How many gallons of water does a typical household use

Water is so important in our day-to-day lives. It is something that every human being will use regularly throughout their day, simply because it has so many uses.

From washing the dishes, to cooking, to cleaning your teeth, the things that you will use water for in your household are endless.

That’s without even taking into account the half gallon of water that it is recommended that every American drinks each day.

When you think about all the different uses of water in the household, you might find yourself wondering just how much water your household uses every day.

If this is the case, then keep on reading because in this guide we will be taking a look at just that!

First things first, let’s take a look at how much water the average household uses. Of course, this will depend on the number of people in the household.

So, to help you out, we will take a look at what the average person uses, what the average household of 2 uses, and also what the average household of 4 uses.

Average Person

Now-a-days, a lot of people live alone. So, if you are one of these people, your average household water usage will depend entirely on how much water you use.

Even if you live alone, you will need to complete the same household tasks as somebody who lives in a household with 4 people, so you might be surprised by how much water the average person uses.

On average, a single person will use around 152 liters of water per day, which works out to around 33 gallons.

Of course, this number does assume that a person living alone will use less water overall in the appliances that they use.

For example, a person who lives alone is less likely to use a dishwasher to wash their plates, and they are also less likely to wash clothes multiple times a day.

So, if you are somebody who does complete these tasks more regularly, it is likely that your overall water usage will be higher.

Household Of Two

When more than one person lives in a household, it is understandable that their water usage will increase.

Suddenly there is double the amount of washing, double the amount of dishes, and double the amount of teeth being brushed at the start and end of the day.

Unless you want to shower together and eat off the same plate, your household water usage will increase if there is more than one person living in your home.

You might expect the household water usage for a household of 2 to be around 66 gallons.

This would be understandable as we have just told you that the average household of 2 uses around 33 gallons of water each day.

However, this isn’t the case. Instead, the average household water usage for a home of 2 works out at around 138 gallons.

This number is higher because the number of appliances that you use which require water is higher if there are 2 of you.

Suddenly, you might use a dishwasher at least once a day, and you will have to run the washer more regularly to wash clothes.

It is surprising how quickly the water that you use can add up.

Household Of Four

Finally, let’s take a look at the average household water usage for a family of four.

It is estimated that the average household of 4 will use around 12,000 gallons of water a month. This works out at a whopping 387 gallons per day.

This does seem like a large increase when you compare it to the average family of two, but there are a lot of factors that influence this.

For example, a lot of the time, a family of four will include children.

Children generate a lot more washing than adults, especially if those children are babies or toddlers.

So, you will need to run your washer/dryer more regularly.

Likewise, toddlers require bathing more regularly than adults because they are more likely to get themselves dirty.

But, it isn’t just children that will increase the water usage for a family of four. Even if the family of 4 is made up of adults, the water usage will be higher.

There will be more clothes to wash, more baths to run, and more toilets to flush, and this increases the overall water usage for the household.

What Wastes The Most Water?

A lot of the water that your household uses will be wasted.

While a small amount will be consumed and used for good, there is a lot of water that is simply wasted. But what wastes the most water?

Let’s take a look. Well, the household human activity that uses the most water is flushing your toilet.

In fact, flushing the toilet accounts for around 24% of a household’s daily water usage. This is closely followed by showering.

When you shower, a lot of water is wasted during the time when you turn the shower on before you enter it, which is why showering accounts for around 20% of a household’s water usage.

Other things that waste a lot of water in your household include unnecessarily running faucets, using the washing machine regularly, and using the dishwasher when you could wash the dishes yourself.

When you take into account all the different ways that water can be wasted, it is easy to see how small things (such as turning off the faucet when cleaning your teeth) can reduce your water usage significantly.

Summary

In short, the average household of two uses around 138 gallons of water every single day.

When the daily recommended water intake in the USA is half a gallon, it can be difficult to comprehend how a household of two people can use this much water.

But, when you consider showering, washing clothes, and using your dishwasher, it is easy to see how your water usage can quickly add up.

Thank you for reading!

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Hi, my name is Mike Noren and I am an activist for saving water. In the USA alone, we waste almost 900 billion gallons of water every year. To put that into perspective, that equates to the yearly household water use of around 11 million homes!

We waste water in so many ways, like leaving the faucet on while we brush our teeth, bathing instead of showering, and watering our lawns more than we need to.

Through my site, you'll learn more about droughts and their effects on society, how to collect rainwater and use it in your everyday life, and how much water you really need to be using a day. Remember that saving water will also save money on your water bill, so why not give it a go and help me Save The Drop!