How Much Water It Takes To Make Everyday Products & Things

We already put together a guide on how much water it takes to make different foods, beverages and crops.

But, the guide below is about how much water it takes to make everyday items, products and things like cars, phones, t shirts, and electricity.

We’ve organized and split the guide up into the different categories of items.

Summary – How Much Water It Takes To Make Products & Things

What Is A Water Footprint?

A water footprint is a tool used to measure how much water it takes to produce or do something

Different Units Of Measurement For Water Footprints

There’s different units of measurement used to express the water required to make different products and things

For products and things, one way is to express a water footprint is in terms of how much water it takes to produce one unit of measurement of that thing e.g. a kilowatt hour of electricity. This allows a comparison between different energy sources

Another way is how much water it takes to produce or manufacture the materials for that product or thing e.g. the individual fibres in a shirt, or the individual materials used to make a car

Another way is simply totalling how much water it takes to produce the finished product of something, such as one shirt, one pair of jeans, or one car

Considering Direct vs Indirect Water Use, & Different Lifecycle Stages In A Water Footprint

In any water footprint calculation, direct and indirect water used to produce a product should be considered

This provides a total water footprint for the product across the entire production process, right up to purchase and consumption, but also operation and waste disposal.

So, water footprint can be assessed both by stage, and also the entire product lifecycle (all stages along the supply chains, product use, and disposal).

Considering the entire lifecycle of a product or thing, and all it’s stages, is something we put together a separate guide about

Water Footprints For Different Products & Things

– Fibres & Textiles

In terms of fibres, cotton usually requires a lot more water to grow compared to other fibres

But, the water footprint of cotton can differ between different countries with different climates, conditions, and also growing practices used

Organic cotton’s water footprint may differ compared regular cotton’s water footprint, especially if yields and other variables differ between the two

Bovine leather can be a water intensive material to use in textiles and different products

– Vehicles

Cars as a product usually have a high total water volume footprint to manufacture compared to many other products

Some figures don’t take into account the operational water footprint of cars though, so that number could be even higher when including water used in servicing, repairs, upgrades/modifications, fuel, and more

The same can be said for many products and things though, like for example the water footprint of mining that could be added to different types of energy sources, like fossil fuels

– Biofuels

Soybean sourced biodiesel in particular might be water intensive compared to other sources for biofuels because of water required to grow soybeans, and convert them into biofuel

– Different Energy Sources For Electricity Production

Of some of the main energy sources used for electricity generation, renewables like wind and solar (photovoltaic, and also dry cooling) may use the least water

Hydroelectric and geothermal may also be some of the most water efficient energy sources according to some data

Solar thermal with wet cooling and also coal may use the most water, although some sets of data put nuclear close behind coal, and in some instances using more water than coal

Natural gas may fit somewhere in the middle of all energy sources, or closer to renewables, depending on the data

Ultimately, variables like climate, geography, technology used, and other variables can impact water efficiency

Some things to note specifically about energy sources used to make electricity are:

The different measurements of water efficiency can change the water footprint of different energy sources e.g. measuring water used for BTUs produced as opposed to water used for megawatts of electricity produced

Different energy sources can use different amounts of water at different stages of their lifecycle. Power plants may use a lot of water to produce electricity for example, but all fossil fuels may use water for extraction, and also refining too. Even solar panels can use water in manufacture, for cleaning during use, and when they are eventually disposed of.

There’s a different between water withdrawals and water consumption. Some power plants may simply withdraw water and return it to the water source it came from

– Lightbulbs

A fluorescent lightbulb might save more water from the electricity it uses compared to an incandescent lightbulb

Considering The Waste Management Water Footprint Of A Product Or Thing

In addition to the supply, manufacturing and operational water footprints, there’s also the waste disposal (and reuse) water footprint

Different waste disposal methods like landfill, incineration, recycling, composting, and so on, might use different amounts of water

Some products and things might also require a lot more water to treat and manage as waste on-site or at a treatment plant as well

Other Variables & Factors That Can Impact The Water Footprint Of Products & Things

With any product, it should be considered how long that product lasts for, and also it’s waste/disposal rate

A diaper might only last a few hours, a pair of shoes a few months or a year or so, and a car might last up to or more than a decade for some people

The longer a product is kept without buying a new product, the more it’s initial manufacturing water footprint averages out and decreases

There’s also miscellaneous indirect water use for some products, such as a product like water that needs to be packaged, usually with a plastic bottle.

