How to set a daily water tracking goal
Short answer: Pick a goal that matches what you already drink plus a modest, comfortable step, then adjust it after a week. The figures you often see (about 3.7 litres a day for men and 2.7 litres for women) are total water from all drinks and food, not a rule for plain water, and individual needs vary. If you have a medical condition or a fluid restriction, follow your clinician's advice instead.
Updated 2026-10-14 by the Dropkin team.
What the 2.7 L and 3.7 L figures mean
In 2004 the US National Academies set Adequate Intakes for total water: about 3.7 litres a day for men and 2.7 litres for women. Total water includes plain water, other drinks and the water in food. Food typically provides around 20 percent of it, so the drinks part is lower than those headline numbers.
These are population reference values, not a personal prescription. The same report notes that needs change with activity, climate and health, and most healthy people meet their needs through normal drinking and eating.
A practical way to choose your tracking goal
- Track normally for a few days without a goal to see your baseline.
- Set a goal at or slightly above that baseline, rounded to your bottle size so it's easy to hit (for example, three 750 mL bottles).
- Review after a week. Raise or lower it to whatever feels sustainable.
- Adjust on hot days or active days if you want to. A goal is a target you chose, not a test.
Why goals in bottles work better
"Three bottles" is easier to remember and check than "2,250 mL". Our hydration schedule planner shows how many refills your goal takes and when you might check in during the day.
Open the hydration schedule planner
How Dropkin handles goals
- You choose the goal and can change it anytime in Settings.
- An optional starting estimate shows exactly how it's calculated and cites the National Academies reference, with a clear note that it isn't medical advice.
- Dropkin never rewards drinking past your goal. Extra water earns nothing, and progress never resets after a missed day.
- No age, weight or medical history is required to use the app.
Sources
- National Academies: Dietary Reference Intakes for Water, Potassium, Sodium, Chloride, and Sulfate (2005)
- Mayo Clinic: Water — How much should you drink every day?
General information, not medical advice.
Do I need to drink 8 glasses of water a day?
Not necessarily. "8 glasses" is a rule of thumb, not a measured requirement. Total needs vary, and food and other drinks count toward them.
Do coffee and tea count toward my water goal?
They contribute fluid. Whether you log them toward your tracking goal is your choice.
Is Dropkin's goal estimate medical advice?
No. It's a transparent starting point based on a published population reference. Ask a clinician about your personal needs.