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4.2. Daily water use and consumption

“Water use” describes the total amount of water withdrawn from its source to be used.
Measures of water usage help evaluate the level of demand from industrial, agricultural,
and domestic users.

“Water consumption” is the portion of water use that is not returned to the original
water source after being withdrawn. Consumption occurs when water is lost into the
atmosphere through evaporation or incorporated into a product or plant (such as a corn
stalk) and is no longer available for reuse. Water consumption is particularly relevant when
analyzing water scarcity and the impact of human activities on water availability.

Water consumption in a community is characterized by several types of demand, including
domestic, public, commercial, and industrial uses. Domestic demand includes water for drinking,
cooking, washing, laundering, and other household functions.

A PERSON USES 152 LITRES PER DAY.

113L PER PROPERTY ARE LOST THROUGH LEAKAGE EVERY DAY.

ALMOST ALL OF US HAVE A WATER METER IN OUR HOMES
144L OF FRESHWATER PER PERSON PER DAY IS SUPPLIED FOR HOUSEHOLD

CONSUMPTION IN EUROPE.

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The largest use of household water is to flush the toilet, and after that, to take showers and baths.
That is why, in these days of water conservation, we are starting to see toilets and showers that use
less water than before.

We need water for cleansing and cooking in our daily life. However, the amount of water we
consume is far more than that we see because a large quantity of water is hidden.

The amount of water that is embedded in food or other products needed for their
production is known as virtual water. For example, to produce 1 kilogram of wheat, we
need about 1,000 liters of water, i.e. the virtual water consumption for the production
of this kilogram of wheat is 1,000 liters.

Create A Water Diary - Help students understand the importance of water by developing
awareness of their own daily consumption. For one day, have students write down all the
water or fluids they consume and, if possible, all of their water their family use during the
day. Ask them to think about their entries in detail, e.g. do they leave the tap on whilst brushing
their teeth? How long to they spend in the shower; how many glasses of water do they drink?
Typical activities that require water might include: Morning activities (brushing teeth etc.), Drinks,
Cooking food, Bathroom visits, Laundry, Cleaning, Washing dishes, Watering plants, Washing the
car etc.

This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This communication reflects the
views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the

information contained therein.