What is the actual state of how water scarcity is in the US? Let’s see some current or fairly recent statistics.
Water scarcity in the United States is an increasing problem. The current statistics, as of January, 2024, show that 24.13% of the U.S. and Puerto Rico and 28.80% of the lower 48 states are in drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. These statistics represent the current national drought status.
According to the USDA, conditions were most severe in Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, and Oregon. According to the USDM, on April 4, 2023, 12 percent of land in western states was classified as experiencing extreme or exceptional drought, with an additional 20 percent classified as severe. In 2021, the West saw some of the worst droughts on record. Why do Western states have less water supply? It’s due to a combination of the climate and long-term overconsumption. The hotter climate, meaning the long-term weather patterns, has lessened water supplies. Global warming has made the climate warmer and drier, resulting in less water available in Western reservoirs.
Let’s answer the overlap between water scarcity, water waste, water conservation, and climate change.
For causes of water scarcity, agriculture is a major factor, consuming more water than any other source and wasting much of it due to inefficiencies. Another strain of water supply has been climate change. The US Global Change Research Program describes the impact of climate change on water supply, stating, “Changes in precipitation and runoff, combined with changes in consumption and withdrawal, have reduced surface and groundwater supplies in many areas. These trends are expected to continue, increasing the likelihood of water shortages for many uses.”
But how much water is lost because of people, as water waste? Many plumbing companies, along with many eco websites, have stated that the average American family wastes up to [a certain number] of gallons of water each [day or week]. However, they don’t clarify that these statistics pertain to households with leaks. For household leaks, according to the EPA, the average family “can waste 180 gallons per week, or 9,400 gallons of water annually.” How do we compare this if we don’t know the overall water usage? Another stat from the EPA is that “The average American family uses more than 300 gallons of water per day at home.” How much of this is wasted water? According to wa.gov, the official website of Washington State, “The average person unknowingly wastes up to 30 gallons of water every day.” Some ways to check the sources of this waste include: Do you leave the water running when brushing your teeth or doing dishes? Is your lawn being watered too often? Many major sources of water waste are addressed in another Aqua Conscious blog titled “How can people use water-saving techniques at home?” It’s easy to waste water, but there are also simple ways to conserve it, such as taking shorter showers, only running the dishwasher with full loads, and not letting the sink run unnecessarily, which can waste two gallons per minute.
What’s the actual impact of wasting [a certain amount] of water?
It reduces wastewater treatment costs, which are costly because advanced systems are expensive to build and operate, and it reduces the amount of energy used to treat, pump, and heat water.
What does water conservation solve?
Conserving water means conserving energy and resources. This is particularly crucial given that water scarcity is an increasing problem, as described in the previous section about the current state of water scarcity in the US. Anyone using the city’s water system is interconnected; any water running down the drain goes to the wastewater treatment facility. Treating this water requires both money and energy. It gets to those facilities by flowing through the wastewater pipe system. At wastewater treatment plants in Mecklenburg County, the wastewater is treated to remove many kinds of pollutants (bacteria, nutrients, etc). As described by Envision Charlotte, “After extensive testing and monitoring, the treated water is discharged back into a creek, which eventually flows into our rivers.”
Works Cited
“Drought in the Western United States.” USDA ERS, https://www.ers.usda.gov/newsroom/trending-topics/drought-in-the-western-united-states/. Accessed 24 January 2024.
“How We Use Water | US EPA.” Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), 24 April 2023, https://www.epa.gov/watersense/how-we-use-water. Accessed 24 January 2024.
“National Drought Status.” Drought.gov, https://www.drought.gov/national. Accessed 24 January 2024.
“Overview | National Climate Assessment.” National Climate Assessment, 2014, https://nca2014.globalchange.gov/highlights/overview/overview. Accessed 24 January 2024.
“Stop Water Waste: It’s easier than you think!” | Washington State Department of Health, https://doh.wa.gov/sites/default/files/legacy/Documents/Pubs/331-450.pdf. Accessed 24 January 2024.
“Water.” Envision Charlotte, https://envisioncharlotte.com/water-waste-air/water/. Accessed 24 January 2024.
“Water Scarcity | Threats | WWF.” World Wildlife Fund, https://www.worldwildlife.org/threats/water-scarcity. Accessed 24 January 2024.
Image Credits:
– WOLF LΔMBERT (2013) “Lol 7.png”. Wikimedia Commons.
