The average Czech person consumed 89.2 liters of water per day in 2018. Water from public water supply systems does not supply 5% of the Czech population. The Czech Statistical Office (CZSO) published the 2018 figures on water consumption on May 2. Photo credit: Casadei Graphics.
Brno / CR, May 3 (BD) – People need water for their survival and activities every day. Some of these are less important than others. Having a few liters of water to drink each day is certainly more important than having water for laundry or watering plants in the garden, but people will still want and need to wash and take care of their greenery.
The water consumption in the Czech Republic is growing steadily since the 90’s, annually. The average Czech person consumed 89.2 liters of water per day in 2018; 0.6 liters more than the previous year. Experts explain the increased water consumption mainly due to the recent droughts – in summer, people are drinking and watering their gardens more.
94.7% of the population of the Czech Republic was supplied with water from public water supply systems last year – the same as in 2017. For several years now, water losses in the pipeline network in the Czech Republic have remained below 17%; while in 2004, this represented more than 21%.
“The highest water consumption in households is in Prague, exceeding 107 liters per person per day. On the contrary, the lowest is in the Zlín Region, where it is approximately 32 liters less,” explained Soňa Horáčková from the CZSO’s Environmental Statistics Department.
Water consumption in the Czech Republic is low compared to other countries in Europe or the US. For example, in hot Spain, the average per capita consumption per day was 139 liters in 2018. In the US, the water use per person reaches between 300-380 liters every day.
WHO’s (World Health Organization) research indicates that 20 liters per capita per day is the minimum quantity of safe water required to achieve minimum essential levels for health and hygiene. The very minimum of daily water consumption set by the UN is 7.5-15 liters per day per capita.
Just to compare, Science Focus magazine calculated that a bath filled about a third of the way up requires around 75 litres while an ordinary shower puts out four litres per minute.
The Czech Ministry of Agriculture points out that, compared to consumption under socialism, the Czechs are significantly saving water. Water (vodné) and sewerage (stočné) prices continue to rise. In 2018, drinking water cost at an average of CZK 38.10 per m3 without VAT, while the sewerage price was CZK 33.40 per m3 on average without VAT.
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