Residential Water Usage Facts

  • The average toilet uses 5 to 7 gallons of water per flush.
  • A shower can use 25 to 50 gallons of water (5 gallons per minute).
  • The average bath takes about 36 gallons of water.
  • About 340 billion gallons of water are used every day in the United States. This total includes water used in irrigation, in industry, in fire fighting and in street cleaning.
  • It takes about 1 gallon of water to process a quarter pound of hamburger.
  • It takes 39,000 gallons of water to manufacture a new car, including tires.
  • It takes about 800,000 gallons of water to grow an acre of cotton.
  • Ten gallons of water are needed to refine one gallon of gasoline.
  • An egg is about 74 percent water.
  • A watermelon is about 92 percent water.
  • The water we use today is the same water the dinosaurs used.
  • The Earth's oceans cover about 140,500,000 square miles and contain almost 330,000,000 cubic miles of water.
  • Cutting one minute off your shower time can save about 700 gallons of water per month.
  • Fresh, incompact snow is usually 90-95 percent trapped air.
  • Humans require about 2 1/2 quarts of water a day.
  • More than 1.5 billion people do not have access to a safe and adequate water supply.
  • The average American individual uses 100 to 176 gallons of water at home each day. There are more than 55,000 community water systems in the United States, processing nearly 34 billion gallons of water per day.
  • 47 percent of the US population uses surface water; 53 percent of the US population uses groundwater.
  • The distribution network for large water systems in the U.S. comprises about 600,000 miles of pipes.

Water Conservation Tips

  • Inside your house, bathroom facilities claim nearly 75 percent of the water used. If the toilet handle frequently sticks in the flush position letting water run constantly, replace or adjust it. Take shorter showers. Replace your showerhead with an ultra-low-flow version. Some units are available that allow you to cut off the flow without adjusting the water temperature knobs.
  • Operate automatic dishwashers and clothes washers only when they are fully loaded. Set the water level for the size of load you are using.
  • Store drinking water in the refrigerator.
  • Don’t let the tap run while you are waiting for cool water to flow.
  • Insulate your water pipes. You’ll get hot water faster and avoid wasting water while it heats up.
  • Be aware of and follow all water conservation and water shortage rules in effect in your community. Don’t assume – even if you get your water from a private well – that you need not observe good water use rules. Every drop counts.
  • Encourage your school system and local government to help develop and promote a water conservation ethic among children and adults.
  • Try to do one thing each day that will result in saving water. Don’t worry if the savings are minimal. Every drop counts. You can make a difference.
  • Fix leaky faucets and plumbing joints. You’ll save 20 gallons per day for every leak stopped.
  • Don't water sidewalks or your driveway. Adjust your sprinkler so that water lands on your lawn or garden where it belongs – and only there.
  • Turn off the water while brushing your teeth. You’ll save three gallons each day.
  • If you have a pool, use a pool cover to cut down on evaporation. It will also keep your pool cleaner and reduce the need to add chemicals. Savings could be 1,000 gallons a month.
  • Set lawn mower blades one notch higher. Longer grass means less evaporation and less watering.
  • When taking your car to a car wash, be sure it's one of the many that recycles its wash water.