How has the demand for water in the UK changed?

Water use in the UK has increased significantly over time. For example, the amount of water used by the average household in the UK has increased by 70% since 1985. Almost 50% of the UK’s water is used in the home.

The reasons for the increased demand for water are:

• the increase in households having appliances such as dishwashers and washing machines, which use a large amount of water;
• improvements in personal hygiene, so people now take showers more often. People were more likely to have a weekly bath and share the water with their families in the past!
• more food is now grown in greenhouses to meet the demand for out-of-season food. This requires watering throughout the year;
• industrial production has increased, leading to a greater demand for water;
• people have more leisure time now than in the past. This has led to an increased demand for water for leisure facilities such as golf courses;
• car ownership has increased, leading to more people cleaning cars;
• the population of the UK has increased, leading to a greater demand for water.

The average person in the UK uses 149 litres of water per day. This compares to 575 litres in the USA and just 4 litres in Mozambique.