Who uses what ?
In France, 32 billion cubic meters of water are taken each year from rivers, streams and groundwater, by :
-agriculture (11%), to irrigate crops and raise livestock
-industry (12%)
-local communities (18%), to serve urban areas
-conventional and nuclear power plants (59%)

85% of the total water used by these four groups comes from rivers. Four-fifths of the water used returns to rivers and streams. Most of the other fifth is evaporated in power plants or filters into the ground and evaporates in farming operations.

Breakdown of water take-up in France in 1995 (Source: French Water Agencies)

Industry
The glass and chemicals industries consume the largest amounts of water (8 cubic meters per day and per application), followed by paper manufacturing and food and beverages.
The figures below give a general idea of how much water it takes to manufacture a number of ordinary products:
- 1 kg of sugar: 80 liters
- 1 kg of aluminum: 100 liters
- 1 kg of steel: 200 liters
- 1 kg of paper: 300 liters
- 1 kg of complex fertilizer : 6,000 liters

Homes
On average, the French use 150 liters per person a day, or 55 cubic meters a year. Hygiene and cleaning account for 93% of domestic consumption. By means of comparison, developing countries consume an average of 50 litres of water per capita, while American consumption is at 300 litres per capita.

A few examples of volume are given below:
- 1 toilet flush: 6 to 12 liters
- 5 minute shower: 60 to 80 liters
- Bath: 150 to200 liters
- Car wash: 200 liters
- Watering 100 sq. meter of lawn: 1,750 liters

Uses of water in French households (source : C.I.EAU)