The features and characteristics of a finished product should be considered.

As one example, 1kg of bovine leather may require a certain amount of water to produce, but the final amount of leather used in a small leather wallet is far less than the amount of leather used in a large leather jacket – and this impacts the final water footprint.

What Makes Up The Water Footprint Of Individuals

When looking at the visible and invisible water footprint of individuals, we see that the food we eat makes up a large majority of the total footprint, with meat eaters having a larger water footprint than vegetarians.

But other data also shows that electricity makes up a significant portion as well, at least of in regards to our at home footprint (when factoring in food and direct water use)

Firstly, An Asterisk About Water Footprints & Water Use

Before getting into the data on water use for food, beverages and crops, it’s worth understanding the following about water footprints:

– Water footprints are only one general tool that can be used to calculate water use.

They are not a comprehensive ‘final answer’ to calculating water use.

– Most water use has both pros and cons to consider – there are tradeoffs.

Water use is not all unsustainable, or bad. There are benefits to water use too

– Water use in geographic areas where water is abundant may not be as much of an issue as water use in water scarce places.

The context of water use matters.

– Different types of water can make up a water footprint.

Some types of water may be more sustainable and renewable compared to others, like for example renewable rainwater over groundwater that is rapidly being depleted

Now, onto the water footprint for different products and things …

How Much Water It Takes To Make A Pair Of Jeans

Various estimates of the water footprint of a pair of jeans vary between 2100 to 2900 gallons of water.

Wet processing and dyeing might use the most water of all the stages that are involved in making a pair of jeans

Jeans (cotton) – 2,108 gallons (watercalculator.org)

Pair Of Jeans – 2866 gallons of water (motherjones.com)

It takes 2,900 gallons of water to produce a single pair of jeans (Most of this water is used in what’s known as “wet processing” as well as dyeing of fabric) (news.thomasnet.com)

Cotton – … 8000L per pair of jeans (earthmagazine.org)

How Much Water It Takes To Grow Or Produce Cotton, & Cotton Products

It might take around 10,000 litres to make around 1kg of cotton

However, different finished cotton products have different total water footprints

Organic cotton may have a different water footprint per kilogram or pound of fibre or material made, especially if it has a different yield to regular cotton

Having said these things, cotton’s water footprint may different in different countries where there are different climates, conditions, and cultivation practices used

A Pound Or Kilogram Of Cotton

From theguardian.com:

Cotton – 2495 litres per 250g [which equals 9980 litres per 1kg]

It takes this much water to produce a kilogram (litres per kilogram):

Cotton – 10,000 Litres (8000L per pair of jeans)

– earthmagazine.org

The water footprint of one pound of cotton is 1,320 gallons (watercalculator.org)

Finished Cotton Products

T Shirt (cotton) – 659 gallons (watercalculator.org)

Cotton Shirt – 719 gallons of water (motherjones.com)

It takes 2,700 liters (713 gallons) of water to make just one cotton t shirt (huffingtonpost.com)

It takes about 2,700 liters of water to produce one cotton t shirt (swedishlinens.com)

Bed Sheet (cotton) – 2,839 gallons

Jeans (cotton) – 2,108 gallons

– watercalculator.org

For a final [cotton] textile, the global average [water footprint is] is 9359 m3 /ton (waterfootprint.org)

Other Water Footprint Data For Conventional Cotton

This linked guide outlines some other water footprint information for different stages of cotton crop cultivation and production, and we also include URL source listings to some of the URL sources used above in this ‘cotton water use’ section that haven’t been carried across to this guide.

Water Footprint Of Organic Cotton

This guide provides some information on the potential water footprint of organic cotton.

How Much Water It Takes To Make Leather

Leather appears to have a far higher water footprint than cotton per kilogram produced, based on this data.

