A dairy cow requires 3 gallons of water to produce 1 gallon of milk. To grow an ear of corn requires 25 gallons of water. A fast food meal of a hamburger, french fries and soft drink requires 1,400 gallons. To manufacture one car requires more than 100,000 gallons of water. No matter where we turn, water is important to our lives.
Agriculture requires water for animals and plants to grow.
Industry uses water in cleaning and processing, for transportation and in generating electricity. Consumers require water for health, hygiene, cooking and recreation. Groundwater is also an important resource. Increasingly, Georgia's water resources are threatened by landfills and dumps, septic tanks, urban run-off and by agricultural and industrial operations. Shortages and incidents of contamination remind us that water must be conserved and protected.