# How Much Water Should You Drink to Prevent Kidney Stones? Source: https://kidneystonediet.com/fluids/ Published: 2026-10-08 Updated: 2026-10-09 --- [Home](https://kidneystonediet.com/) › [Kidney Stone Diet Goals](https://kidneystonediet.com/kidney-stone-diet/) › Fluids Goal 1 of 6 · Fluids # How Much Water Should You Drink to Prevent Kidney Stones? ![Jill Harris, LPN, CHC](https://kidneystonediet.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Bio-Image-3.png) By [Jill Harris, LPN, CHC](https://kidneystonediet.com/about/)\ Kidney stone prevention nurse since 1998\ Updated Oct 7, 2026 Jill’s answer 3 L 2.5 *to* 3 liters of urine every day **Drink enough fluids to produce 2.5 to 3 liters of urine every day.** For most of you, that means drinking at least that much in fluids, and if that feels impossible right now, increase slowly, week by week, until you get there. - **Daily check:** we want very pale yellow - **Know for sure:** a [24-hour urine collection](https://kidneystonediet.com/24-hour-urine-test/) My Saturday email keeps you on track. Get Jill’s free weekly email ![Nurse Jill Harris in blue scrubs](https://kidneystonediet.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Jill-2.png) --- ## Why Fluids Are the Number One Goal Fluids come first. When people start the Kidney Stone Diet® goals, I am often asked which goal should be the priority, and my response is always fluids. > The more we pee, the less likely we are to make stones. > > *Jill Harris, LPN, CHC* Drinking enough to produce 2.5 to 3 liters of urine a day is how we begin to prevent kidney stones. --- ## How Much Do You Need to Drink? The goal is measured in urine, not in what you drink, so how much you need to drink is individual. A doctor who tells everyone to drink 100 ounces is giving a generic order: a 6-foot-2 man and a 5-foot-2 woman shouldn’t get the same generic advice. Many things lower urine volume, too (see below). ### A simple daily check Track the color of your urine. We want very pale yellow. The only way to know your real urine volume is to measure it: a [24-hour urine collection](https://kidneystonediet.com/24-hour-urine-test/) shows how much you make in a day. Free weekly email Stay on Track with Jill’s Free Weekly Email One email from me every Saturday about preventing kidney stones, to keep your goals in front of you. Unsubscribe anytime with one click. --- ## What Counts Toward Your Fluid Goal? All fluids count: water, milk, soda, diet soda and black tea. Water is best. - **Water**Water is best. - **Milk** - **Black tea** - **Soda and diet soda** - **Coffee**A regular cup of coffee, one or two a day, not a 20-ounce coffee. - **Alcohol**Fine in moderation; alcohol raises uric acid levels. - **It’s portion, not perfection.**You don’t have to give up coffee. ### What about lemons and lemonade? A squeeze of lemon or lime for flavor is fine. Just don’t use lemon to prevent stones unless a 24-hour urine collection shows you need citrate. Without one, you don’t know if you need that lemon, and it can raise your urine pH, which can raise your stone risk. Here is more: [Using Lemons to Prevent Kidney Stones](https://kidneystonediet.com/using-lemons-to-prevent-kidney-stones/). --- ## Why Is Your Urine Volume Low? These are the common reasons people have low urine volume. **Fluid habits 10 reasons** Not drinking enough overall, skipping fluids during busy parts of the day, avoiding fluids in the evening to cut nighttime bathroom trips, relying mostly on coffee, energy drinks or soda, not feeling thirsty (especially common in older adults), no routine or reminder, not liking the taste of water, fasting without planned hydration, eating mostly foods with little water in them, and fear of frequent urination (incontinence, work restrictions). **Diet 3 reasons** Eating a high-salt diet or a high-sugar diet (both mean less urine), and eating few fruits and veggies. **Physical and medical conditions 11 reasons** Dehydration from vomiting, diarrhea or sweating; fever or infection; kidney dysfunction or chronic kidney disease; heart failure; low blood pressure; severe burns or trauma; adrenal insufficiency (like Addison’s disease); obstruction from a large stone or an enlarged prostate; acute illness like flu or COVID; certain types of shock; and chronic bowel issues with excessive diarrhea. **Medications 8 reasons** Chronic use of NSAIDs like ibuprofen, ACE inhibitors or ARBs, diuretics used incorrectly, laxative abuse, chemotherapy drugs, anticholinergics, decongestants and overuse of antidiarrheals. **Environment and lifestyle 10 reasons** Hot, humid weather; intense exercise without rehydrating; heavy or hot clothing at work; saunas or steam rooms without replacing fluid; travel (long flights, avoiding airplane bathrooms); dieting without fluid awareness; drinking alcohol; high-protein or keto diets; religious fasting without water during the day; and living at high altitude. --- ## How to Start If You Hate Drinking Water Go slowly. Increase your intake week by week until you get used to it. Your bladder is a muscle, and it will need to adjust. Some tips will work for you and some will not. My diet teachings are based on this mantra: ![](https://kidneystonediet.