Trends in global water use by sector
The greyband represents in the difference between the amount of water extracted and that actually consumed. Water may be extracted, used, recycled (or returned to rivers or aquifers) and reused several times over. Consumption is final use of water, after which it can no longer be reused. That extractions have increase at a much faster rate is an indication of how much more intensively we can now exploit water. Only a fraction of water extracted is lost through evaporation.
Year: 2009
From collection: Vital Water Graphics 2
Cartographer: Philippe Rekacewicz, February 2006