The Hidden Cost: Industry & Manufacturing’s Water Footprint
When we think of water conservation, we often picture shorter showers or turning off the tap while brushing our teeth. The heavy cost of industry and manufacturing, on the other hand, is often overlooked.. From the electricity powering your home to the car you drive and the paper you print on—nearly everything has a massive water footprint. Let’s dive into where that water is going and why it matters.
Energy & Electricity
In the U.S., a whopping 90% of electricity is generated by thermoelectric power plants using fossil fuels or nuclear energy. These plants boil water to create steam that drives turbines—then must cool that steam, using massive amounts of water in the process.
- In 2015, power generation accounted for 41% of total water withdrawals, totaling 133 billion gallons per day.
- Most of this water comes from freshwater sources, with environmental consequences like thermal pollution and harm to aquatic life.
- Droughts can force power plants to reduce output, directly impacting energy reliability.
- Wind and solar offer a promising path forward with drastically lower water use.
Hydraulic Fracturing (Fracking)
Fracking is one of the most water-intensive methods of fossil fuel extraction. Water, chemicals, and sand are blasted into rock formations to release oil and gas. The water footprint is staggering:
- A single shale gas well can use 390,000 to 6.27 million gallons of water.
- Between 2011 and 2016, water use per well skyrocketed by 770%, while wastewater volumes surged by 1,440%.
- That wastewater, which can contain toxins and radioactive material, has the potential to leak into groundwater or be stored in disposal wells—posing long-term environmental risks.
Data Centers & Cryptocurrency
Our digital lives are water-intensive too. Data centers, which store and process all our online data, require immense electricity and cooling:
- The U.S. has nearly 3,000 data centers, and a single 15-megawatt facility may use 360,000 gallons of water a day.
- The National Security Administration’s Utah data center alone uses 1.7 million gallons daily, even in drought conditions.
- Some companies have already switched to air cooling systems, reducing water use by up to 95%.
Cryptocurrency mining takes this even further:
- Bitcoin mining alone is estimated to use 1.13 billion gallons of fresh water daily—that’s 411 billion gallons annually, exceeding the water use of some entire countries.
Fuel
It takes water to make fuel—lots of it. Producing and refining oil and biofuels is a thirsty business.
- Petroleum refineries in the U.S. use approximately 1–2 billion gallons of water daily combined.
- Producing a single gallon of gasoline can use 3–6 gallons of water.
- Corn ethanol, often seen as a greener option, can use 10–324 gallons of water per gallon of fuel, much of it from the strained Ogallala Aquifer.
The Hospitality Industry
Hotels may be a home away from home—but they’re also heavy water users.
- The average hotel room consumes 200 gallons of water per day.
- Laundry alone accounts for approximately 1.2 billion gallons of daily use across U.S. hotels.
- Showers can be responsible for more than half of a hotel’s water usage.
Agricultural Irrigation
Agriculture is the world’s biggest water user, withdrawing 70% of freshwater globally.
- Approximately 43% of water used for irrigation comes from groundwater, much of which is non-renewable on a human timescale.
- The U.S. uses groundwater to irrigate 42 million acres, trailing only India and China.
- Overuse of aquifers can cause long-term depletion, possibly taking thousands of years to recover.
Paper Production
Paper might seem disposable, but its water footprint is far from trivial.
- Producing just 2 pounds of paper takes 793 gallons of water.
- The pulp and paper industry is one of the top industrial water users—and polluters.
- 95% of business data is still stored on paper, with a typical American lawyer consuming just under 2,000 lbs per year.
Vehicle Manufacturing & Ownership
Owning a car doesn’t just guzzle gas—it guzzles water too.
- The average car can use 18,237 gallons of water over its lifetime.
- 15,850 gallons for fuel production
- 1,417 gallons for materials
- The rest goes to parts, assembly, and end-of-life processes.
- Just producing four tires can cost up to 2,074 gallons.
What Can We Do?
Industry-wide solutions are critical, but individual choices still matter.
With at least 50% of the average Florida homeowner’s water bill going to maintain lawns (for those with automatic irrigation), the best bet for lowering YOUR water footprint is to reduce water usage in the landscape. For those without yards, opt for energy- and water-efficient appliances, support renewable energy, reduce paper waste, and drive less.
Every gallon saved counts.
Previous Water Footprint Blog Posts
Additional Resources
- Stephen Leahy. (2015). Your water footprint: The shocking facts about how much water we use to make everyday products. Firefly Books.
- Water to Make Energy
- Cut Indoor Water Use
- 100 Ways to Conserve Water
- Water Footprint blog series
- Water Conservation Calculator (SFWMD)
- UF/IFAS Extension Sarasota County: 4 Steps to Water Conservation
- UF/IFAS Extension Sarasota County Water Conservation
- Hydraulic Fracturing and Water Stress: Water Demand by the Numbers
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