What the Numbers Mean

With the defaults (10-min shower, 5 flushes, 1 dish load, 0.3 laundry loads, average diet), direct use is 46.5 gal/day and food adds 1,200 — a 1,247 gal/day total, about 455,000 gallons per year. Food is 96% of the footprint, which is typical for an average American diet.

Direct Use Is the Tip of the Iceberg

Household taps account for under 5% of the typical person's water footprint. The other 95% is embedded in food, clothing, and products. Diet factors come from the Water Footprint Network: a heavy-meat diet (1,600 gal/day) is nearly triple a vegan one (600 gal/day).