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Bio-Image-3.png) “Because it works for him doesn’t mean it will work for you.” Don’t give up until you find the tip that works for you. --- ## Tips to Drink More Every Day These are the tips I’ve shared with students and patients over the years. Pick a few and try them. **Build it into your day 9 tips** - Start with a glass when you wake up, and drink 8 oz before breakfast. - Drink a glass before coffee or tea, and keep a water glass by the coffee pot. - Alternate water with each caffeinated drink and each alcoholic drink. - Pair water with every meal and snack, and take a swig between bites. - Pair a full glass of water with pills. - Sip while you cook and prep food. - Drink a glass every time you start a chore, during TV commercials, and after your shower. - Take a sip every time you check your phone (this will help, since we are all addicted to our phones). - Refill before bedtime, but only sip so you are not peeing ALL night. **On the go 5 tips** - Bring water everywhere: the car, your bag, your desk, the gym, appointments, meetings and Zoom calls. - Keep a bottle by the front door and extra bottles chilled for grab-and-go. - Freeze half-full bottles for hot days. - Sip at red lights, and grab water after every errand. - Carry a bottle to social outings (and make sure you drink from it). **Make it taste good 11 tips** - Add cucumber, mint, watermelon, pineapple, berries, peaches, mango, basil or rosemary. - Try combos: cucumber, mint and lime; strawberry and basil; peach and ginger; orange and rosemary. - Apple slices with a cinnamon stick work warm on colder days. - Keep a pitcher of infused “spa water” in the fridge. - Make fruit or herb ice cubes, or use frozen grapes instead of ice. - Mix sparkling water with a splash of 100% juice, or try flavored unsweetened seltzer and sparkling mineral water. - Sip caffeine-free herbal teas, iced or hot. See my post on [tea and kidney stones](https://kidneystonediet.com/tea-and-kidney-stones/). - Mix unsweetened coconut water into your water (I do this). - Make mocktails with sparkling water and citrus, or popsicles with water and fruit (also me). - Try room temperature if cold water bothers you (this is me). - Treat water as dessert: ice cold, in a fancy glass (also me). **Reminders and tools 7 tips** - Set hourly phone, calendar or smartwatch reminders. - Use a [water bottle with time markers](https://amzn.to/3I1C5Ph) or mark your own with goal times. - Use a straw. You’ll sip more without noticing. - Drink from a favorite mug, glass or bottle. I constantly switch mine to match my mood, and I love a simple mason jar! - [Fun-shaped ice cube trays](https://amzn.to/4nqd4wd) are great for getting kids to drink. - Leave “Drink now” notes around the house (you will often find a sticky note on Finn’s butt in my house). - Share your progress with a friend, and celebrate small wins. --- ## What If You Miss Your Goal? Get back to it the next day. You will not be perfect. Life comes along and keeps us from our goals on some days, and that is ok and expected. Just be aware that you didn’t meet your water needs, and get back to work tomorrow. That’s how we do it here at Kidney Stone Diet®! All-Access Pass Know What to Eat Every Week, With Me in Your Corner A new Kidney Stone Diet® meal plan every week, simple, tasty and family-friendly, plus my video course and group calls with me: every tool I’ve built over 26+ years, on your schedule, in your corner. ![Nurse Jill Harris](https://kidneystonediet.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Jill-2.png) **$48**/mo (the course alone is a $249 value) [Join All Access →\ $48/mo, cancel anytime](https://kidneystonediet.com/all-access/?from=hub-fluids) or [try a week for $24](https://kidneystonediet.com/checkout/?edd_action=add_to_cart&download_id=31031&edd_options[price_id]=3) What’s included - A new meal plan every week **$24/mo value** - My 8-part video prevention course **$249 value** - Group coaching with me **$24/mo value** - 20% off private consults **Member discount** - Four cookbooks **$116 value** **Fluids in All Access:** the weekly meal plans make your days simpler to plan, my video course walks you through the fluids goal step by step, and on the group calls you can bring me your fluid questions and work on your goal with people doing the same. > The Kidney Stone Diet is far more than just a diet; this plan is life-altering! … The group calls are such support; this is more like family than a zoom meeting to stay accountable. Jill is far more than a nurse; she is a life coach. > > ***Kim J.