSA: pack sealed bottles in pet grab bag; small dog rough planning often uses ~0.5–1 L+/day depending on size/activity/heat (confirm with your vet for your dog — do not treat as clinical advice).

Illustrative household multi-day water (drinking+hygiene band)

Days	5 adults @ 10 L	+ small dog (planning band 1 L/day)	Total (order of magnitude)
1	50 L	1 L	~51 L
3	150 L	3 L	~153 L
7	350 L	7 L	~357 L

Practical note: Full 10 L/person/day for a week is bulky/heavy — many households stage 3-day comfortable + top-up plan, and treat UU bottled water points as backup not primary (Ch. 04). Drinking-only minimums are lighter but omit washing/cooking comfort.

Store cool/dark; rotate commercially bottled water per manufacturer guidance.

ESSENTIAL — Food (people)

Prepare:

Non-perishable, ready-to-eat where possible (tinned meat/fruit/veg + manual tin opener).
No fixed kg/day government ration — match household diets, allergies, and ability to heat food.
Build gradually; avoid panic buying.

Planning aid (not an official ration): Aim for several days of meals that need no cooking as the power-cut core; keep a separate “can heat if gas/camping stove available outdoors safely” layer — never use fuel burners indoors (Ch. 11).

Include dietary needs of all five adults (household fills specifics).

ESSENTIAL — Food (dog)

PDSA emergency pet bag: 2–3 days food minimum in grab bag; more at home if sheltering.
Usual diet preferred; sealed containers; diary reminder to rotate before expiry.
Bowls (collapsible useful); medications accessible but pet-safe storage.

USEFUL

Hand sanitiser / wet wipes when water off (Prepare).
Manual can opener, plates/cutlery that don’t need dishwasher.
FSA power-cut food safety for fridge/freezer contents (Ch. 03).
After flood: do not eat food touched by flood water; discard unsafe chilled/frozen per GOV.UK after-flood (Ch. 15).
Camping stove outdoors only, CO alarms, fuel storage per manufacturer — not a Prepare core item.

Cumbria notes

Snow-blocked rural roads → longer self-sufficiency than urban 24h assumptions.
Heatwaves raise water needs above tabled minima.

Source URLs

Source	URL
Prepare – supplies & water litres	https://prepare.campaign.gov.uk/get-prepared-for-emergencies/
PDSA emergency pet bag	https://www.pdsa.org.uk/what-we-do/blog/what-to-put-in-an-emergency-pet-bag
FSA power cut food	https://www.food.gov.uk/safety-hygiene/food-safety-in-a-power-cut-advice-for-consumers
GOV.UK after flood food/water	https://www.gov.uk/after-flood

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