A minimum of 20.5 gallons of water daily per person is required to sustain life, hygiene and food production. Each person uses 50 gallons (189 liters) on average per day.
The national average cost for water is $0.25 per day.
A person can live for a month without food, but only about a week without water.
Here are some comparisons to show how much water you can save in your daily activities.
Activity
Conventional Use (gallons)
Water-Conserving Use (gallons)
Brushing Teeth
2 or more gallons
0.25 gallons or less (tap off, use glass)
Shaving
20 gallons
1 gallon or less (fill sink)
Showering
50 gallons (conventional showerhead, 10-minutes)
12.5 gallons (water-saving showerhead, 5 minutes)
Washing dishes by hand
30 gallons (tap running)
5 gallons (fill sink)
Using a dishwasher
16 gallons (partial load, full or pot-scrubber cycle)
9 gallons (light or short cycle, full load)
Washing clothes
35 gallons/load (highest water level, partial load)
25 gallons/load (lowest water level adjusted to size of load)
