The Middle East and Mexico suffer from water shortages. Much of the shortage in developing countries is from poor use of existing water supplies, due to pollution and waste.

 

In Illinois, there is usually enough water to use for drinking, agriculture, and manufacturing. As cities grow larger and industries expand, however, water use increases. This may require creating additional sources of water, by either drilling more water wells, or making a lake. Taxes and increased water bills usually pay for construction of public water supplies. By conserving water use, existing water supplies can be used longer, allowing towns, cities, and industries to grow without the need to find additional sources of water.

 

What are some ways individuals can conserve water?

The chart shows that clothes washing, showers/baths, and flushing toilets make up 80 percent of a households water usage. Using low flow devices on showerheads, toilets, and faucets will make a big difference in the amount of water a household uses.

For example, an older toilet uses 5 to 7 gallons per flush. New low flow toilets only use 1.6 gallons per flush. Standard showerheads use 5 gallons per minute, while low flow showerheads use 2.5 gallons per minute. Frontloading washing machines will use only 40 percent of the water a top loading washer will use. Water savings can add up quickly.

Repairing leaky faucets and toilets will also conserve water. Even a small drip will waste many gallons of water in a day.