Some of the Domestic and industrial water uses Main are given in the food industry, agriculture, livestock, electricity generation or showers and toilet flushing.
A lot of water is used domestically by people. Generally the most water is consumed to flush toilets, to use washing machines when washing clothes, to take showers, to take baths, to use the sink and in water spills.
Probably every manufactured product in the industry uses water at some point in its production process. Industrial water consumption includes water used for processes such as manufacturing, processing, washing, dilution, cooling, or transportation of a product.
Some industries that use large amounts of water produce certain products like food, paper, chemicals, refined petroleum, or primary metals.
Generally in the world agriculture accounts for 70% of water consumption, about 30% is used for industries and 10% is consumed in domestic uses.
However these numbers may change in the industrialized nations; Industries consume more than half of the water available for human use.
Water use can be measured in many ways, including total water use, water available for drinking, use of non-consumable water, withdrawal of water (from underground and surface sources), water footprint , etc.
List of domestic and industrial uses of water
1- Food industry
It takes a lot of water to make food that humans consume. The food we consume represents more than 2/3 of the total water footprint, mainly for all the"virtual water"necessary to produce food.
A loaf of bread requires about 240 gallons of water and a pound of cheese takes about 382 gallons. This means that a simple cheese sandwich takes about 56 gallons of water.
Meat has a larger water footprint than vegetables, grains and legumes. Highly processed food also requires much more water than most natural products. The more meat, dairy and processed products are consumed, the more water is also consumed.
2- Agriculture
Agriculture accounts for about 70% of the water currently used in the world; It also contributes to water pollution from excess nutrients, pesticides, and other contaminants.
Efficient irrigation systems and good water management practices can help keep agriculture sustainable in an era of more expensive and limited water supplements.
The effectiveness of agri- cultural water conservation programs and environmental policy objectives may vary according to local hydrological conditions.
The type, size, and location of irrigated farms, as well as institutional and legal measures on water use also affect this area.
3- Restaurant industry
A common restaurant can use 5,800 gallons of water a day. In addition to the water served to customers, water is also needed to make ice; Also, dishes and cutlery are constantly needed.
A fast food restaurant uses 1/3 to half of the water used by a common restaurant.
4- Car wash
Car washing is a great example of an industry that uses gallons and gallons of water every day. People in developed countries often use them regardless of how much water is used in the process.
It is estimated that you can spend 50 to 100 gallons per car. Even washing a car at home with a hose can use 50 to 150 gallons of water.
5- Hospital industry
The hotel industry uses large amounts of water. Much of this consumption is destined to wash the sheets and towels of the hundreds of rooms of the establishments.
This consumption can reach 3,000 gallons per day; A large hotel with restaurant, pool and convention center may require up to 90,000 gallons per day.
Unfortunately, the hotel industry does not have many options to refuse its washing water as is the case with other industries.
6- Download the toilet
Discharges from the toilet represent the increased use of water in common homes; If the average person flushes the toilet five times a day, toilets account for 31% of all domestic water consumption. For this reason they represent a great opportunity for water conservation.
Using high-efficiency toilets and changing household habits is a good way to save water when you flush the toilet.
7- Transportation of crude oil, oils and finished products
This process includes the transport of crude oil and gas from the refineries as well as the transportation to the end users of refined and finished products. Transportation can be done by boat, truck, train or pipeline.
Water is usually used in the cooling of natural liquid gas compression and in hydro-tests.
8- Emission Control
Many thermoelectric power plants emit sulfur, mercury, carbon dioxide, and other contaminants; So they require pollutant control technologies.
These technologies also require significant amounts of water to operate.
9- Showers
In an average house, showers typically occupy the third place of water consumption, behind toilets and washers. On average, a shower uses 17 gallons of water and lasts about eight minutes.
To save water, you should take short showers of about five minutes. The tap should also be closed when other activities are being performed, such as shampooing.
If you need to wait for the hot shower, it is a good idea to collect the water in a bowl to water the house plants or refuse it.
10- Washing the clothes
Washing clothes uses a significant amount of water in an average household; Represents about 15% to 40% of the total water consumption in a house consisting of four members. It is estimated that 400 loads of clothes per year are made in each family.
Older washers use more gallons of water per load, about 40 to 45 gallons. For this reason, old washers should be replaced with highly efficient models that save water and energy.
Since washing machines come in different sizes and capacities, their efficiency is valued using the term"water factor"to compare water usage.
11- Exploration for the production of oils, minerals and gas
This industry refers to oil or crude oil, as well as natural gas that is extracted from the soil by conventional methods.
Water is used to maintain pressure, to drill fluids, for construction, and in the cooling of power generation.
Water is a critical resource for the drilling and exploitation of natural gas, coal, oil, and uranium. In many cases the extraction of fuel also produces waste water, as in natural gas and fuel wells, and in liquid coal ponds.
The water used in these processes is not reused since it is often mixed with hydrocarbons. This industry has a responsibility to protect water quality in the areas in which it operates.
12- Generation of electricity
Most power plants need cooling. These types of power plants are called thermoelectric plants because they use a heat source to produce steam and generate electricity.
Hydroelectric power plants use water in a different way, converting the energy of the water that flows into electricity by passing them through turbines.
14- Dishwashing / Dishwashing
The average dishwasher uses about six gallons of water per cycle. A common faucet carries water at about two gallons per minute.
For this reason, if a person can wash the dishes by hand in that time, it can be more efficient than using a dishwasher.
If a dishwasher is to be used, it is advisable to use it only when a complete cycle can be performed. This means that it should not be used when it is only loaded with dirty dishes in half.
It is possible to use less water and energy when washing dishes by hand. In total, sinks account for 16% of water use in an average household.
15- Manufacturing Industries
In most cases, manufacturing establishments and factories provide a great opportunity for water efficiency and water conservation.
Depending on the industrial process, this sector usually contains the largest customers of water services.
The most common uses of water in manufacturing are: cooling, process uses, cleaning, sanitation for employees, and steam generation. These five uses of water can be shaped by inefficiencies and waste.
There is great potential for water conservation for those who want to invest the effort and time to implement programs and efficiencies in this sector.
References
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- Industrial water use. Retrieved from water.usgs.gov
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- Car washes and water efficiency in Tommy Car Wash Blog (2015). Retrieved from tommycarwash.com
- Water - who uses how much? In Auto landry news (2011). Recovered from casrwashmag.com
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- Showers in Indoor Water Use. Retrieved from home-water-works.org
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- Water use and quality in the oil and gas industry in Water and energy. Recovered from corporate.exxonmobil.com
- Built in dishwasher vs hand washing: which is greener? In Kitchen design (2009). Retrieved from treehugger.com
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