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<h1>The Great Guzzlers: Who’s Using All Our Water?</h1> <p>According to UNICEF, <a href="https://www.unicef.org/wash/water-scarcity" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">4 billion people already experience water scarcity</a> at least one month per year. More than <strong>2 billion</strong> live in countries where water supply is inadequate, and half the world’s population could be living in areas facing water scarcity as early as <strong>2025</strong>, with global ramifications for public health and migration, not to mention peace.</p> <p>Our unequal world is divided not just by wealth or quality of life, but also by access to basic necessities like water.</p> <h2>A Thirsty World </h2> <p>Geography and climate play a huge role in water availability. Still, just six countries consume 49% of all water usage globally. </p> <div> <figure><img src="https://www.yesmagazine.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Data1-1024x796.jpg" alt="An illustrated pie chart conveys global water usage by country (source: Water Footprint Network). Those usages are: China: 16%, India: 13%, U.S.: 10%, Brazil: 4%, Russia: 3%, Indonesia: 3%, and the rest of the world: 51%."/></figure></div> <figure><img src="https://www.yesmagazine.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Data2-1024x1024.jpg" alt="Two bar charts convey water consumption measured per capita (in liters per day) in the 25 most populous countries, according to the Water Footprint Network. U.S.: 7,800 liters per day Italy: 6,300 Brazil: 5,600 Mexico: 5,400 Russia: 5,100 Iran: 5,100 France: 4,900 Turkey: 4,500 Germany: 3,900 Thailand: 3,900 Japan: 3,800 Philippines: 3,800 Egypt: 3,700 Pakistan: 3,600 U.K.: 3,400 Nigeria: 3,400 South Africa: 3,400 Ethiopia: 3,200 Indonesia: 3,100 India: 3,000 China: 2,900 Vietnam: 2,900 Tanzania: 2,800 Bangladesh: 2,100 Dem. Rep. Congo: 1,500" width="919" height="919"/><figcaption><em>Source: <a href="https://www.waterfootprintassessmenttool.org/national-explorer/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Water Footprint Network</a></em></figcaption></figure> <h2>The Global Water Footprint</h2> <p>Around the world, agriculture consumes <strong>70%</strong> of all freshwater. Products can be ranked by their “water footprint,” which measures the number of liters of water used to produce one kilogram. The thirstiest products include cocoa and its derivatives, coffee, leather, and beef.</p> <figure><img src="https://www.yesmagazine.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Data3-1024x730.jpg" alt="A bar graph conveys the biggest water footprint (in liters per kilogram) of the following agricultural products: Cocoa beans: 20,000 L/kg Cocoa butter: 34,000 Chocolate: 17,000 Cocoa powder: 15,600 Coffee beans (roasted): 18,900 (130 L per cup) Cattle (leather): 17,000* Cattle (beef): 15,400* Biodiesel (from soybeans): 11,400 Sheep meat: 10,400 Cotton fabric: 10,000 Tea (black): 8,860 Pork: 5,990 Goat meat: 5,520 Cheese: 5,060 Milk powder: 4,750 Chicken meat: 4,330 Eggs: 3,300 *99% of the water used in raising cattle comes from growing animal feed. From 1996 to 2005, cattle-raising consumed about 800 billion cubic meters per year, one-third of the total water footprint of all animal production. Sources: The World Bank, Water Footprint Network"/></figure> <figure><img src="https://www.yesmagazine.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Data4-1024x730.jpg" alt="A bar graph conveys the smallest water footprint (in liters per kilogram) of the following agricultural products: Oranges: 533 Tomato ketchup: 530 Cucumbers, pumpkins: 350 Potatoes: 290 Cabbage: 280 Lettuce: 240 Sugarcane: 210 Tomatoes: 200 Sugar beets: 132 Sources: The World Bank, Water Footprint Network" width="920" height="656"/><figcaption><em>Sources: <a href="https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/water-in-agriculture#:~:text=Currently%2C%20agriculture%20accounts%20(on%20average,be%20both%20physical%20and%20virtual" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The World Bank</a>, <a href="https://www.waterfootprint.org/resources/interactive-tools/product-gallery/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Water Footprint Network</a></em></figcaption></figure> <figure><img src="https://www.yesmagazine.