Water demand

Variations in water demand are particularly visible in developing countries where prosperity is predominantly concentrated in a few major, usually overcrowded, cities with peripheral areas often having restricted access to drinking water. Water consumption is initially split into domestic and non-domestic components. Domestic water consumption is intended for toilet flushing, bathing and showering, laundry, dishwashing and for other less water-intensive or less frequent purposes: cooking, drinking, gardening, car washing, etc. The trends in domestic water use in the Netherlands in the last few decades clearly point to the reduced specific consumption, which influences the overall demand growth negatively despite the growth in population and the number of households. Non-domestic or commercial water use occurs in industry, agriculture, institutions and offices, tourism, etc. Water consumption in agriculture is mainly determined by irrigation and livestock needs. The volume of water required for livestock depends on the sort and age/weight of the animal, as well as climatic/seasonal conditions.