WASHINGTON — The severe drought in Western parts of the U.S. has called national attention to U.S. water resources, according to a press release.
The current drought in California has cost the state billions of dollars in economic losses and businesses across the nation report substantial concerns over water supplies, stated the release.
The release reported that despite these challenges, not all U.S. regions have the same water needs, and The Hamilton Project, using newly released data, presents an economic analysis and accompanying interactive feature to illustrate the variation in the level and nature of water use across the U.S.
Americans withdraw more than 1,000 gallons of water per person each day, putting U.S. per capita water withdraws among the highest in the world; however, added the release, not all of this water is consumed or used up.
The release continued that water scientists distinguish between water withdraws and water consumption, and more of U.S. water withdraws go to power generation and irrigation.
Conservation efforts have led to marked declines in total water withdraws, with total withdraws down by 13 percent between 2005 and 2010, as well as a 20 percent decline in withdraws for thermoelectric power and a nine percent decline in irrigation withdraws, noted the release.
Read the entire release on water use here.
