Despite the contrasts in history and hydroclimatic contexts, the water diaries of Bangladeshis and Kenyans reveal similar daily practices. Rains stand out as the most defining driver of water source choice. Rural populations in Khulna and Kitui shift to rainwater when available, whether harvested in containers from their own roof catchments or in rocks and dams. Whether in sarees or sarongs, in kolshis stacked on the waist or jerrycans balanced on the head, women are the primary drawers of water. When water needs to be transported via motorcycles or boats, a well is dug or a community tube well is installed, men come onto the scene. Individual practices are shaped by institutional behaviours and the quality of water governance. Regulation is missing or ineffective for rural drinking water services in Kitui and Khulna, while non-compliance is normalised in case of urban water pollution in Dhaka and unreliable piped supply in Lodwar. Our findings propose that policy and practice focus more attention on the interactions between rainfall and water use behaviours in a changing climate, and the need for better information on water risks for institutional accountability and sustainable finance. We finally chart where change is happening to improve water security in Bangladesh and the opportunities that exist in Kenya.