Water Usage Breakdown: How Much Water Does a City Dweller Use Daily for Showering, Flushing, and Cleaning?

Water is a vital resource, and its usage is a topic of increasing concern as populations grow and resources become more strained. For city dwellers, daily water usage can be a significant part of their environmental footprint. This article will break down the average water usage of a city dweller in terms of showering, flushing, and cleaning, providing a comprehensive understanding of how much water we use and where we can potentially make savings.

Showering

According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the average person uses about 17.2 gallons (65.1 liters) of water for a 8.2 minute shower. This figure can vary depending on the efficiency of your showerhead. Older models can use up to 5 gallons (18.9 liters) per minute, while newer, more efficient models can use as little as 2 gallons (7.6 liters) per minute.

Flushing

The USGS also reports that each toilet flush uses about 3 gallons (11.4 liters) of water on average. However, this can vary greatly depending on the model of your toilet. Older models can use up to 7 gallons (26.5 liters) per flush, while newer, high-efficiency toilets can use as little as 1.28 gallons (4.8 liters) per flush. On average, each person flushes the toilet about 5 times a day, leading to a daily usage of about 15 gallons (56.8 liters) of water.

Cleaning

Water usage for cleaning can be broken down into two main categories: dishwashing and laundry. According to the USGS, washing dishes by hand can use up to 27 gallons (102.2 liters) of water, while using a dishwasher can use as little as 3 gallons (11.4 liters) per load. For laundry, an older model washing machine can use up to 40 gallons (151.4 liters) of water per load, while a high-efficiency model can use as little as 15 gallons (56.8 liters) per load. The frequency of these tasks can vary greatly from person to person, but on average, each person does about 4 loads of laundry and 7 loads of dishes per week.

Conclusion

In total, the average city dweller uses about 100 gallons (378.5 liters) of water per day for showering, flushing, and cleaning. This figure can vary greatly depending on the efficiency of your appliances and your personal habits. By being mindful of our water usage and making small changes, such as installing high-efficiency appliances and reducing the length of our showers, we can significantly reduce our water usage and environmental footprint.