Water footprint of countries
In absolute terms, the countries with the highest water footprints are (in billion tons per year): India: 987.38. China: 883.39. US: 696.01.
15 % of water is consumed for domestic purpose. Water is used for drinking, bathing, cooking food and washing dishes, clothes, fruits, vegetables and brushing teeth.
Globally, water used for agriculture accounts for 70% of the total usage. However, in developed countries, most of the water is used for industry, as can be seen in the chart below.
Throughout the world, irrigation (water for agriculture, or growing crops) is probably the most important use of water (except for drinking and washing a smelly dog, perhaps).
About 71 percent of the Earth's surface is water-covered, and the oceans hold about 96.5 percent of all Earth's water. Water also exists in the air as water vapor, in rivers and lakes, in icecaps and glaciers, in the ground as soil moisture and in aquifers, and even in you and your dog.
The average person uses 101.5 gallons of water Per day.
Australia has a water footprint of 1393m3/cap/yr, which is above the global average. Of the nations sampled, Australia has the highest rate of internal domestic water use per person of 341m3/cap/yr. National water footprints have two components: the internal and external footprints.
Eritrea tops this somber list according to WaterAid's report published at the end of last year, 'The Water Gap. The State of the World's Water 2018'. Only 19 per cent of the population of this coastal nation has access to clean water close to home.
Each person uses an average of 100,000 litres of water per year, which works out to 274 litres per day. If you take this information and apply it to an average Australian family household of two adults and two children, that works out to more than 30,000 litres each month.
Women should have about 2 litres (8 cups) of fluids a day, and men about 2.6 litres (10 cups).
This is two litres more than the 2019-20 average of 157 litres per person per day. We each just need to use a few litres less each day to reach Target 150 – that's less than half a bucket of water.
On a daily basis, the average household, using 350 gallons per day, could save 125 gallons of water per day. The average individual, currently using 70 gallons per day, could save 25 gallons of water per day.
The average person unknowingly wastes up to 30 gallons of water every day. Think of “water efficiency” as a way to eliminate wasteful water practices and promote the long-term goal of saving water.
Water covers about 71% of the earth's surface. 97% of the earth's water is found in the oceans (too salty for drinking, growing crops, and most industrial uses except cooling). 3% of the earth's water is fresh.
In adult men, about 60% of their bodies are water. However, fat tissue does not have as much water as lean tissue. In adult women, fat makes up more of the body than men, so they have about 55% of their bodies made of water.
A sample of pillow basalt (a type of rock formed during an underwater eruption) was recovered from the Isua Greenstone Belt and provides evidence that water existed on Earth 3.8 billion years ago.
Gray water is defined as household wastewater that comes from showers, laundry water, bath water, lavatory (basin) water, and untreated spa water.
With the largest population, China's domestic water demands are highest at over 70 billion m³ per year. India, the next largest populace is the third largest municipal water user. The United States, despite having a much lower population, is the second largest user as a result of higher per capita water demands.
Frequently asked questions about tap water in Australia
Yes, tap water in Australia is generally safe to drink.