Community
Water Use

Maintaining


Daily Water Use Per Person

What does this measure?

The average amount of water used daily in a geographic area, expressed as a rate per person.

Why is this important?

Increasingly, communities are struggling to maintain supplies of water that are clean, healthy, and affordable. High water usage may make a region more vulnerable to future water shortages or droughts.

How does our county compare?

At a daily average of 100 gallons per capita, Lancaster County used slightly less water in 2023 than the statewide average of 104 gallons. Lancaster City reported significantly higher usage, at 151 gallons per resident per day -- the highest among the areas compared. The rate of water usage has not changed much since 2019.

Among surrounding counties, Lancaster used more water per capita than all others except Dauphin County, which also averaged 100 gallons per resident. Other counties reported lower usage: Berks (83), York (83), Chester (67), Cumberland (50), and Lebanon (27 gallons per resident, per day).

Notes about the data

These figures represent daily average withdrawals of freshwater from public water supply sources--both groundwater and surface water. The values are reported in gallons per day per resident, and they include only reported withdrawals submitted to the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.

Daily Water Use Per Person
20192020202120222023
Pennsylvania106102104105104
Lancaster County1009390102100
Lancaster City148158160160151
Lebanon County3535353127
Berks County7673737483
York County8179818183
Cumberland County5451484950
Chester County7579867067
Dauphin County10398104103100

Source: Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection
Notes: Rate is gallons used per resident per day.




Total Gallons of Water Used per Day
20192020202120222023
Pennsylvania1,354,226,1541,330,843,4381,351,827,9641,368,037,3081,345,804,710
Lancaster County54,496,01051,566,45350,089,27956,733,42355,597,077
Lancaster City8,750,5939,144,1289,231,6329,162,7478,630,112
Lebanon County4,946,4795,034,0525,063,4304,493,4743,911,966
Berks County32,189,07931,161,95131,321,72531,929,75535,712,763
York County36,432,11136,213,26137,173,81937,421,18038,632,155
Cumberland County13,558,53313,282,41412,851,81813,233,53013,602,231
Chester County39,620,24642,090,26746,630,75538,171,43036,961,678
Dauphin County28,672,21927,928,57430,003,38829,747,38728,873,105

Source: Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection
Notes: Figures represent annual withdrawals from public water supply.




INDICATORS TREND
Prekindergarten Participation Increasing
Student Performance on Grade 3 English Not Applicable
Student Performance on Grade 8 Math Not Applicable
High School Cohort Graduation Rate Increasing
Per-Student Spending Maintaining
Students Receiving Special Education Services Increasing
Rate of Foster Care Admissions Maintaining
Disengaged Youth Decreasing
Single-Parent Families by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Plans of High School Graduates Not Applicable
Enrollment in Local Colleges Decreasing
College Graduation Rates Decreasing
Brain Drain/Gain Increasing
Education Levels of Adults by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Average Charitable Giving Maintaining
Voter Registration Rate Not Applicable
Voter Participation Rate Increasing
Age of Housing Stock Not Applicable
Violent Crime Rate Maintaining
Incarceration Rate Decreasing
Incarceration Rate by Race/Ethnicity Decreasing
Population Density Increasing
Air Quality Increasing
Water Use Maintaining
Waterways Impaired by Pollution Not Applicable
Change in Population Increasing
Change in Population by Age and Gender Not Applicable
Population by Age Not Applicable
Population by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
People with Disabilities Increasing
Foreign-Born Population Increasing
Language Diversity Maintaining
Change in Total Jobs Maintaining
Change in Employment by Sector Not Applicable
Sector Share of Total Jobs Increasing
Workers by Occupation Not Applicable
Change in Labor Force Decreasing
People Entering/Leaving County/Region for Work Not Applicable
Average Salary by Sector Not Applicable
Change in Average Salary Since 2010 Increasing
Female to Male Earnings Ratio Maintaining
Employer Size Not Applicable
Change in Number of Businesses by Sector Increasing
Change in Total Agricultural Sales Increasing
Spending for Local Government Maintaining
Spending for School Districts Maintaining
Children Living in Poverty Decreasing
Children in Poverty by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
People Living in Poverty Decreasing
People Living in Poverty, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Veterans Living in Poverty Increasing
Working Poor Maintaining
Median Household Income by Household Type Not Applicable
Median Household Income Maintaining
Median Household Income, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Households Below ALICE Threshold Increasing
Unemployment Rate by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Stable Household Budget Cost Not Applicable
Households Receiving SNAP by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Household Receiving Temporary Assistance Maintaining
Students Eligible for Free/Reduced Price Lunch Increasing
Median Home Value Maintaining
Occupied Housing Units Increasing
Homeownership Rate, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Cost of Homeownership by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Median Rent Maintaining
Cost of Renting Decreasing
Households Without Vehicles Maintaining
Means of Transportation to Work, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
People Without Health Insurance Decreasing
Early Prenatal Care by Mother's Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Health Status Decreasing
Rate of Depression Diagnosis Maintaining
Adults Who are Overweight or Obese Not Applicable
Mortality Rates Decreasing
Mortality Rate, by Race/Ethnicity Increasing
Fatal Drug Overdoses Increasing
Cancer Incidence Decreasing
Households With Internet Access Increasing
High-Tech Jobs Increasing
STEM Graduates Increasing
Science and Engineering Research and Development Maintaining
Single-Parent Families by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Education Levels of Adults by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Population by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Children in Poverty by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
People Living in Poverty, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Median Household Income, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Unemployment Rate by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Households Receiving SNAP by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Homeownership Rate, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Cost of Homeownership by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Early Prenatal Care by Mother's Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable


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