Leather In General

According to the interactive product gallery on WaterFootPrint.org:

Leather (from bovines) – 17093 litres per 1kg (A bovine animal at the end of its life time has an average water footprint of 1,890,000 litre)

Leather Products

According to watercalculator.org: ‘Leather Shoes – 3,626 gallons’

Leather Shoes – 2113 gallons of water (motherjones.com)

How Much Water Is Used To Make A Mobile Phone/Smartphone

Smart Phone (mobile) – 3,190 gallons (watercalculator.org)

Although, it’s worth noting this is just a number for smartphones in general.

Different brands and models of smartphones may have different water footprints.

How Much Water Is Used To Make A Car

Estimates for the water footprint of a car might range between around 13,000 to 39,000 gallons of water.

The amount of water to make a car may depend on the size of the car, and whether the tires are included or not (along with other parts of a car).

Some stages may use more water than others in the car manufacturing process.

How Much Water To Make A Car?

Mid Sized Car – 39,090 gallons of water (motherjones.com)

According to watercalculator.org:

Car – 13,737 to 21,926 gallons

It takes about 39,000 gallons of water to produce the average domestic car, including the tires (news.thomasnet.com)

Processes & Stages That Might Use The Most Water In Making A Car

Major water uses in the automotive manufacturing industry include surface treatment and coating, paint spray booths, washing/rinsing/hosing, cooling, air conditioning systems and boilers (news.thomasnet.com)

How Much Water It Takes To Refine Gasoline

[It takes] approximately one to 2.5 gallons of water to refine one gallon of gasoline (watercalculator.org)

How Much Water It Takes To Make Biofuel

Bio-ethanol and biodiesel are forms of biofuel.

Sugar beet based bio-diesel look like the most water efficient to make, followed by sugar cane, maize and then soybean in last.

Soybean sourced biodiesel in particular might be water intensive because of water required to grow soybeans, and convert them into biofuel

Comparison Of The Different Sources Of Biofuel

According to the interactive product gallery on WaterFootPrint.org, other water estimations to produce other products are:

Bio-diesel (from Soybean) – 11,397 litres of water per litre of bio-diesel

Bio-ethanol (from Maize) – 2,854 litres of water per litre of bio-ethanol

Bio-ethanol (from Sugar Cane) – 2,107 litres of water per litre of bio-ethanol

Bio-ethanol (from Sugar Beet) – 1,188 litres of water per litre of bio-ethanol

Soybean Sourced Biodiesel Specifically

More than 180,000 liters of water are required to produce enough soybean-based biodiesel to provide a home with a month’s worth of energy [and] This is because large amounts of water are required for irrigation of the soil in which the soybeans grow, then more water to turn the soybeans into biofuel (news.thomasnet.com)

How Much Water Is Used To Produce 1 kwh Of Electricity

It takes 95 litres of water to produce one kilowatt-hour of electricity (news.thomasnet.com)

How Much Water Different Energy Sources Use To Generate Electricity

Of some of the main energy sources used for electricity generation, renewables like wind and solar (photovoltaic, and also dry cooling) may use the least water

Hydroelectric and geothermal may also be some of the most water efficient energy sources according to some data

Solar thermal with wet cooling and also coal may use the most water, although some sets of data put nuclear close behind coal, and in some instances using more water than coal

Natural gas may fit somewhere in the middle of all energy sources, or closer to renewables, depending on the data

Retrofitting existing power plants with water efficient technology may impact water consumption and withdrawals, and so may new technology like carbon capture and storage.

Ultimately, variables like climate, geography, technology used, and other variables can impact water efficiency

Comparison Of Different Energy Sources, & The Water They Use

sciencedaily.com discusses one piece of research studied the water-efficiency of some of the most common energy sources and power generating methods, in terms of gallons of water used per British Thermal Unit (BTU) produced, and the results were:

[… 11 types of energy sources were studied] including coal, fuel ethanol, natural gas, and oil; and five power generating methods, including hydroelectric, fossil fuel thermoelectric, and nuclear methods

… [the most water efficient energy sources were] natural gas and synthetic fuels produced by coal gasification …

The least water-efficient energy sources are fuel ethanol and biodiesel …

… in terms of power generation … geothermal and hydroelectric energy types use the least amount of water, while nuclear plants use the most.

