As in the title, I always see threads like "how do you handle rations?" "do you track rations and eating?" and the such but I never see the same question about water.

Been playing for a long time and never really come up until recently and just.. my friggin god the amount of water consumed per day, weight of water and average trekking distance?

3 days to a dungeon, maybe a day or 2 to explore it, 3 days back is a mandatory 8 gallons weighing in at 64 pounds or 16 full waterskins (double this amount if your in hot conditions).  You ever try to carry 8 gallons of water? like go to the super market, grab 4 in one hand and 4 in the other and just look at the sheer volume of it as well.

It might be realistic but I immediately was just like.. so we need pack animals to just carry water.. and another pack animal to feed that pack animal?  Also if you play with these rules how do you deal with your PCs constant need to urinate? factor average 16 hours of being awake means 8 ounces an hour or roughly a poland spring bottle of water every 2 hours your awake.  BTW only half a gallon drank that day? DC 15 con save or suffer exhaustion, consumed ONLY 63 ounces (nearly 4 bottles worth or almost 1 entire waterskin) of water ? automatic exhaustion no save.  The PCs dry out faster than my sink sponge..

When you look at water consumption the task of 'rations' is a non factor 8 days, 16lbs whatever

When you look at how people dealt with water in premodern times. They usually only carried enough water with them to last for a day or so. Even in the deserts of the western US, there were springs available on a frequent basis. For the Old Spanish Trail (from Santa Fe to Los Angeles)/Mormon Wagon Road (from Salt Lake City to Los Angeles), one of the longest sections that people had to go was the distance from the Muddy River to springs located north of modern day Las Vegas, or a distance of around 45-50 miles. In general, people could make that distance in 2, maybe three days at most. At the right time of year, there were some playas in between that contained water. The wagon roads often have splits in their paths with side routes heading into these playas. When people saw water in the playa, they would take the slightly longer route to the playa to get water. When no water was present, they would take the shorter route so that they would get to the springs on time.

Native Americans also didn't carry massive amounts of water with them when traversing the deserts. They knew where the water sources were, and planned there trips accordingly.

I'm sure that the characters in a D&D world would have some knowledge of where springs and rivers are, and would take advantage of those areas in their journeys. Filling up their water skins at appropriate places.

Plus you've got Create or Destroy Water as a first level spell available to Clerics and Druids, or anyone who wants to spend a feat. Create Food and Water is a 3rd level spell, so a slightly more precious resource, but still an option for Clerics, Paladins, and Artificers.

I always assumed water was unspokenly included alongside rations. My characters always carry a second water skin because I’ve had characters die of dehydration.

Quote from IamSposta >>

I always assumed water was unspokenly included alongside rations. My characters always carry a second water skin because I’ve had characters die of dehydration.

I can see how, even consuming 60 ounces of water a day a PC will take automatic exhaustion levels, literally just walking salt.  mooore.. moooooooooooooooore.. SO THIIIIRSTY!!! MOOOOOOOOREE!!!!!!!!!!

 My character after 6 days of only getting a liter and a half of water each day.

Unless the party is in a specifically dry place or dungeon with no water source, I just hand wave it away. Tracking days of food and such is only fun if one of the PCs can overcome the problem with survival skill or spells. Otherwise it's TPK by starvation, that's lame.

If characters are going into areas where they will have very little access to food or water for several days, they should bring provisions. Otherwise, they can always make a Survival check. Some backgrounds like Outlander and class features such as those for a Ranger, can let you get food and water more easily. Druids can cast Goodberry. Clerics can cast Create Food and Water. Some races don't need food or water. High level monks don't need to eat or drink.

So given the vast abundance of ways to very easily procure food and water, it is often hand-waived and not tracked meticulously unless in a rather unusual situation that would call for it.

Some people may enjoy the tracking of such minutiae. In my experience the vast majority find it too tedious. If I had to actively track every sip, every time they peed or shit, and so on it I'd be so incredibly bored. I'm not at the table to play a resource management game. I'm their for roleplay, combat, epic adventures and an immersive story.

It's D&D, not The Sims.

Quote from Wysperra >>

Unless the party is in a specifically dry place or dungeon with no water source, I just hand wave it away. Tracking days of food and such is only fun if one of the PCs can overcome the problem with survival skill or spells. Otherwise it's TPK by starvation, that's lame.

 It’s useful if you want to hang a ticking clock over the party to help ratchet up tensions or make taking short rests less obvious. I’m always a big fan of a ticking clock.