Do you think you’re above average or below average in how much water you use each week?
There are actions you take every day, every week, that have an impact on your water footprint.
“When it comes to your water use, do you tread lightly or are you an H2O Sasquatch?” – Texas A&M University report
But there’s also a footprint a little closer to home.
The average water footprint of someone in the United States is about 1,802 gallons per person per day. There are many water footprint calculators online, including one from GRACE Communications Foundation, which provides a free survey with questions about household indoor/outdoor water use, food-related water use, and several other virtual water factors. At the end of the survey, you can see a detailed report that offers tips to adjust your daily habits to have less of an impact on the water supply. The site also has a goal-setting tool that allows you to set up an email reminder to be notified in three months to retake the calculation survey to track your changes.
Here’s a look at some of the water impacts you may be making each day, according to this Texas A&M University report.
- Think of baths as an occasional treat and stick to showers. On average, one bath equals 70 gallons of water. By comparison, a five-minute shower uses 10-25 gallons.
- One dishwasher cycle uses 9-13 gallons of water.
- One toilet flush equals 1.6 to 5 gallons of water, depending on whether it’s a non-efficient toilet or not.
Who cares about your water footprint?
We hope everyone. You may think your impact is too minuscule to make a difference. But when you combine everyone’s impact, they add up to make a huge difference.
“Conservation will continue to play an essential role in meeting the future water demands of Texas’ rapidly growing population. Significant strides in both indoor and outdoor water use efficiency have been made over the past decade. Within the regional and state water planning process, those strides are reflected in water conservation measures that include practices, techniques, programs, and technologies that will protect water resources; reduce water consumption, loss, or waste; or improve the efficiency of water use.” – Texas State Water Plan
Texas’ population is anticipated to increase 73% between 2020 and 2070, according to the state water plan. If strategies within the state water plan are not implemented, which include conservation measures, about one-quarter of Texas’ population in 2070 would have less than half the municipal water supplies they will require during a drought of record, according to the state water plan. Municipal water demand is projected to increase in greater proportion and total volume over the next 50 years than any other water use category, from 5.2 million acre-feet per year in 2020 to 8.5 million in 2070, according to the state water plan.
It will take each one of us to make a difference.
So how do you reduce your water footprint to help extend this precious resource? There are small things around the house that make a difference.
- If you choose to wait for your shower water to heat, place a bucket in the shower to catch the water and use it later for watering plants, flushing the toilet or cleaning.
- Turn off the water if you shave or brush your teeth in the shower.
- Cut water use in half by hand-watering your lawn or garden instead of using sprinklers or use a drip irrigation system instead of a hose or sprinkler.
- After a meal, scrape off dishes into the trash rather than rinsing. Many new dishwashers don’t require pre-rinsed dishes.
- Fix leaky toilets and sinks. A leaky toilet can waste about 200 gallons a day.
- Minimize lawn watering by planting native species that don’t require additional watering.
- Consider installing a rain barrel at your house.
You can also calculate how much water is used to feed yourself. How much water does it take to cook fresh broccoli? Learn more about that here.