[Although these results involve standardising the measurement unit to offer a comparison, results should take into account] several variables such as geography and climate, technology type and efficiency, and accuracy of measurements that come into play.

According to greenbiz.com, the water use by power plants, in terms of water consumed to produce one megawatt hour of electricity (which is enough to power 1000 homes), is:

Solar thermal with wet cooling – 786 gallons

Coal – 687 gallons

Nuclear – 672 gallons

Natural gas – 198 gallons

Solar photovoltaic – 26 gallons

Solar thermal with dry cooling – 26 gallons

Wind – 0 gallons

How Much Water Coal vs Natural Gas Sources Use

Only about 10 gallons of water are required to extract enough natural gas to generate 1,000 kWh of electricity [and for] a coal-fired power plant [it] would use about 140 gallons of water (news.thomasnet.com)

How Much Water Coal vs Nuclear vs Natural Gas Sources Use

From greenbiz.com:

Coal generally requires more water than nuclear …

Natural gas … requires less water than coal, but still needs an enormous amount of water for drilling activities and conversion to electricity

From blogs.edf.org: ‘Coal, nuclear and natural gas plants use enormous amounts of steam to create electricity.’

How Much Water Coal Plants Specifically Use

Coal plants typically use 20 to 50 gallons of water to produce one kilowatt-hour of electricity … And that doesn’t even take into account the water needed to mine the coal and store the coal waste (insideenergy.org)

Retrofitting Existing Coal Or Nuclear Plants

Retrofitting old coal or nuclear plants with more water-efficient cooling technologies could increase water consumption, potentially even doubling it, but could reduce water withdrawals by two orders of magnitude (ucsusa.org)

How Much Water Renewables Use

Using renewable energy technologies such as wind and photovoltaics means doing away entirely with water use for electricity production (ucsusa.org)

Wind and solar energy consume little to no water … (greenbiz.com)

[Some types of energy generation like renewables and nuclear might use less water than some fossil fuel power plants] (telegraph.co.uk)

How Much Water Carbon Capture & Storage Uses

[Carbon capture and storage used in energy generation might be water intensive in some aspects] (telegraph.co.uk)

More Information On Water Usage Of Different Energy Sources For Electricity Production

More water usage stats broken down by energy source can be found at wikipedia.org

How Much Water A Light Bulb Uses

In terms of water used for electricity, a fluorescent lightbulb appears to be more water efficient than an incandescent one

… burning a compact fluorescent bulb for the same amount of time [as an incandescent one] would save about 2,000 to 4,000 gallons of water per year (sciencedaily.com)

How Much Water Is Used To Make Paper

Paper can be assessed by the sheet, or by the ream

Ream

Ream Of White Paper – 1321 gallons of water (motherjones.com)

Sheet

… It takes about 3 gallons to make one sheet of paper (theatlantic.com)

How Much Water It Takes To Make Toilet Paper

There are different types of toilet paper, and some are more sustainable than others in terms of what they are made of and how they are made.

How Much Water It Takes To Make A Plastic Bottle Or 1lb Of Plastic

It may take much more water to make a plastic bottle, than the water or liquid inside it.

It takes 22 gallons of water to make one pound of plastic

It takes at least twice as much water to produce a plastic water bottle as the amount of water contained in the bottle

– watercalculator.org

Although, when including water in the supply chain (and not just the plastic bottle), that amount of water could be six or seven times what’s inside the bottle (npr.org)

How Much Water It Takes To Make A Microchip

A microchip – 8 gallons of water (motherjones.com)

How Much Water It Takes To Make A Diaper

Diaper – 214 gallons of water (motherjones.com)

How Much Water It Takes To Make Different Products In The United States

Virtual water footprints for different products and things differ from country to country around the world.

Below are some American figures.

The average virtual water content of some selected products in the USA in m³/ton is:

Leather (bovine) – 14,190 m³/tons of virtual water

Cotton Lint – 5733 m³/tons of virtual water

Cotton Seed – 2535 m³/tons of virtual water

– wikipedia.org