** | Kidney Stone Prevention Course* --- ## Podcast Episodes on Fluids 23 episodes of the Kidney Stone Diet Podcast, each with a full transcript. Pick the question closest to yours. Newest Sep 29, 2026 ### [Is Sparkling Water Bad for Kidney Stones?](https://kidneystonediet.com/ep/is-sparkling-water-bad-for-kidney-stones/) [Listen or read](https://kidneystonediet.com/ep/is-sparkling-water-bad-for-kidney-stones/) **How much to drink, and when 10 episodes** - [**Help! Doctor said to drink 100oz a day! There’s no way!?***Ep. 177 · Jan 30, 2024 Most searched*](https://kidneystonediet.com/ep/help-doctor-said-to-drink-100oz-a-day-theres-no-way/) - [**Prevent kidney stones with water***Ep. 307 · Aug 18, 2026*](https://kidneystonediet.com/ep/prevent-kidney-stones-with-water/) - [**Removing oxalate won’t prevent kidney stones!***Ep. 260 · Sep 9, 2025*](https://kidneystonediet.com/ep/removing-oxalate-wont-prevent-kidney-stones/) - [**You won’t prevent kidney stones until you do this***Ep. 259 · Sep 2, 2025*](https://kidneystonediet.com/ep/you-wont-prevent-kidney-stones-until-you-do-this/) - [**You’re not peeing enough, here’s why***Ep. 217 · Nov 5, 2024*](https://kidneystonediet.com/ep/youre-not-peeing-enough-heres-why/) - [**How much should I drink to prevent kidney stones?***Ep. 207 · Aug 27, 2024*](https://kidneystonediet.com/ep/how-much-should-i-drink-to-prevent-kidney-stones/) - [**Help! I’m peeing all night long! I can’t sleep!***Ep. 178 · Feb 6, 2024*](https://kidneystonediet.com/ep/help-im-peeing-all-night-long-i-cant-sleep/) - [**How to drink enough water to avoid kidney stones?***Ep. 125 · Jan 31, 2023*](https://kidneystonediet.com/ep/how-to-drink-enough-water-to-avoid-kidney-stones/) - [**Are you drinking enough fluids to prevent kidney stones?***Ep. 57 · Oct 12, 2021*](https://kidneystonediet.com/ep/are-you-drinking-enough-fluids-to-prevent-kidney-stones/) - [**Can I catch up on my daily water by drinking it all at once?***Ep. 38 · May 25, 2021*](https://kidneystonediet.com/ep/can-i-catch-up-on-my-daily-water-by-drinking-it-all-at-once/) **What counts: coffee, tea, soup and water types 6 episodes** - [**Can I count soup as fluid intake?***Ep. 170 · Dec 12, 2023 Most searched*](https://kidneystonediet.com/ep/can-i-count-soup-as-fluid-intake/) - [**Is Sparkling Water Bad for Kidney Stones?***Ep. 313 · Sep 29, 2026*](https://kidneystonediet.com/ep/is-sparkling-water-bad-for-kidney-stones/) - [**Coffee, Tea, and Kidney Stones: The Caffeine Episode***Ep. 310 · Sep 8, 2026*](https://kidneystonediet.com/ep/coffee-tea-and-kidney-stones-the-caffeine-episode/) - [**Fact or Fiction: Tap water caused your kidney stone***Ep. 183 · Mar 12, 2024*](https://kidneystonediet.com/ep/fact-or-fiction-tap-water-caused-your-kidney-stone/) - [**Does alkaline water help kidney stone patients?***Ep. 88 · May 17, 2022*](https://kidneystonediet.com/ep/does-alkaline-water-help-kidney-stone-patients/) - [**Can coffee prevent kidney stones?***Ep. 64 · Nov 30, 2021*](https://kidneystonediet.com/ep/can-coffee-prevent-kidney-stones/) **Lemons, citrate and cranberry juice 7 episodes** - [**Lemonade: the best-kept secret kidney stones?***Ep. 243 · May 13, 2025 Most searched*](https://kidneystonediet.com/ep/lemonade-the-best-kept-secret-kidney-stones/) - [**The Kidney Stone TRUTH about Lemons***Ep. 302 · Jul 14, 2026*](https://kidneystonediet.com/ep/the-kidney-stone-truth-about-lemons/) - [**Fact or Fiction: Cranberry juice will prevent my kidney stones***Ep. 185 · Mar 26, 2024*](https://kidneystonediet.com/ep/fact-or-fiction-cranberry-juice-will-prevent-my-kidney-stones/) - [**Can too much potassium citrate cause kidney stones?***Ep. 143 · Jun 6, 2023*](https://kidneystonediet.com/ep/can-too-much-potassium-citrate-cause-kidney-stones/) - [**Does lemon juice prevent kidney stones?***Ep. 115 · Nov 22, 2022*](https://kidneystonediet.com/ep/does-lemon-juice-prevent-kidney-stones/) - [**How lemon can dissolve kidney stones***Ep. 61 · Nov 9, 2021*](https://kidneystonediet.com/ep/how-lemon-can-dissolve-kidney-stones/) - [**Does cranberry juice help prevent kidney stones?