Global water withdrawals per capita 2020, by select country

Water withdrawals per capita in the United States amount to 1,207 cubic meters per inhabitant, according to the latest available data (2015). This is a far higher volume than in many other countries, such as China, where per capita water withdrawals were 413 cubic meters as of 2019.

Global water withdrawals

Countries around the world withdraw huge volumes of water each year from sources such as rivers, lakes, reservoirs, and groundwater. As of 2018, India was the country with the largest annual total water withdrawals, at 761 billion cubic meters per year. This was followed by China, which withdrew almost 600 billion cubic meters of water that year.

Water scarcity

Although roughly 70 percent of Earth's surface is covered with water, less than one percent of the planet's total water resources can be classified as accessible freshwater resources. Growing populations, increased demand, and climate change are increasingly putting pressure on these precious resources. This is expected to lead to global water shortages around the world. In the U.S., the megadrought in the west has seen water levels of major reservoirs that provide water to millions of people plummet to record lows. In order to prevent severe droughts in water-stressed areas today and in the future, a more efficient use of water is essential.