USGS scientists collecting water quality samples at a public-supply well in Texas, overlying the Eagle Ford shale production area.
Public Supply Water Use
Water-Use Data for the Nation
The USGS National Water Information System (NWIS) compiles and publishes national water-use data every 5 years.
The USGS National Water Information System (NWIS) compiles and publishes national water-use data every 5 years.
Water Use Information by Topic
Water Science School Home
It is likely the water you use at home is brought to you by a public water-supply system. These are agencies, such as your local county government, that find and get the water that is delivered to not only your home, but to many businesses and industries. Most of the population of the United States gets their water this way.
• Water Science School HOME • Water Use topics •
Public Supply Water Use
Sources/Usage: Some content may have restrictions. View Media Details
No doubt the first public-supply water system was when Jack the Caveman was hired by his neighbors to fetch a bucket of water from Dinosaur River in exchange for some delicious prehistoric bran muffins. If you read our fictional tale about starting a new town in the desert, you'll see that even in a town with a population of one person, a plan to get, use, and dispose of water is always needed. Public and private water-supply organizations that get water, clean it and deliver it to local residents exist anywhere people exist.
Public water-supply systems, which you might know better as the county and city water departments, are vitally important to all populations. These are government or privately-run facilities that withdraw water from rivers, lakes, reservoirs, and wells and then deliver it to our homes, businesses, and schools. The majority of the population (about 86 percent) of the United States nowadays gets their water in this manner. You probably get your home drinking water this way. In the past, when the population was a lot more rural, people used to have to dig their own wells and create storage tanks for their water supply. But with large numbers of people living in bigger cities the public-supply systems do that work for us. All we do is turn on the tap ...oh, and pay the bills.
For this site, public supply refers to water withdrawn by public and private water suppliers that provide water to at least 25 people or have a minimum of 15 connections. Public-supply water is delivered to users for domestic, commercial, and industrial purposes, and also is used for public services and system losses.
Public-supply withdrawals for the United States
Every five years, water withdrawal and use data at the county level are compiled into a national water-use data system, and state-level data are published in a national circular.
Access the most recent National, state, and county public-supply data, maps, and diagrams.
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Want to know more about public supply water use? Follow me to the Public Supply Wells website!
Below are science topics related to public supply water use.
Water Use Information by Topic
Water is everywhere, which is fortunate for all of humanity, as water is essential for life. Even though water is not always available in the needed quantity and quality for all people everywhere, people have learned to get and use water for all of their water needs, from drinking, cleaning, irrigating crops, producing electricity, and for just having fun.
Surface Water Use in the United States
The Nation's surface-water resources—the water in the nation's rivers, streams, creeks, lakes, and reservoirs—are vitally important to our everyday life.
Trends in Water Use in the United States, 1950 to 2015
How has America's water use changed over the last 65 years? Are we using more or less water, and are there trends for different kinds of water use?
Groundwater Use in the United States
Groundwater is one of our most valuable resource—even though you probably never see it or even realize it is there. Groundwater is essential for irrigation and human use in many parts of the country. The use of groundwater in the United States in 2015 is described below.
Freshwater Withdrawals in the United States
The freshwater in the Nation's rivers, streams, creeks, lakes, reservoirs, and in underground aquifers are vitally important to our everyday life, and, indeed, to all life on Earth.
Below are multimedia items associated with public supply water use.
Scientists Sampling Groundwater from a Public Supply Well in Texas
USGS scientists collecting water quality samples at a public-supply well in Texas, overlying the Eagle Ford shale production area.
It is likely the water you use at home is brought to you by a public water-supply system. These are agencies, such as your local county government, that find and get the water that is delivered to not only your home, but to many businesses and industries. Most of the population of the United States gets their water this way.
• Water Science School HOME • Water Use topics •
Public Supply Water Use
Sources/Usage: Some content may have restrictions. View Media Details
No doubt the first public-supply water system was when Jack the Caveman was hired by his neighbors to fetch a bucket of water from Dinosaur River in exchange for some delicious prehistoric bran muffins. If you read our fictional tale about starting a new town in the desert, you'll see that even in a town with a population of one person, a plan to get, use, and dispose of water is always needed. Public and private water-supply organizations that get water, clean it and deliver it to local residents exist anywhere people exist.
Public water-supply systems, which you might know better as the county and city water departments, are vitally important to all populations. These are government or privately-run facilities that withdraw water from rivers, lakes, reservoirs, and wells and then deliver it to our homes, businesses, and schools. The majority of the population (about 86 percent) of the United States nowadays gets their water in this manner. You probably get your home drinking water this way. In the past, when the population was a lot more rural, people used to have to dig their own wells and create storage tanks for their water supply. But with large numbers of people living in bigger cities the public-supply systems do that work for us. All we do is turn on the tap ...oh, and pay the bills.
For this site, public supply refers to water withdrawn by public and private water suppliers that provide water to at least 25 people or have a minimum of 15 connections. Public-supply water is delivered to users for domestic, commercial, and industrial purposes, and also is used for public services and system losses.
Public-supply withdrawals for the United States
Every five years, water withdrawal and use data at the county level are compiled into a national water-use data system, and state-level data are published in a national circular.
Access the most recent National, state, and county public-supply data, maps, and diagrams.
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Want to know more about public supply water use? Follow me to the Public Supply Wells website!
Below are science topics related to public supply water use.
Water Use Information by Topic
Water is everywhere, which is fortunate for all of humanity, as water is essential for life. Even though water is not always available in the needed quantity and quality for all people everywhere, people have learned to get and use water for all of their water needs, from drinking, cleaning, irrigating crops, producing electricity, and for just having fun.
Surface Water Use in the United States
The Nation's surface-water resources—the water in the nation's rivers, streams, creeks, lakes, and reservoirs—are vitally important to our everyday life.
Trends in Water Use in the United States, 1950 to 2015
How has America's water use changed over the last 65 years? Are we using more or less water, and are there trends for different kinds of water use?
Groundwater Use in the United States
Groundwater is one of our most valuable resource—even though you probably never see it or even realize it is there. Groundwater is essential for irrigation and human use in many parts of the country. The use of groundwater in the United States in 2015 is described below.
Freshwater Withdrawals in the United States
The freshwater in the Nation's rivers, streams, creeks, lakes, reservoirs, and in underground aquifers are vitally important to our everyday life, and, indeed, to all life on Earth.
Below are multimedia items associated with public supply water use.
Scientists Sampling Groundwater from a Public Supply Well in Texas
USGS scientists collecting water quality samples at a public-supply well in Texas, overlying the Eagle Ford shale production area.
USGS scientists collecting water quality samples at a public-supply well in Texas, overlying the Eagle Ford shale production area.