Post April 9, 2015 Water Conservation Tips Food Facts: How Much Water Does It Take to Produce ... ?

Up Close and Personal: Water Use at Home

Become more aware of how much water you are using at home by learning the typical water use for the various activities below.

Simply click the activity to find out.

Taking a bath or shower

9-12 gallons per person

Watering the lawn

180 gallons

Washing dishes by machine

8-13 gallons

Washing clothes

35-50 gallons

Washing the car

50 gallons

Brushing your teeth

2-5 gallons

Cooking

5-10 gallons

Flushing the toilet (once)

1.6-7 gallons, depending on the type of toilet

Leaking toilet (per day)

60 gallons

** amounts are average estimates

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Post April 9, 2015 Water Conservation Tips Up Close and Personal: Water Use at Home

Food Facts: How Much Water Does It Take to Produce … ?

Post April 24, 2014 All Things Drought Up Close and Personal: Water Use at Home Food Facts: How Much Water Does It Take to Produce ... ?

Water Conservation Tips
How to Save Water Inside and Outside of Your Home

California has a history of multi-year droughts and periodic years of abundant rain. The state’s Mediterranean climate means there is a short window for the rainy season. A robust Sierra Nevada snowpack is critical in helping to meet water demands during the long, hot summer. Severe drought occurred in the late 1970s, the late 1980s and the late 2000s.

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Water Conservation

Drought-tolerant landscaping reduces the amount of water used on traditional lawns

Water conservation has become a way of life throughout the West with a growing recognition that water supply is not unlimited.

Drought is the most common motivator of increased water conservation. However, the gradual drying of the West due to climate change means the amount of fresh water available for drinking, irrigation, industry and other uses must be used as efficiently as possible.

Aquapedia background February 3, 2014 All Things Drought California Water Map Layperson's Guide to Water Conservation Water Conservation Tips Up Close and Personal: Water Use at Home Drought FAQs

Drought

Drought—an extended period of limited or no precipitation—is a fact of life in California and the West, with water resources following boom-and-bust patterns. During California’s 2012–2016 drought, much of the state experienced severe drought conditions: significantly less precipitation and snowpack, reduced streamflow and higher temperatures. Those same conditions reappeared early in 2021 prompting Gov. Gavin Newsom in May to declare drought emergencies in watersheds across 41 counties in California.