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Minnesota Milestones 2010: Water use
 
 
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Indicator 55: Water use

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Goal: Minnesotans will improve the quality of the air, water and earth.
Rationale: A clean and abundant water supply is essential to economic and human health. The use, quality and availability of water are important indicators of future economic and environmental conditions.
About this indicator: Total and per capita water use declined in 2009. This may be a result of the recession.
Total water used (billions of gallons)
YearData
Per capita daily water use (gallons), Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Edit trend | Edit data
Total water used (billions of gallons), Minnesota Department of Natural Resource Edit trend | Edit data
Per capital daily water use Total gallons used (billions)
1995716.6 1,210.041
1996692.7 1,184.042
1997674.8 1,166.383
1998733.7 1,280.709
1999736.6 1,300.838
2000746.8 1,340.901
2001700.4 1,272.541
2002706.7 1,298.470
2003740.2 1,374.720
2004733.4 1,377.253
2005751.5 1,427.713
2006756.5 1,421.523
2007755.0 1,430.583
2008738.7 1,410.313
2009709.8 1,364.363
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For comparison: Power generation accounts for the largest share of water use, followed by public water supply, industrial production and irrigation. Power generation draws mostly from surface water and returns the majority of the water to the original source. Some water users rely on a combination of surface and ground waters, called conjunctive use.
Technical notes: Water use for hydropower was not included in the figures for total water use or per capita use.
Sources:
Related 2002 Milestones indicator:
Local data:

Milestones is a product of the Minnesota State Demographic Center, a division of the Department of Administration