Municipal, industrial, and irrigation water use in Washington, 1975

Abstract

An assessment of water use in 1975 in the 39 counties and 62 Water Resource Inventory Areas of Washington, indicated that 2.49 trillion gallons of water was used for municipal, industrial, and irrigation purposes. That amount represents a 10-percent increase over a similar water-use assessment in 1965, but a slight decrease from that of 1970. Total municipal water use, which includes municipally supplied industrial water, was 283 billion gallons. Industry used 442 billion gallons, of which 121 billion gallons was from municipal systems and 321 billion gallons was from self-supplied systems. Of the 604 billion gallons of water used for municipal and industrial supplies, 145 billion gallons was ground water, 444 billion gallons was fresh surface water, and 14.8 billion gallons was saline surface water. A compilation of statewide industrial use as categorized by SIC (Standard Industrial Classification, as used nationwide) shows that the four classifications with greatest water use--SIC 26 (Paper and Allied Products), SIC 24 (Lumber and Wood Products), SIC 28 (Chemicals and Allied Products), and SIC 20 (Food and Kindred Products)--accounted for about 65 percent of the total water used in industrial processes. In 1975, 5.79 million acre-feet of irrigation water (1,890 billion gallons) was applied to 1.52 million acres. This water was 95 percent surface water and 5 percent ground water. About 97 percent of the irrigation water was applied in eastern Washington, to about 94 percent of the irrigated acreage in the State.