14.4.1 Water supply
Water supply is not the focus of this module but is obviously essential in an emergency situation. As you can imagine, there may not be sufficient water available to meet basic needs and in this situation supplying a survival level of safe drinking water is of critical importance. The Sphere Handbook sets standards for the minimum quantity and quality of water that should be available to people in emergencies, shown in Table 14.1. The recommended absolute minimum is 7.5 litres per person per day although this can vary depending on a number of different factors.
| Water use | Volume per person per day | Comments |
| Survival needs: water intake (drinking and food) | 2.5–3 litres | Depends on the climate and individual physiology |
| Basic hygiene practices | 2–6 litres | Depends on social and cultural norms |
| Basic cooking needs | 3–6 litres | Depends on food type and social as well as cultural norms |
| Total basic water needs | 7.5–15 litres |
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14.4 Standards for emergency response