Agriculture and Water Use

Globally, almost 70% of the Earth’s available fresh water is used for agriculture alone.[7]

The United States alone uses over 76 trillion gallons of water annually for livestock.[8]

Video Summary: Water supplies stored in lakes, reservoirs, and aquifers are quickly being depleted. Approximately 80% of this water (in the U.S.) is used for agriculture. Furthermore, animal waste and chemical runoff contaminate water sources, further reducing the amount of clean water available, and causing great harm to the environment.

 

This comparison of the Aral Sea in 1989 (left) to 2008 (right) shows its rapid decrease in size as its water is taken for agricultural use. [6]