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Water consumption
Freshwater resources are of major environmental and economic importance. Their distribution varies widely among and within countries. In arid regions, freshwater resources may at times be limited to the extent that demand for water can be met only by going beyond sustainable use in terms of quantity.
Freshwater abstractions, particularly for public water supplies, irrigation, industrial processes and cooling of electric power plants, exert a major pressure on water resources, with significant implications for the quantity and quality of water resources. Main concerns relate to the inefficient use of water and to its environmental and socio-economic consequences: low river flows, water shortages, salinisation of freshwater bodies in coastal areas, human health problems, loss of wetlands, desertification and reduced food production.
Definition
Water abstractions refer to freshwater taken from ground or surface water sources, either permanently or temporarily, and conveyed to the place of use. If the water is returned to a surface water source, abstraction of the same water by the downstream user is counted again in compiling total abstractions.
Mine water and drainage water are included. Water used for hydroelectricity generation is an in situ use and is excluded.
Comparability
It should be borne in mind that the definitions and estimation methods employed by member countries may vary considerably and may have changed over time. In general, data availability and quality is best for abstractions for public supply, representing about 15% of the total water abstracted in OECD countries.
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Water abstractions in OECD countries Year 1980 = 100
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Long-term trends Most OECD countries increased their water abstractions over the 1960s and 1970s in response to demand by the agricultural and energy sectors. Since the 1980s, some countries have stabilised their abstractions through more efficient irrigation techniques, the decline of water-intensive industries (e.g. mining, steel), increased use of cleaner production technologies and reduced losses in pipe networks. However, the effects of population growth have led to increases in total abstractions, in particular for public supply. At world level, it is estimated that water demand rose by more than double the rate of population growth in the last century, with agriculture being the largest user of water. |
Sources
- OECD (2005), OECD Environmental Data Compendium 2004, updates from the 2004 OECD/Eurostat Questionnaire on the State of the Environment., OECD, Paris.
- OECD (2006), Environment at a Glance: OECD Environmental Indicators, OECD, Paris.
Further information
Analytical publications
- OECD, WHO (2003), Assessing Microbial Safety of Drinking Water: Improving Approaches and Methods, OECD, Paris.
- OECD (2006), Environmental Performance Reviews – Water: the experience in OECD countries, OECD, Paris.
- OECD (2006), China in the Global Economy – Environment, Water Resources and Agricultural Policies: Lessons from China and OECD Countries, OECD, Paris.
- OECD (2006), Financing Water and Environment Infrastructure: The Case of Eastern Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia, OECD, Paris.
- OECD (2006), OECD Trade Policy Studies – Liberalisation and Universal Access to Basic Services: Telecommunications, Water and Sanitation, Financial Services, and Electricity, OECD, Paris.
- OECD (2006), Water and Agriculture: Sustainability, Markets and Policies, OECD, Paris.
- OECD (2003), Social Issues in the Provision and Pricing of Water Services, OECD, Paris.
Web sites
- OECD Environmental Indicators, www.oecd.org/env/indicators.
- OECD Water Supply and Sanitation Sector Reform, www.oecd.org/env/water.
| Texts | |
| • | Indicator web page |
| • | Indicator in PDF |
| Tables (xls) | |
| • | Water abstractions |
| Graphics | |
| • | Water abstractions |
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