We already put together a guide about how much water the different household appliances and devices might use.
But, in the guide below, we discuss water use inside & outside the home.
We outline:
– How we use water at home
– How much water we might use at home, both inside and outside
– How to save water at home (in the kitchen, bathroom, laundry, garden and more)
Summary – Water Use At Home
How We Use Water At Home – Inside vs Outside Water Use
We outline the various ways we use water both inside and outside the home in the guide below
What Uses The Most Water Inside The Home?
According to one study on different devices and appliances, toilets use the most water, followed by showers, faucets, and then clothes washers
According to another study on different activities, bathing and showering uses the most water, followed by flushing the toilet, and then laundry
How Much Water Different Appliances Inside The Home Use
You can read more in this guide about how much water different household appliances and devices might use.
Do We Use More Water Inside The Home Or Outside The Home?
Some sets of data show slightly more water use happening outside the home, whilst other sets of data show that the vast majority of water use happens inside the home
Much more water can be used outside the home under certain circumstances
What might be three variables that determine how much water is used outside the home (in any individual home) are:
– How often a household uses irrigation, sprinklers, hoses, and even whether pools (especially refilling a pool) are included in water use numbers.
– How much lawn, vegetation and soil/garden a household has to apply water to
– The climate in an area. In drier and hotter parts of a country or region, water use outside the house might far outweigh inside water use
How Much Water We Use At Home
In the guide below, we include some general stats on daily water use at home for the average home and also residential water use in general
We also compare daily at-home water use for different countries – the US may consume more water than other countries on a per day basis (on average) according to some data
Having said that, average daily water use can vary between States or Provinces within a country
Indirect Water Use At Home
In addition to direct water use at home, we also use water indirectly.
The food we eat (and also the food we waste or throw away) make make up the largest share of our indirect water footprint by a significant margin, and might also far outweigh the size of our direct water footprint.
The products and services we use, and the energy sources we use for electricity around the home are other examples of indirect water use (i.e. water we use that is embodied in products and services, that we can’t directly see)
Read more about direct and indirect, and visible and invisible water use in this guide.
Global Average For Municipal Sector Water Use
Agriculture has the vast majority of water withdrawals amongst all sectors within society.
How To Save Water Directly At Home
We list some potential ways to save water directly at home.
Targeting the areas where we use the most water at home may make the most sense.
Water efficient appliances may also help save water
How To Save Water Indirectly At Home
We list some potential ways to save water indirectly at home.
The food we eat and the food we waste may play a significant role in where we can save water.
Although, rather than changing food diets (which shouldn’t be done without the advice of a health professional), wasting less food, or, looking where water savings can be made with products and services might be more realistic
Water Leaks At Home
In addition to direct water use and indirect water use at home, there’s also water leaks to consider.
Leaks can commonly occur in taps/faucets, pipes, outdoor sprinklers and hoses, and other locations.
They can make up a notable % of water use at home, and should be monitored and fixed where possible.
We’ve provided more data on potential water wastage rates for water leaks in the home in this guide.
How We Use Water At Home – Inside vs Outside Water Use
We use water both inside and outside the home.
Inside the home there’s various activities, devices and appliances that use water.
Outside the home, we use water for lawns, gardens, washing cars and windows, swimming pools, and so on.
We discuss these things in the guide below.
What Uses The Most Water Inside Home?
According to one study on different devices and appliances, toilets use the most water, followed by showers, faucets, and then clothes washers
According to another study on different activities, bathing and showering uses the most water, followed by flushing the toilet, and then laundry
Additionally, we specifically outline how much water appliances inside the home might use in this guide
wikipedia.org provides a 2016 update of [a] 1999 study which measured the average quantities and percent shares of seven indoor end uses of water, [and the results were]:
24% Toilets
20% Showers
19% Faucets
17% Clothes Washers
4% Other Domestic Uses
3% Baths
1% Dishwashers
According to thewaterweeat.com, we use water directly at home on the following activities:
Bathing and showering – 35%
Flushing toilet – 30%
Laundry – 20%
Cooking and drinking – 10%
Cleaning – 5%
takepart.com also gives a full breakdown of water use in Californian homes indoors and outdoors in their report
How Much Water Different Appliances & Devices Use Inside The House
You can read more in this guide about how much water different household appliances and devices might use.
Do We Use More Water Inside The Home Or Outside The Home?
One set of data shows that slightly more water is used outdoors at home
Another set of data shows that majority of water use occurs inside the home (as opposed to outside)
Much more water might be used outside the home in hotter and drier climates, and when there are multiple sources of water intensive products or activities outside, like pools and extensive sprinkler and irrigation systems (for lawns, gardens, etc)
According to a 1999 study, on average all over the U.S. 58% of domestic water use is outdoors for gardening, swimming pools etc. and 42% is used indoors (wikipedia.org)
From epa.gov:
Roughly 70 percent of [the 300 gallons of water a day that the average US family uses] occurs indoors [and outdoors 30%]
[Outdoor water use] can be much higher in drier parts of the country and in more water-intensive landscapes [such as in arid conditions, and where irrigation is used]
How Much Water We Use At Home – General Stats
Below are some general stats on how much water the average home uses per day, daily domestic/residential water use, and how much water the US uses compared to other countries.
