Municipal water withdrawal in United States
United States: Municipal water withdrawal was 58.39 billion cubic meters in 2023. ▬ Flat
Latest (2023)
58.39 billion cubic meters
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
2nd
of 183 countries
All-time high
65.44 billion cubic meters
in 2005
All-time low
52.27 billion cubic meters
in 1985
Years of data
39
1985–2023
Municipal 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
The most recent figure for municipal water withdrawal in United States is 58.39 billion cubic meters, measured in 2023.
The figure is down 2.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, municipal water withdrawal in United States peaked at 65.44 billion cubic meters in 2005 and was at its lowest, 52.27 billion cubic meters, in 1985.
United States ranks 2nd of 183 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
Municipal water withdrawal in United States, year by year
| Year | cubic meters | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 52.27 billion cubic meters | — |
| 1986 | 53.95 billion cubic meters | +3.2% |
| 1987 | 55.63 billion cubic meters | +3.1% |
| 1988 | 57.31 billion cubic meters | +3.0% |
| 1989 | 58.99 billion cubic meters | +2.9% |
| 1990 | 60.67 billion cubic meters | +2.8% |
| 1991 | 60.44 billion cubic meters | -0.4% |
| 1992 | 60.22 billion cubic meters | -0.4% |
| 1993 | 59.99 billion cubic meters | -0.4% |
| 1994 | 59.76 billion cubic meters | -0.4% |
| 1995 | 59.54 billion cubic meters | -0.4% |
| 1996 | 60.43 billion cubic meters | +1.5% |
| 1997 | 61.32 billion cubic meters | +1.5% |
| 1998 | 62.21 billion cubic meters | +1.5% |
| 1999 | 63.11 billion cubic meters | +1.4% |
| 2000 | 64.00 billion cubic meters | +1.4% |
| 2001 | 64.29 billion cubic meters | +0.4% |
| 2002 | 64.58 billion cubic meters | +0.4% |
| 2003 | 64.86 billion cubic meters | +0.4% |
| 2004 | 65.15 billion cubic meters | +0.4% |
| 2005 | 65.44 billion cubic meters | +0.4% |
| 2006 | 64.77 billion cubic meters | -1.0% |
| 2007 | 64.10 billion cubic meters | -1.0% |
| 2008 | 63.43 billion cubic meters | -1.0% |
| 2009 | 62.76 billion cubic meters | -1.1% |
| 2010 | 62.09 billion cubic meters | -1.1% |
| 2011 | 61.35 billion cubic meters | -1.2% |
| 2012 | 60.61 billion cubic meters | -1.2% |
| 2013 | 59.87 billion cubic meters | -1.2% |
| 2014 | 59.13 billion cubic meters | -1.2% |
| 2015 | 58.39 billion cubic meters | -1.3% |
| 2016 | 58.39 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 58.39 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 58.39 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 58.39 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 58.39 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 58.39 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 58.39 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 58.39 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
United States compared with similar countries
- United States's 58.39 billion cubic meters is above the median for high income countries, which is 699.00 million cubic meters, 83.5× the median. (61 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 55.63 billion cubic meters | 52.27 billion cubic meters | 58.99 billion cubic meters | 5 |
| 1990s | 60.77 billion cubic meters | 59.54 billion cubic meters | 63.11 billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 2000s | 64.34 billion cubic meters | 62.76 billion cubic meters | 65.44 billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 2010s | 59.50 billion cubic meters | 58.39 billion cubic meters | 62.09 billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 2020s | 58.39 billion cubic meters | 58.39 billion cubic meters | 58.39 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 municipal water withdrawal in United States?
- Municipal water withdrawal in United States was 58.39 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 municipal water withdrawal recorded in United States?
- The highest recorded value was 65.44 billion cubic meters in 2005.
- What is the lowest municipal water withdrawal recorded in United States?
- The lowest recorded value was 52.27 billion cubic meters in 1985.
- How does United States rank for municipal water withdrawal?
- United States ranks 2nd out of 183 countries with data for 2023.
- Is municipal water withdrawal rising or falling in United States?
- Over the last ten years it is down 2.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- 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 Municipal 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 for direct use by the population, usually measured as the total supplied by the public distribution network.