Facts About Water

• One acre foot=326,000 gallons. This covers an acre of land with a one-foot depth of water.
• Fresh water makes up only 2.8% of the water on the planet. The remaining 97.2% of the earth’s water is salt water.

How much water do you use?

An average California household uses between one half-acre foot and one-acre foot of water each year.

Personal water use is highest in central valley cities, where a family may use as much as 300 gallons of water per person each day.  Water use is as low as 50 gallons per person per day in some water-conserving coastal cities, such as San Francisco or Monterey.

How much water does it take to?

• drink, 1/2 gallon per person, per day
• shower with a low-flow showerhead, 9-12 gallons per person, per day
• fill the bathtub, about 36 gallons
• cook, 5-10 gallons per person, per day
• wash clothes or the car, 50 gallons per wash
• water the lawn/yard, 300 gallons per watering
• flush the toilet, 3.5 - 7 gallons, or 1.5 gallons with a water saving toilet