The pie charts illustrate how residential water was used for different purposes on a daily basis in 1988 and 2008.
Overall, washing and bathroom use accounted for large proportions of water consumption in both years, while gardens and toilets used smaller amounts. Over the period, water use for kitchens and bathrooms increased, whereas the percentage used for gardens declined significantly.
In 1988, washing was the largest category, accounting for 25% of total water usage. Bathroom use was also considerable at 22%, while gardens made up 20%. Smaller proportions of water were consumed by toilets and kitchens, at 18% and 15% respectively.
In 2008, the pattern of water consumption changed noticeably. Kitchens and bathrooms became the joint largest categories, each representing 28% of total water use. Washing accounted for 22%, which was slightly lower than in 1988. By contrast, water consumption for gardens fell dramatically to 7%, while toilets represented 14%.