The US may use much more water on average per day in terms of domestic water use compared to other countries, although, water use can differ between States within the US too
Water Use Per Day, Per Household
In the US:
The average American family uses more than 300 gallons of water per day at home (EPA.gov)
Total Domestic Water Use, Per Day (Total Volume)
In the US:
Domestic/residential water use [in the US] was estimated … at 27.4 billion US gallons per day in 2010 (Wikipedia.org)
Total Domestic Water Use, Per Day (Per Capita)
In the US:
The average domestic water use per person in the U.S. was … 88-US-gallon (330 L) per day in 2010 [however, this varies from State to State – some States use less, and some use more]
In other countries:
This is about 2.2 times as high as in England (150 Liter) and 2.6 times as high as in Germany (126 Liter) (Wikipedia.org)
The Indirect Water We Use At Home
Direct water use at home is the water use we can see – for toilets, showers, etc.
However, also use water indirectly at home.
Common examples of indirect water use are for the electricity we use, and also the food we eat.
Food might make up the largest indirect water footprint by far.
And, indirect water use might be much larger than direct water use at home.
Read more about direct and indirect, and visible and invisible water use in this guide.
Global Average For Municipal Sector Water Withdrawals
In terms of how much water homes and the municipal sector withdraws compared to other sectors within society:
Agriculture accounts for roughly 70%, and industrial use 19%.
Different countries use different shares across the sectors though – some countries use most of their water in the industrial sector for example.
How To Save Water Directly At Home
Firstly, you need to be aware of where water is used most at home, in terms of activities, devices, and appliances.
We discuss water use above, but, we also put together a separate guide about water use for different appliances:
How Much Water Common Household Appliances & Devices Use
What The Data Might Suggest About Where We Can Save Water
A small excerpt from the information above shows us that:
One study provided by wikipedia.org indicates that the devices or activities that use the most water indoors by % share in the house are:
24% Toilets
20% Showers
19% Faucets
17% Clothes Washers
Another report provided by thewaterweeat.com indicates that:
35% goes towards bathing and showering, 30% to flushing the toilet, 20% to laundry, 10% to cooking and drinking, and 5% to cleaning
In arid and hotter environments, a large portion or even majority of water use can occur outside in the yard, on lawns and plants, or garden.
Ways To Potentially Save Water Based On This Data
Based on these stats, some ways to save water around the home directly might be:
– Use Water Efficient Appliances & Devices
Such as washing machines, dishwashers, taps, showers, sprinklers and irrigation systems, hoses, and so on.
We discuss water efficient appliances in more detail in this guide
– Fix Leaks & Water Loss As They Happen
In pipes, fittings, hoses, taps, toilets, showers and so on
Having a good way to monitor and track leaks may also help
– In Bathing and Showering
Make sure your shower is fitted with a water efficient shower head, and be reasonable with the amount of time spent in the shower instead of using water excessively.
– Flushing The Toilet
There are ‘green’ toilets available i.e. toilets that are more water efficient
You can also make sure a half flush option in available on your toilet for number 1’s (urinating) where suitable and safe, or, just be responsible with toilet water use in general
– Laundry
Having a water efficient ‘green’ washing machine may be an option
Also, washing fuller loads (as opposed to more partial or light loads of clothes), and using the quick cycle function where practical will also save water in some cases
– Faucets/Taps
Make sure your tap fixtures are water efficient, and don’t run the tap on full speed if you don’t have to (slower speeds can be as practical and not use as much water)
Be mindful about how long you are running the tap.
As mentioned above, fixing leaky taps and faucets specifically can help save water.
– Washing Dishes
Wash dishes by hand if if it saves water over a dishwasher.
If using a dishwasher, wash full loads of dishes instead of partial loads.
– Outdoor Water Use
Outdoor areas like lawns and garden can use a lot of water, especially in hotter and drier climates.
Some things that may save water might be:
Consider if having less lawned and garden area can save water at home
Try to choose plants and grasses that need less water to grow and be maintained (and ones that are suitable to the climate you live in)
Water with buckets instead of hoses and sprinkler systems where possible, as this may use less water
Check if hoses and watering systems like irrigation and sprinkler systems are water efficient, aren’t leaking, and run on timers. Smart technology irrigation systems can help save water too. Properly maintaining irrigation systems and sprinkler systems may also help with leaks and water waste, or even water efficiency of systems over time.
Water after the sun has gone down where possible to lessen evaporation.
Be mindful of using water outside in hot and dry climates
How To Save Water Indirectly At Home
What The Data Might Suggest About Where We Can Save Water
The main way we might indirectly use water might be in the food we eat (and waste)
Other ways we indirectly use water might be the products and services we use (clothing and textiles, energy use for electricity, and so on)
Two potential ways to save water indirectly might be:
– Foods
Consider the foods you eat and their water footprints
And, don’t waste food, or throw out food unnecessarily
– Products & Services
Consider the indirect water footprint of the different products and services you use
One example might be the type of energy providing your electricity for your home and how water efficient it is, how efficient you are with electricity, and so on
Another example might be buying clothing and textiles to last longer, rather than consuming them excessively or engaging in fast fashion
– Other Tips For Saving Water Indirectly
This guide may contain a few more tips about saving water indirectly in daily life
Sources
1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drinking_water_supply_and_sanitation_in_the_United_States
2. https://www.epa.gov/watersense/how-we-use-water
3. Various ‘Better Meets Reality’ guides
4. Hannah Ritchie and Max Roser (2018) – “Water Access, Resources & Sanitation”. Published online at OurWorldInData.org. Retrieved from: ‘https://ourworldindata.org/water-access-resources-sanitation’ [Online Resource]
5. http://insideenergy.org/2014/07/09/energy-and-water-2-the-thirsty-house/
6. http://thewaterweeat.com/
7. http://www.takepart.com/article/2015/05/05/huge-amount-water-california-wasting-every-year
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