National Atlas of the United States:
- About 52 percent of fresh-water and about 96 percent of saline-water are used by power plant cooling towers.
- Irrigation accounts for about a third of water use and is currently the largest use of fresh water.
- Homes and business use 11 percent.
- Water for smelting, refineries, chemical, food and paper uses 5 percent.
- Livestock, aquaculture, and mining activities require about 3 percent of total water.