Industrial water withdrawal in United States
United States: Industrial water withdrawal was 209.70 billion cubic meters in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
209.70 billion cubic meters
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
1st
of 180 countries
All-time high
305.10 billion cubic meters
in 2005
All-time low
209.70 billion cubic meters
in 2015
Years of data
39
1985–2023
Industrial water withdrawal in United States, 1985–2023
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations – AQUASTAT (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in cubic meters.
Analysis
In 2023, industrial water withdrawal in United States stood at 209.70 billion cubic meters. That is the lowest value across all 39 years on record.
That represents a change of down 6.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, industrial water withdrawal in United States peaked at 305.10 billion cubic meters in 2005 and was at its lowest, 209.70 billion cubic meters, in 2015.
United States ranks 1st of 180 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 39 years of available data.
Industrial water withdrawal in United States, year by year
| Year | cubic meters | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 294.02 billion cubic meters | — |
| 1986 | 296.00 billion cubic meters | +0.7% |
| 1987 | 297.97 billion cubic meters | +0.7% |
| 1988 | 299.95 billion cubic meters | +0.7% |
| 1989 | 301.92 billion cubic meters | +0.7% |
| 1990 | 303.90 billion cubic meters | +0.7% |
| 1991 | 301.59 billion cubic meters | -0.8% |
| 1992 | 299.29 billion cubic meters | -0.8% |
| 1993 | 296.98 billion cubic meters | -0.8% |
| 1994 | 294.67 billion cubic meters | -0.8% |
| 1995 | 292.36 billion cubic meters | -0.8% |
| 1996 | 293.65 billion cubic meters | +0.4% |
| 1997 | 294.94 billion cubic meters | +0.4% |
| 1998 | 296.23 billion cubic meters | +0.4% |
| 1999 | 297.51 billion cubic meters | +0.4% |
| 2000 | 298.80 billion cubic meters | +0.4% |
| 2001 | 300.06 billion cubic meters | +0.4% |
| 2002 | 301.32 billion cubic meters | +0.4% |
| 2003 | 302.58 billion cubic meters | +0.4% |
| 2004 | 303.84 billion cubic meters | +0.4% |
| 2005 | 305.10 billion cubic meters | +0.4% |
| 2006 | 293.76 billion cubic meters | -3.7% |
| 2007 | 282.42 billion cubic meters | -3.9% |
| 2008 | 271.08 billion cubic meters | -4.0% |
| 2009 | 259.74 billion cubic meters | -4.2% |
| 2010 | 248.40 billion cubic meters | -4.4% |
| 2011 | 240.66 billion cubic meters | -3.1% |
| 2012 | 232.92 billion cubic meters | -3.2% |
| 2013 | 225.18 billion cubic meters | -3.3% |
| 2014 | 217.44 billion cubic meters | -3.4% |
| 2015 | 209.70 billion cubic meters | -3.6% |
| 2016 | 209.70 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 209.70 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 209.70 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 209.70 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 209.70 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 209.70 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 209.70 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 209.70 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
United States compared with similar countries
- United States's 209.70 billion cubic meters is above the median for high income countries, which is 668.45 million cubic meters, 313.7× the median. (58 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 297.97 billion cubic meters | 294.02 billion cubic meters | 301.92 billion cubic meters | 5 |
| 1990s | 297.11 billion cubic meters | 292.36 billion cubic meters | 303.90 billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 2000s | 291.87 billion cubic meters | 259.74 billion cubic meters | 305.10 billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 2010s | 221.31 billion cubic meters | 209.70 billion cubic meters | 248.40 billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 2020s | 209.70 billion cubic meters | 209.70 billion cubic meters | 209.70 billion cubic meters | 4 |
Countries ranked near United States
More environment data for United States
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -2.64 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -2.16 Percentage change (2025)
- Methane (CH4) emissions (total) excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 0.2197 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions (total) excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per unit 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions (total) excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Power Industry (Energy) (Mt CO2e) 1.39 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Power Industry (Energy) (Mt CO2e), per 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Power Industry (Energy) (Mt CO2e), per 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Transport (Energy) (Mt CO2e), annual 0.1952 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Transport (Energy) (Mt CO2e), per unit 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is industrial water withdrawal in United States?
- Industrial water withdrawal in United States was 209.70 billion cubic meters in 2023, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations – AQUASTAT (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest industrial water withdrawal recorded in United States?
- The highest recorded value was 305.10 billion cubic meters in 2005.
- What is the lowest industrial water withdrawal recorded in United States?
- The lowest recorded value was 209.70 billion cubic meters in 2015.
- How does United States rank for industrial water withdrawal?
- United States ranks 1st out of 180 countries with data for 2023.
- Is industrial water withdrawal rising or falling in United States?
- Over the last ten years it is down 6.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this United States data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations – AQUASTAT (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Industrial water withdrawal. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 39 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Water withdrawn each year by self-supplied industries.