When most people in the US want fresh, clean water, all they have to do is turn on a faucet. Still, no place is immune from drought, so it’s important to be conservative with your water use at home, no matter where you live.
On average in the US, water use at home (water from the tap, toilet, dishwasher, etc.) adds up to about 138 gallons per household per day, or 60 gallons per person per day.
American Water Use at Home – How Many Gallons do We Use?
Recent studies of how Americans use water throughout their homes show that, for most people, indoor water use is highest in the bathroom, followed by the laundry room. Table 1 provides a breakdown.
Table 1. A daily breakdown of water use in the US:
Appliance/Device
Household per Day
Percent of Total
Toilet
33 gallons
24%
Shower
27 gallons
20%
Faucet
27 gallons
20%
Washing Machine
22 gallons
16%
Leaks
18 gallons
13%
Bath
4 gallons
3%
Dishwasher
2 gallons
2%
Other
4 gallons
3%
Total
138 gallons
100% (101% with rounding)
Leaks are, perhaps, the most surprising use of water on this list – they amount to 18 gallons of water per household per day lost to leaky toilets, appliances and faucets.
Saving Water with Water-Efficient Toilets, Showerheads and More
Fortunately, saving water around the house is easier now than ever before. Switching to water-saving fixtures and appliances can reduceindoor water use by twenty percent. The Environmental Protection Agency’s WaterSense websitelists many water-saving products. The Department of Energy’s ENERGY STAR label also has an extensive list of energy- and water-saving appliances, like dishwashers and washing machines.
Newer bathroom fixtures and appliances like toilets, showerheads and faucets are designed to be more water-efficient than older models and can save hundreds of gallons a month. For example, older toilets use up to six gallons per flush, whereaslow-flow toilets(or any toilet manufactured after 1994) use 1.6 gallons or less. Likewise, older showerheads flow well over the federal limit of 2.5 gallons per minute, whilelow-flow modelscan flow no higher than two gallons per minute. Some shower fixtures, especially those with multiple nozzles, exceed the federal limit, so these fixtures require reduced shower time in order to save water.
Likewise, newer dishwashers and clothes washers use water much more efficiently than older models. Water efficient dishwashers save more than 5,000 gallons of water per year compared with washing dishes by hand (and use less than half as much energy, too). Newer washing machines handle much bigger loads of clothing with much less water. A full-sized ENERGY STAR-certified clothes washer uses 13 gallons of water per load, compared to the 23 gallons used by a standard machine, saving over 3,000 gallons of water per year.
With a little bit of research, water- and energy-saving products can be purchased that provide enhanced performance, help save on water bills and have the added benefit of saving water for future generations. If new appliances aren’t in the budget, significant water savings can still be achieved just by finding and fixing leaks.
Heating and Cooling Are Water (and Energy) Hogs!
Because it takes a lot of water to make electricity, water heating can be a big energy user – it’s right up there with heating and cooling and running appliances, electronics and lighting. Those long, hot showers feel good but they waste both water and energy, and although modern fixtures and appliances are a great way to save gallons, it’s still important to simply turn off the tap.
On average in the US, water use at home (water from the tap, toilet, dishwasher, etc.) adds up to about 138 gallons per household per day, or 60 gallons per person per day.
The largest use of household water is to flush the toilet, followed by taking showers and baths. Toilets account for nearly 30 percent of an average home's indoor water consumption. Older, inefficient toilets can use as much as three to six gallons per flush.
Domestic water use is water used for indoor and outdoor household purposes— all the things you do at home: drinking, preparing food, bathing, washing clothes and dishes, brushing your teeth, watering the garden, and even washing the dog.
Expectedly, showers and baths are listed as having high water usage, with seven 6 – 7 minute showers per week, resulting in a 23,000 L of water usage per year. Knowing where we use most of the water in our homes allows us to focus on reducing our usage in these areas.
The water industry estimates that an average person uses 3,000 gallons of water monthly, so a family of 4 would use 12,000 gallons for bathing, cooking, washing, recreation and watering. But a lot of factors come into play when calculating average use.
Toilet flushing is by far the largest single use of water in a home. Most toilets use from 4 to 6 gallons of water for each flush. On average, a dishwasher uses about 50% less water than the amount used when washing and rinsing dishes by hand.
A leaking toilet can waste 15,000 gallons of water a month. To check if your toilet has a leak, place several drops of food coloring in the toilet tank. If the color seeps into the toilet bowl within 30 minutes without flushing, your toilet has a leak.
The most common cause for a high water bill is running water from your toilet. A continuously running toilet can waste up to 200 gallons a day or more depending on the volume flow down the drain. This can cause a terrible increase to a family's typical water use, so fix toilet leaks as soon as possible.
If a standard showerhead is fitted, it will use around an extra half a gallon each minute, accounting for a 25-gallon emittance every 10 minutes, or 50 gallons throughout a 20-minute shower. *1 gallon = 4.54 litres.
Average daily toilet flushes: 19 to 24 gallons. A washing machine load: 15 gallons. Average dishwasher cycle: 4 to 10 gallons. Drinking water: 1 gallon.
Design improvements have allowed toilets to use 1.28 gallons per flush or less while still providing equal or superior performance. This is 20 percent less water than the current federal standard of 1.6 gallons per flush.
The largest use of indoor water is for bathing, washing clothes and dishes. Showers account for nearly 17% of indoor water usage, while toilets are responsible for around 30%. Washing machines and dishwashers also consume a significant amount of water.
Water is used to grow our food, manufacture our favorite goods, and keep our businesses running smoothly. We also use a significant amount of water to meet the nation's energy needs. Learn more about what WaterSense is doing to help reduce commercial and institutional water use.
The United States has one of the safest and most reliable drinking water systems in the world. Every year, millions of people living in the United States get their tap water from a public community water system. The drinking water that is supplied to our homes comes from either a surface water or ground water source.
Groundwater is the water present below the Earth's surface. We use groundwater for our domestic purposes. Only a small percentage of water on Earth is suitable for our use.
Introduction: My name is Carlyn Walter, I am a lively, glamorous, healthy, clean, powerful, calm, combative person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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