Test Your Water Knowledge

1. Which personal hygiene activity uses the least amount of water?

Brushing your teeth

Washing your face

Shaving your face

Shaving your legs

Cleaning your teeth uses less than a gallon of water, but only if you turn off the faucet while brushing. Washing your face and shaving your face or legs require a gallon of water.

Explanation

Cleaning your teeth uses less than a gallon of water, but only if you turn off the faucet while brushing. Washing your face and shaving your face or legs require a gallon of water.

2. Which uses the most water per minute?

Shower head

Kitchen sink faucet

Outdoor hose

Bathroom sink faucet

An outdoor hose dispenses between 5 and 10 gallons of water per minute.The average bathroom sink faucet, shower head, and kitchen sink faucet use 1 gallon, 2 gallons, and 2.2 gallons of water per minute, respectively.

Explanation

An outdoor hose dispenses between 5 and 10 gallons of water per minute.The average bathroom sink faucet, shower head, and kitchen sink faucet use 1 gallon, 2 gallons, and 2.2 gallons of water per minute, respectively.

3. Which conserves the most water?

Using a dishwasher

Hand-washing dishes

The dishwasher uses four to 10 gallons of water per load, depending on its efficiency level. Hand-washing dishes can use up to 20.2 gallons, as newer faucets dispense about 2.2 gallons of water per minute and older faucets even more.

Explanation

The dishwasher uses four to 10 gallons of water per load, depending on its efficiency level. Hand-washing dishes can use up to 20.2 gallons, as newer faucets dispense about 2.2 gallons of water per minute and older faucets even more.

4. How much water does the average person use a day?

20 to 40 gallons

40 to 60 gallons

60 to 80 gallons

80 to 100 gallons

Estimates vary, but the US Geological Survey found that the average American citizen uses between 80 and 100 gallons of water each day.

Explanation

Estimates vary, but the US Geological Survey found that the average American citizen uses between 80 and 100 gallons of water each day.

5. How many gallons of water do you use during a 15-minute shower?

30

42

36

28

The average shower uses 2 gallons of water per minute, so a 15-minute shower uses 30 gallons. Old shower heads, however, can increase the amount of water used to about 5 gallons of water per minute.

Explanation

The average shower uses 2 gallons of water per minute, so a 15-minute shower uses 30 gallons. Old shower heads, however, can increase the amount of water used to about 5 gallons of water per minute.

6. How much water are you recommended to drink each day?

16 ounces

32 ounces

64 ounces

72 ounces

Health experts recommend you drink eight glasses of water each day at 8 ounces a glass. If observed, you drink 64 ounces of water each day.

Explanation

Health experts recommend you drink eight glasses of water each day at 8 ounces a glass. If observed, you drink 64 ounces of water each day.

7. A leaky faucet can add up when it comes to water use. How many drips equal a gallon of water?

12,670 drips

15,140 drips

16,740 drips

18,930 drips

The estimated volume of a faucet drip is between 1/5th and 1/3rd of a milliliter. When you do that math, that's 15,140 drips per gallon of water.

Explanation

The estimated volume of a faucet drip is between 1/5th and 1/3rd of a milliliter. When you do that math, that's 15,140 drips per gallon of water.

8. If you go to the bathroom five times in one day, how much water do you use?

10 gallons

13 gallons

15 gallons

17 gallons

The average toilet uses 3 gallons per flush. This number varies, as newer models could use as littler as 1.6 gallons a flush while older ones may use up to 4 gallons per flush.

Explanation

The average toilet uses 3 gallons per flush. This number varies, as newer models could use as littler as 1.6 gallons a flush while older ones may use up to 4 gallons per flush.