Water & Wastewater Department
WATER FACTS
Ø Water is the most common substance found on earth.
Ø 97% of the Earth’s water is salt water located in oceans and seas.
Ø Only 1% of the Earth’s water is available for drinking water.
Ø About ⅔ of the human body is water. 70% of skin is water.
Ø Public water suppliers (like the Holland BPW) process 34 billion gallons of water per day for domestic and public use.
Ø Approximately 1 million miles of pipelines and aqueducts carry water in just the US and Canada. That’s enough to circle the Earth 40 times.
Ø 61% of Americans rely on lakes, rivers, and streams as their source of drinking water. The other 39% rely on groundwater, water located underground in aquifers and wells.
Ø You can survive about one month without food, but only 5 to 7 days without water.
Ø You can refill an 8 oz. glass of water approximately 15,000 times for the same cost as a six-pack of pop.
Ø 80% of the Earth’s surface is water.
Ø A gallon of water weighs 8.34 pounds at 68° F (room temperature).
Ø The national average for water usage is between 140 and 160 gallons per day per person.
Ø The average 5 minute shower takes between 25-50 gallons of water.
Ø The average automatic dishwasher uses 9-12 gallons of water while hand washing dishes can take up to 20 gallons.
Ø A leaky faucet can waste 100 gallons of water per day.
Ø 2% of the Earth’s water is frozen and therefore unusable.
Ø The 5 Great Lakes bordering the US and Canada contain about 20% of the world’s available fresh water.
Ø More than 39,000 gallons of water are used to manufacture a new car, including tires.
Ø 75% of a tree is water.
Ø Less than 1% of the water we treat is consumed.
Ø Older toilets use between 2 and 7 gallons of water every time they are flushed.
Ø Water is the only substance found on Earth naturally as a solid, a liquid and a gas.
Ø Nearly one half of the Earth’s population doesn’t have access to clean water for sanitation, drinking and other human needs.
Ø For less than $1.00, Holland BPW customers get 1,000 gallons of water delivered right to their tap, 24-hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.