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Data5-1024x492.jpg" alt="A pie chart with the header "Where is the water going?" reads: The U.S. used 322 billion gallons a day (bgd) in 2015, according to the most recent data from the U.S. Geological Survey. Most of that goes to producing electricity and growing food. Thermoelectric power: 133 bgd = 41% Irrigation: 118 bgd = 37% Public supply (utilities): 39 bgd = 12% Self-supplied industrial use: 14.8 bgd = 5% Aquaculture: 8 bgd = 3% Mining: 4 bgd = 1% Self-supplied domestic (usually wells): 3.25 bgd = 1% Sources: USGS, The World Bank, Water Footprint Network "/><figcaption><em>Source: <a href="https://www.usgs.gov/mission-areas/water-resources/science/total-water-use?qt-science_center_objects=0#qt-science_center_objects" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">USGS</a></em><a href="https://www.usgs.gov/mission-areas/water-resources/science/total-water-use?qt-science_center_objects=0#qt-science_center_objects"></a></figcaption></figure> <figure><img src="https://www.yesmagazine.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Data6-1024x1024.jpg" alt="A stacked vertical list titled "Domestic Water Hogs" conveys which five U.S. states account for nearly half of the country’s industrial water use. Indiana (16%) — Indiana is a major processor of steel and aluminum for the U.S. auto industry, in addition to producing pharmaceuticals and medical devices. Louisiana (14%) — Louisiana and Texas are major producers of chemicals and petroleum products. Texas (6%) Tennessee (56%) — Tennessee’s withdrawals are used primarily for the chemical industry, paper, and aeronautical products. Pennsylvania (4%) — Pennsylvania’s steel and other metal industries are the state’s largest user of ground and surface water. Source: USGS" width="919" height="919"/><figcaption><em>Source: <a href="https://pubs.usgs.gov/circ/1441/circ1441.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">USGS</a> (Table 10)</em></figcaption></figure> <p></p> <p>This article originally appeared in <a href="https://www.yesmagazine.org">Yes! Magazine</a> at <a href="https://www.yesmagazine.org/issue/thirst/2023/05/18/water-usage">https://www.yesmagazine.org/issue/thirst/2023/05/18/water-usage</a>.</p><link href="https://www.yesmagazine.org/issue/thirst/2023/05/18/water-usage" rel="canonical"/><p>Yes! Magazine is a nonprofit, independent media organization dedicated to telling stories of ... . Learn more at <a href="https://www.yesmagazine.org">Yes! Magazine</a></p><img id="republication-tracker-tool-source" src="https://www.yesmagazine.org/?republication-pixel=true&post=109837&ga4=G-74QJNNY44Z" style="width:1px;height:1px;">
The Great Guzzlers: Who’s Using All Our Water? According to UNICEF, 4 billion people already experience water scarcity at least one month per year. More than 2 billion live in countries where water supply is inadequate, and half the world’s population could be living in areas facing water scarcity as early as 2025, with global ramifications for public health and migration, not to mention peace. Our unequal world is divided not just by wealth or quality of life, but also by access to basic necessities like water. A Thirsty World Geography and climate play a huge role in water availability. Still, just six countries consume 49% of all water usage globally. Source: Water Footprint Network The Global Water Footprint Around the world, agriculture consumes 70% of all freshwater. Products can be ranked by their “water footprint,” which measures the number of liters of water used to produce one kilogram. The thirstiest products include cocoa and its derivatives, coffee, leather, and beef. Sources: The World Bank, Water Footprint Network Source: USGS Source: USGS (Table 10)
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