Water Conservation Facts

The human body is more than three-quarters water. It's is essential to existence, not only for people, but for plants and animals as well.

It covers 70 percent of the earth's surface. At least 97 percent of the world's water is salty and undrinkable. Another two percent is polluted, polar ice, or otherwise inaccessible and undrinkable. That leaves approximately one percent for humans to use.

On a daily basis, the people of the United States, directly and indirectly, use more than 380 billion gallons, or approximately 1,668 gallons per person.

In a typical western city, we use approximately 500 gallons per day per household, and an average of 150 gallons per household is used before breakfast.

In Australia, the average daily use is 876 gallons. In Great Britain they use approximately 185 gallons per day and in Switzerland they only use 77 gallons per person per day.

Indirect uses also add up quickly:

• Each gallon of gasoline per week requires 1,000 gallons to produce.
• Each can of soda requires 29,000 gallons.
• Each newspaper requires 66,000 gallons.
• Each glass of restaurant water requires two glasses of water for washing and rinsing.