What Is Municipal Water Use?
According to the United States Geological Survey, community or municipal water use, or public supply, “refers to water withdrawn by public and private water suppliers that furnish water to at least 25 people or have a minimum of 15 connections. Public-supply water may be delivered to users for domestic, commercial, industrial, or thermoelectric-power purposes.” In 2000, about 11% of our nation’s available water was withdrawn by municipalities for schools, parks, and public buildings, but much may have been lost to leaks or non-metered services.