***Ep. 19 · Jan 12, 2021*](https://kidneystonediet.com/ep/does-cranberry-juice-help-prevent-kidney-stones/) [All podcast episodes](https://kidneystonediet.com/podcast/) --- ## Go Deeper - [**Using Lemons to Prevent Kidney Stones**Why I don’t recommend lemons or lemonade for prevention.](https://kidneystonediet.com/using-lemons-to-prevent-kidney-stones/) - [**Tea and Kidney Stones**Which teas fit, and how much.](https://kidneystonediet.com/tea-and-kidney-stones/) - [**Portion Control**“Portion, not perfection,” including for iced tea.](https://kidneystonediet.com/portion-control/) - [**Sodium**How a high-salt diet lowers your urine volume.](https://kidneystonediet.com/sodium/) - [**Sugar**How added sugar lowers your urine volume.](https://kidneystonediet.com/sugar/) - [**25 Ways to Eat More Fruit**A low-fruit diet is one reason for low urine volume.](https://kidneystonediet.com/25-ways-to-eat-more-fruit/) - [**Eat Your Darn Veggies**The same goes for vegetables.](https://kidneystonediet.com/eat-your-darn-veggies/) --- ## Frequently Asked Questions **How much urine should I make to prevent kidney stones?** 2.5 to 3 liters a day. For most people, that means drinking at least that much in fluids. **Does coffee count toward my fluid goal?** Yes. All fluids count. A regular cup of coffee, one or two a day, is fine; water is still best. **Can I use lemon to prevent kidney stones?** For flavor, yes. To prevent stones, only if a 24-hour urine collection shows you need citrate; otherwise lemon can raise your urine pH and your stone risk. My post on [using lemons](https://kidneystonediet.com/using-lemons-to-prevent-kidney-stones/) explains why. **How do I know if I’m drinking enough?** Check the color of your urine every day: we want very pale yellow. To know for sure, measure it with a [24-hour urine collection](https://kidneystonediet.com/24-hour-urine-test/). **Should I stop drinking in the evening?** Avoiding fluids in the evening is one of the common reasons for low urine volume. Refill before bedtime, but only sip so you are not up all night. **What if I miss my water goal?** That’s ok and expected. Notice that you missed it, and get back on track the next day. **Does low-acid coffee lower kidney stone risk?** Normally, no would be my answer. Follow the Kidney Stone Diet® goals to lower your risk and get a 24-hour urine collection done. ![](https://kidneystonediet.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Bio-Image-3.png) **Want to know what to eat every week?** All Access is a new Kidney Stone Diet® meal plan every week, my video course (a $249 value) and group calls with me, all for $48/mo, or [try a week for $24](https://kidneystonediet.com/checkout/?edd_action=add_to_cart&download_id=31031&edd_options[price_id]=3). Cancel anytime. [Join All Access →\ $48/mo, cancel anytime](https://kidneystonediet.com/all-access/?from=hub-fluids-end) Free weekly email Stay on Track Every Week Jill’s free Saturday email about preventing kidney stones, in your inbox once a week. Unsubscribe anytime. ## On this page 1. Why fluids first 2. How much to drink 3. What counts 4. Why your urine is low 5. If you hate water 6. Tips to drink more 7. Missed your goal? 8. All Access with Jill 9. Podcast episodes 10. Questions 11. Free weekly email Six evidence-based goals ## Kidney Stone Diet Goals Fluids come first. These are the other goals, and the test that shows which ones matter most for you. You are here Goal 1 [Increase Fluids](https://kidneystonediet.com/fluids/) Goal 2 [Reduce Sugar](https://kidneystonediet.com/sugar/) Goal 3 [Reduce Sodium](https://kidneystonediet.com/sodium/) Goal 4 [Increase Dietary Calcium](https://kidneystonediet.com/calcium/) Goal 5 [Eat Moderate Protein](https://kidneystonediet.com/protein/) Goal 6 [Lower High-Oxalate Foods](https://kidneystonediet.com/oxalate/) Know your numbers [The 24-Hour Urine Test](https://kidneystonediet.com/24-hour-urine-test/) **Want help with all six?** In [All Access](https://kidneystonediet.com/all-access/?from=goals), a new meal plan every week puts the goals on your plate, and my video course teaches each one step by step. ![Jill Harris](https://kidneystonediet.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Bio-Image-3.png) ## About Jill Harris, LPN, CHC Jill Harris is a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) who specializes in kidney stone prevention, with more than 26 years of experience and years of work with University of Chicago nephrologist Dr. Fred Coe. Her goal is to teach you what you need to know and, more importantly, how to put that knowledge to work so you can stop forming stones. [More about Jill](https://kidneystonediet.com/about/)