What on Earth Do You Know About Water?

Approximately 80 percent of Earth's surface is covered with water.
- Only one percent of this water is fresh we can use.
  - 97 percent is saltwater
  - two percent is water frozen in glaciers
Earth's fresh water supply is limited and threatened by pollution.
Today, have approximately the same amount of water as when the Earth was formed; Earth will not get any more water.
Water moves in a never-ending cycle; nature recycles it over and over again.
The water you drink may have been a drink for a dinosaur.
You use an average of 168 gallons of water a day.
In the United States, we use approximately 25 trillion gallons of fresh water each year.
We are using our fresh water faster then we are recharging our groundwater.
In the United States, more than 50 percent of our wetlands that recharge and purify ground water have been destroyed.

Kids Splashing Water Graphic (Information provided by the U. S. Dept of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service.)

Activity	Normal Use	Conservation Use
Flushing	Depends on Tank Size 5-7 gallons	Displacement bottles in tank 4 gallons
Showering	Water Running 25 gallons	Wet down; soap down 4 gallons
Bathing	Tub Full 40 gallons	Minimal water level 10-12 gallons
Brushing Teeth	Tap Running 5 gallons	Wet brush; turn water off; rinse ½ gallon
Washing Hands or Face	Tap Running 2 gallons	Plug and Fill Basin 1 gallon
Drinking	Run Water to Cool 1 gallon	Keep Water in Refrigerator 8 ounces
Cleaning Vegetables	Tap Running 3 gallons	Fill Pan with Water to Clean Vegetables ½ gallon
Dishwasher	Full Cycle 16 gallons	Short Cycle 7 gallons
Dishes by Hand	Tap Running 30 gallons	Wash and Rinse in Dishpan or Sink 5 gallons
Washing Clothes	Full Cycle, Top Water Level 60 gallons	Short Cycle, Minimal Water Level 27 gallons

Information provided by the U. S. Dept of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service.

Gulf of Mexico Program Office
Mail Code: EPA/GMPO
Stennis Space Center, MS 39529-6000
228-688-3726
FAX: 228-688-2709