Increasing Water Consumption

Geography: AQA GCSE, topic 6.3.2

Why is Water Consumption Increasing?

Like the increasing demand for food, water consumption is rising because of a growing global population and because of economic development.

The global population was 2.6 billion people in 1950.
The global population was 6.1 billion people in 2000.
The global population was 7.8 billion people in 2020.
The world contains 5.2 billion more people than 70 years ago.
The global population is expected to be 9.8 billion by 2050.
Water is drunk by humans, drunk by livestock, used for washing and manufacturing.
The growing demand for food also means that more water is needed to grow crops and rear livestock.

As countries become more developed, people's incomes rise and their preferences change.
People demand more food and more meat, which increases water consumption.
People demand more clothing and manufactured products, which also increase water consumption.
As countries develop, people wash more frequently, using more water for baths, showers, dishwashers, and washing machines.
10% of the USA's water consumption is used in the energy generation process. Water is often used to cool power generators and power stations.