How much water will French households be using in 2021? (2024)

Water consumption has been rising steadily since the end of the 18th century.

Nowadays, all you have to do to enjoy drinking water is turn on the tap. And it's not just for drinking: washing up, showering, toilets, swimming pools, watering the garden, etc. It has many uses, but it's still a scarce resource that needs to be preserved. How much drinking water did French households consume in 2021? What consumes the most water? Here are the answers to all your questions.

In 1975, French water consumption was 106 litres per day. Today, it takes around 150 litres per person per day. Of course, these figures depend on a number of criteria:

• an adult uses more water than a child, who only needs 69 litres;
• a high standard of living requires greater water consumption than for
• a modest householdwhich uses an average of 90 litres a day;
• a sporty person will consume a lot of water (around 240 litres a day) due to the increased need for hydration and repeated daily showers;
• climatic conditions and tourism influence water requirements and average domestic consumption. For example, residents of Nord-Pas-de-Calais consume an average of 109 litres per day, compared with 228 litres per day in Provence-Alpes-Côte-d'Azur ;
• holiday periods are seeing our average water consumption increase.

The main sources of water consumption are shower and cleaning they both represent 93% of our average consumption. As for the rest, it's quite difficult to quantify each point of consumption precisely, since it depends mainly on the appliances used and individual habits. For example, the volume of water consumed during a shower varies according to the length of the shower, the mixer tap used and the flow rate. Some washing machines and dishwashers also consume a lot of water. more water-efficient thanks to the "eco" programme. On average, here are all the water consumption items in a dwelling:

• 7% for food and drink ;
• 10% for washing up ;
• 12% for washing clothes ;
• 40% for hygiene (baths and showers) ;
• 20% for sanitary facilities (allow about 6 litres of water for each flush);
• 6% for garden watering and outdoor cleaning;
• 5% for cleaning the home.

This amount of water can increase considerably with any leaks. A dripping tap uses 4 litres per hour, that's 35,000 litres of water a year!

Read also: What is the average water consumption of French households in 2020?

The French are notorious for not drinking enough water a day: in fact, almost half of them do not drink enough water. 75% do not use the recommended quantities! As a general rule, the French are drinking more water from the tap (66%) rather than bottled water, for example (47%). This can be explained by consumer confidence in the quality of the water supplied, but also by the cost of bottled water. At work, however, the consumption of bottled water is increasing and represents 49% of employees.

But it's a well-known fact, Tap water can sometimes have an unpleasant taste: This is why the French prefer to aerate their water in a carafe beforehand, or with a filter placed under the sink to remove any chlorine odours. In recent years, filtered water using a carafe has become particularly fashionable in the drinking habits of French households. The use of tap water is also increasing when it comes to drinking sparkling water: rather than buying a pack of sparkling water, the French now prefer to drink a glass of water from the tap. sparkling water produced at home thanks to tap water!

Read also: Is there such a thing as a nuisance-free water softener?

Thanks to a change in behaviour and new eco-citizen reflexes, drinking water consumption has been falling for several years. So we need to continue to take action on a daily basis to preserve this precious resource. There are a few simple things you can do to help:

• repair water leaks : a leaking toilet flush wastes 220,000 litres of water a year ;
• give priority to quick showers to the baths to save 130 litres per shower;
• water your garden in the morning or evening, when temperatures are low ;
• use a regulator on taps and a dual-control toilet;
• make renovation works to replace an obsolete water heater;
• install a rainwater recovery system for watering the garden or cleaning the car;
• opt for eco" programmes household appliances.

Finally, we mustn't forget electricity consumption, another item of expenditure for French households. While it's vital to preserve the longevity of water, it's also important to encourage the use of renewable energy. development of renewable energies, with an emphasis on a green energy supplier! Online comparators such as hellowatt.fr are a good way of finding the right offer for your budget.

To test your knowledge of water consumption in France and around the world, we've put together an interactive quiz: Quiz - Water consumption in France and around the world

LaVie® UV-A water purifiersoperate without filters or maintenanceand allow you to purify your tap water by15 minutes.

They use innovative, patented technology exclusive to LaVie® : photolysis of chlorine by UV-A radiation.

This treatment reduceschlorineand its derivatives, chemical compounds such as certainpesticidesor traces ofmedicinesandtastes and smellsfound in tap water.

The result, which is of a very high quality, makes it possible todraw a definitive line under the consumption of bottled water.

The carbon footprint associated with the manufacture of the UV water purifier's aluminium tube is neutralised in just a few days of use, compared with the equivalent consumption of water in plastic bottles.

Read also: Water purifier: the complete guide

See all our articles about water