Public-supply water use in Florida, 1990

Abstract

In 1990, public supply withdrawals represented nearly 26 percent of the total freshwater withdrawn in Florida. Total water withdrawn for public supply in Florida during 1990 averaged 1,925 million gal/day. Public suppliers served 11.23 million residents, in 1990. Groundwater was the source for more than 88 percent (1,699 million gal/day) of public-supply withdrawals and was used by more than 10.0 million residents; surface water was the source of the remaining 12 percent (226 million gal/day) and was used by about 1.2 million residents. The Floridan aquifer system was the source of the majority of groundwater in 1990 (50 percent), followed by the Biscayne aquifer (34 percent). Public-supply water withdrawals peaked in May 1990 at 2,140 million gal/day, primarily because of an increase in the residential demands for lawn irrigation. During 1990, withdrawals for January were lowest (1,870 million gal/day), nearly 270 million gal/day less than in May. Public-supply per capita use for Florida in 1990 was 171 gal/day and domestic (residential) per capita use was 111 gal/day. The population of Florida increased from 9.75 million in 1980 to more than 12.94 million in 1990, and the percentage of the population served by public supply increased from 80 percent in 1980 to 87 percent in 1990. Public-supply water with- drawals in Florida increased 41 percent between 1980 and 1990 even though public supply per capita use has remained fairly consistent since 1980. Public water suppliers in Dade County withdrew the largest amount of water (326 million gal/day) for public supply in the State for 1990 and served nearly 1.88 million people. (USGS)