# How much water do I need for my trip?



## Claytonious (Jan 17, 2008)

gbmaz said:


> I have a 5 day San Juan trip coming up in July and I am wondering how much drinking/cooking water I will need to bring. Is there a general rule of thumb for summer river trips in the desert?
> 
> We will be using river water for dishes and washing and will have a moderate amount of beer/soda for the trip. How much water per person per day do you usually bring?
> 
> Any recommendations of water jugs? Ones you would definitely avoid?


The rule that I have gone by is one gallon per person per day, minimum. You probably want to bring more, and bring a water filter, just in case. Get some of those sturdy five gallon jugs from NRS or an outdoor store. Take milk jugs, fill them with water, freeze them, put them in your cooler. They work way better than block ice, because they will not swamp your cooler, they last a long time, and at the end of the trip you will have ice cold water to drink.


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## COUNT (Jul 5, 2005)

1 gallon per day per person is the standard rule of thumb and will leave you with extra.


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## rivermanryan (Oct 30, 2003)

We took 26 gallons for a 4 day trip with 2 families and did fine. We soaked our dishes using riverwater and conserved where practical. A spare filter never hurts.


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## Tiggy (May 17, 2004)

Drinking water is a serious luxury, not to mention ice~ I agree 1 G /day and always bring a filter! Ive drank bleached water b4, ughhhhh, never again,lol


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## Jensjustduckie (Jun 29, 2007)

Tiggy said:


> Drinking water is a serious luxury, not to mention ice~ I agree 1 G /day and always bring a filter! Ive drank bleached water b4, ughhhhh, never again,lol


Ewww, did you have any stomach issues after that?


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## Riparian (Feb 7, 2009)

Ditto on the gallon-a-day minimum. I use water-filled, half-gallon milk jugs for cooler ice. You can drink some really cold water off the top of the jugs as they melt. Also, I start with a full 100 oz. Camelback to take care of my Day 1 hydration needs.

July is really hot in SE Utah, so a little extra water is a good thing.


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## stillkicken (Nov 30, 2003)

I've always gone with the 1 gal per person a day too but rarely use that much. The San Juan in July though might be a trip where you'll use it all and maybe then some. i also bring lots of powdered gatorade. It really helps to keep your electrolytes up.


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## gbmaz (Oct 7, 2007)

Thanks for all the great feedback. Some things I knew,
but a few things were new to me.

NRS used to sell 5 gallon tan military style water jugs, but now they only have 2.5 gallon ones. The manufacturer is Scepter and I think they are the actual ones used by the military. I read somewhere that they are getting hard to find because Scepter no longer sells them in the civillian market.

Does anyone have a good source for these or something real similar?


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## sea hag (Mar 24, 2006)

Stackable Containers - US Plastic Corporation

try these.


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## asleep.at.the.oars (May 6, 2006)

gbmaz said:


> Thanks for all the great feedback. Some things I knew,
> but a few things were new to me.
> 
> NRS used to sell 5 gallon tan military style water jugs, but now they only have 2.5 gallon ones. The manufacturer is Scepter and I think they are the actual ones used by the military. I read somewhere that they are getting hard to find because Scepter no longer sells them in the civillian market.
> ...


They sell 'em at DownRiver. Down River Equipment

If you're taking a filter, also bring alum (in the spice aisle at the supermarket) - it will help settle the water so that you can actually pump it. If you filter, you also still need to bleach (and vice-versa). No fun, but you're downstream of lots of animals - human and otherwise.


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## Tiggy (May 17, 2004)

Jensjustduckie said:


> Ewww, did you have any stomach issues after that?


NO, but I still hate eggs!!


