Wednesday, July 24, 2024
Water is essential to life...
We all need and use it every single day, but how much should we actually be using? This question is more complex than it might appear on the surface. It requires that we consider not only the water we drink every day but also the water we use for showers, cooking, cleaning, doing laundry, etc...
So how much water do you use every day? There are a few varying estimates of how much water the typical American uses. The EPA said that in 2014, "Each American [used] an average of 82 gallons of water a day at home". The Philadelphia Water Department says that "The average person uses 101.5 gallons of water Per day". According to The World Counts, "An average American uses 100 to 175 gallons of water per day".
In our experience through over a decade of monitoring water use, we have found that the average person typically uses about 100 gallons per day. This level of use is what people will typically reach without paying attention to how they are using water.
Here are the major categories of water use for most people, and how much a typical person might use each day:
Shower
Dishwasher
Sinks and Drinking
Toilet
Laundry
Most people use about 100 gallons per day, and that is more than is typically needed. California Senate Bill 606 seeks to reduce average daily water use to about 55 gallons per person per day.
Here's an example of how much water should be used in each category to reach 55 gallons per day.
Shower : 16 Gallons
Dishwasher: 3 Gallons
Sinks and Drinking: 8 Gallons
Toilet : 20 Gallons
Laundry : 8 Gallons
Here are some tips to optimize water usage in daily life:
Take Shorter Showers: Reducing shower time can save a significant amount of water. Each extra minute in the shower can use between 2 and 3 gallons of water.
Fix Leaks: Even a small leak can waste a large amount of water over time. Even a small toilet leak from a broken flapper can cause up to around 4,000 gallons of wasted water every day.
Efficient Appliances: Use water-efficient dishwashers, washing machines, and low-flow toilets and shower heads.
Implement a Water Conservation and Monitoring System: By implementing a system to understand and conserve water, large property owners can save money on costly leaks by finding them faster and conserving water every day.
Sustainable Water Usage: A Global Perspective
Water conservation is not just about reducing your bill. It is about ensuring a sustainable future. With droughts and increasing water demand putting increased pressure on water resources, responsible water use is more important than ever.
Water is a precious resource that we often take for granted. Understanding how much water we should be using each day is the first step towards more mindful and sustainable consumption. By adopting water-saving practices and promoting water sustainability, we can create a more sustainable way of living in our everyday lives.
Remember, every drop counts! It's not about making a huge change today. It is more about taking simple, small steps to use the right amount of water in our daily lives.
Sources:
https://www.theworldcounts.com/stories/average-daily-water-usage
https://www.epa.gov/watersense/statistics-and-facts
https://water.phila.gov/pool/files/home-water-use-ig5.pdf
https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=201720180SB606
https://water.phila.gov/pool/files/home-water-use-ig5.pdf
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