Do you think this water usage information is interesting and even a bit surprising?

Question

I am a water system distribution operator in the Atlanta, GA area. As most of the country knows...the south is in a severe drought and as a result, all outdoor watering in my area has been banned. I never realized how much water was being used for lawns, car washing, etc. (non-human consumption) until the ban went into effect. I find the following information a little shocking and sad at the same time...Before the outside water ban, the facility where I work was treating and pumping out about 18 million gallons a day and then AFTER the ban was implemented, we are only treating and pumping out between 7-9 million gallons a day!!! So that means more than HALF the water was being used for things other than human consumption / need!!! I find that amazing and disturbing at the same time. More water is being used for pretty lawns and clean cars? Our water use can not be much different than the rest of the country...mostly for non-human consumption if it is like our facility. Interesting???

Answer 1

This is true, lawns take much more water and the returns are much less compared to trees. Ideally instead of people going for only beauty and looks they should think of usefulness and maintenablility  too.

I think that even water from washing machines, dishwashers and toilets should be recycled for such use. Dont use dirty chemicals and pesticides and we can reuse all that water.

Answer 2

I am surprised that everyone doesn't already know that. And I am constantly disappointed that people NEVER mention landscape water usage when they talk about water conservation. When a question appears in this form asking how to conserve water I always suggest limiting landscape watering because it is the #1 use of water, and I never get a best answer from it. And I am usually the only one saying to limit landscape watering. All the others say to use low flow showers and toilets and don't let the water run while brushing and crummy little things like that. It is penny wise and pound foolish.

Answer 3

Actually I just moved from Toronto (Great Lakes region) to Calgary (dry side of the Rockies) and was surprised, yet not surprised, to find out you are not permitted to wash your car here, you must take it to a car wash which recycles water.  

In a province with more oil than God, water is a major concern.  Ironic, ain't it?

Answer 4

Water is usually cheap and abundant.  It is also quite useful.

So it doesn't really surprise me that people would use large quantities of it.

What does surprise me, is the lack of redundancy in our water systems and unwillingness of water authorities to make bans like these sooner, when droughts are imminent or likely.

Answer 5

The worldwide issue of water consumption is largely the fault of agriculture and industry!  Given, we rely on these systems for food and our way of life, but the amount of fresh water used for things other than human consumption is a huge issue, that needs to be dealt with immediately.  Here in the US we are basically using as much water as we can per year, we have already hit the ceiling on the water usage levels that we enacted in the 1970's.  This would pose no problem if population was not growing exponentially while our water usage must remain at the level it is now to sustain ecosystems that rely on our rivers, streams, and lakes.  It is alarming that water consumption is not a bigger issue, in politics and in our daily lives.  Reform must happen, starting with the industrial and agricultural sectors, then household consumption can follow suit!  :)  Yay fresh water!