About Water

• Water treatment
• Safety
• History of water
• Water Cycle
• Waste water treatment
• Uses of water
  • Saving Water
  • Water for Health
• Pollution

Main Content

Uses of Water

People could not live without water. We need it to drink, to cook with and to wash ourselves. In this section you can find out more about the ways we use water in our bodies, and in our homes and at work. You can also learn about saving water.

Water in our bodies

Every living plant or animal needs water. The human body is made up of two thirds water and without water we would die.

Did you know?
A person could live for weeks without food but only about one week without water.

Water in our homes

Have you ever thought how lucky you are to be able to turn on a tap and have all the water you need?

A hundred years ago most people had no water supply in their homes. Instead they had to carry water from a tap or well on their street. In many countries today, people still need to fetch water from ponds, streams, rivers or wells.

Seventy years ago, most people only had cold water in their homes and all water for washing or washing clothes had to be heated on an open fire or cooker.

Today we use much more water than seventy years ago because:

• water is piped directly into our homes
• we wash, shower or take baths more often
• we have lots of hot water
• washing machines and dishwashers use more water
• gardens are watered with hoses or sprinklers
• cars are washed

How much water do we use?

Look just how much water we use when we do everyday things, such as:

• Shower - 27 litres
• Power shower - 80 litres
• Bath - 80 litres
• Toilet flush - 9 litres
• Wash basin (inc hand wash, brushing teeth) - 4 litres
• Washing clothes by hand - 15 litres
• Washing machine (per load) - 80 litres
• Washing dishes by hand - 7.5 litres
• Washing dishes in a dishwasher - 30 litres
• Car wash (per bucket) - 7 litres
• Hosepipe (per minute) - 15 litres
• Watering garden with sprinkler (per minute) - 9 litres

Water at work

Water is not just used in the home. Businesses also need lots of water for:

• farming
• energy
• recreation
• transportation
• industry

 

Uses of water | Saving water | Water for health