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Water use estimates for 2000 through 2020 are now available for the three largest categories of use in the United States: self-supplied thermoelectric power generation, self-supplied irrigation, and public supply.
Freshwater use includes freshwater withdrawals for agriculture, industry, and municipal uses. This is shown in the chart. Rates of global freshwater use increased sharply from the 1950s onwards but since 2000 appear to be plateauing, or at least slowing.
The average American family uses more than 300 gallons of water per day at home. Roughly 70 percent of this use occurs indoors. Nationally, outdoor water use accounts for 30 percent of household use yet can be much higher in drier parts of the country and in more water-intensive landscapes.
National water-use data are reported by source (surface water or groundwater, fresh and saline, and total), and category for the United States as a whole. The water-use data presented here are the current best estimates, and may have been revised from previous publications.
This chart shows the trends in freshwater and saline-water withdrawals for the Nation from 1950 to 2015. What is remarkable about this chart is that it shows that the Nation's water use peaked in 1980 and has been fairly steady since then.
For the first time, the U.S. Geological Survey is displaying the national compilation of water use data for every U.S. county. Explore the variety of water use across the U.S. to understand how we use our current resources.
Live statistics showing how much water is being used in the world. Global water use data by year and by country
As of 2015, the United States uses 322 billion gallons of water per day (Bgal/day). The three largest water-use categories were irrigation (118 Bgal/day), thermoelectric power (133 Bgal/day), and public supply (39 Bgal/day), cumulatively accounting for 90 percent of the national total.
Each American uses an average of 82 gallons of water a day at home (USGS, Estimated Use of Water in the United States in 2015). We can all use at least 20 percent less water by installing water-efficient fixtures and appliances.
National water use for each year and by category are shown as bars above the timeline. Drag the timeline to see data for available years, click on total or specific water-use categories, then mouse over the States and the bars for water use values in million gallons of water per day (Mgal/d).