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## 86304 (Apr 15, 2008)

my 2 cents worth:

after lugging 5 and 6 gallon containers for decades, i really like the 2.5 or 3 gallon size jugs.

i have found the aum from the drug store (the powder kind, not the granular) will dissolve a lot faster and more completely.

bob


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## twmartin (Apr 3, 2007)

Brother:

In addition to all of the advice about the water the most important piece of equipment I forgot for a late June San Juan trip was an umbrella for the raft. It was blistering hot and we didn't float into shade until 4:30 on the first day. Definitely a buzzwrecker for two pasty skinned irish kids. They are nearly impossible to pick up in July so I would buy one or more now. I just picked up two the other day at the Local Sam club as the aluminum poles tend to break.


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## Airborne2504 (Jul 11, 2008)

gbmaz said:


> Thanks for all the great feedback. Some things I knew,
> but a few things were new to me.
> 
> NRS used to sell 5 gallon tan military style water jugs, but now they only have 2.5 gallon ones. The manufacturer is Scepter and I think they are the actual ones used by the military. I read somewhere that they are getting hard to find because Scepter no longer sells them in the civillian market.
> ...


Here's a link straight to the military style water jugs, for sale for only $32. U.S. CAV has a lot military stuff for the civillian market. Hope this helps!

Military Water Can


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## raftus (Jul 20, 2005)

re-post from the Rafting Grand Canyon Yahoo Group:


> Hi All,
> 
> I found a web site selling military style water cans for $15.84
> each. This is a great deal on a heavy duty water container. It is
> ...


I contacted the company to ask about shipping costs - shipping is included in the $15.84. Sounds like a good deal to me.


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## rivermanryan (Oct 30, 2003)

I use water containers from Blitz, the same company who makes those red fuel "cans". These are cheaper than the military tan containers and don't leak like the ones from Wal-mart.

Blitz USA: Item # 50863 6.5 Self Venting Water Can


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## Ron (Apr 21, 2004)

*Bail buckets filled and left on the*

beach over night until the sediment settles out. Then pour off the top of each bucket into another empty bucket. A few drops of clorox (not enough to taste) and you don't have to carry water. Remember the water carrys you. You don't have to carry it! In the 70's we used to just dip it right out of the river with river cups, but then everyone got paranoid. In all our trips never had anyone with stomach issues. ron.


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## riverdoghenry (Nov 18, 2008)

*Scepter Is What NRS Sells*



gbmaz said:


> Thanks for all the great feedback. Some things I knew,
> but a few things were new to me.
> 
> NRS used to sell 5 gallon tan military style water jugs, but now they only have 2.5 gallon ones. The manufacturer is Scepter and I think they are the actual ones used by the military. I read somewhere that they are getting hard to find because Scepter no longer sells them in the civillian market.
> ...



This is the same brand that NRS sells (Scepter) and what the military uses for about HALF the price of NRS. Keep in mind that they're are a lot of cheap look-a-likes popping up on the market: SCEPTER GI RUNT™ MWC 2.5 GALLON / 10 LITER WATER CAN - Brigade Quartermasters

$6.95 for shipping is also a good deal!

As mentioned above, they're made in Canada. The copies will be advertised as USA or else where in the world.


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## alanbol (Jun 3, 2005)

*Ditto Ron's advice*



Ron said:


> beach over night until the sediment settles out. Then pour off the top of each bucket into another empty bucket. A few drops of clorox (not enough to taste) and you don't have to carry water. Remember the water carrys you. You don't have to carry it! In the 70's we used to just dip it right out of the river with river cups, but then everyone got paranoid. In all our trips never had anyone with stomach issues. ron.


We usually carry a couple of 5-6 gallon containers on each raft. When we get to camp, we start settling water, using alum (pre-dissolved to saturation in a 1-qt bottle - only takes about 1-2 tablespoons of the solution to settle a 5-gallon bucket). The next morning, we decant into water jugs and add 2 drops of bleach/gallon. Let it sit all day and it's ready when you get to camp. 

Make sure you bleach is fresh (it loses chlorine with time). Settle your water first (most bugs attach to the suspended silt and mud). And don't add too much chlorine (2 drops/gallon - take an eyedropper). You can't taste it and nobody gets sick.


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