Facts & Figures I Protect Your Water Resources I Protect Your Health
GET THE FACTS
- South Carolina has eight major river basins.
- About 40% of the drinking water supply in South Carolina is from groundwater.
- According to the 2000 census, South Carolina has approximately 25,000 farms occupying 4,588,000 acres or 7,170 square miles .
- There are about 4.5 million acres of wetlands in South Carolina, about 23% of the state’s land surface .
- South Carolina’s wetlands account for about 12% of wetlands in the southeastern United States.
- Of the 1,476 Public Water Systems (PWS) in South Carolina, 99% were considered to be in significant compliance with drinking water regulatory requirements in 2006 .
- DHEC samples 124 total sites along South Carolina’s coast for issuing beach advisories.
- The most commonly measured Nonpoint Source (NPS) pollutant in South Carolina is fecal coliform bacteria.
- Annually $1.5 million is used to implement projects statewide that address NPS pollution.
- South Carolina’s 319 projects annually keep 5,339 truckloads of sediment out of the state’s waterbodies.
- In South Carolina, 98% of timber harvests use Best Management Practices to protect water quality (SC Forestry Commission, 2008).
Source: SC DHEC
WATER USE FACTS AND FIGURES
- A person can live more than a month without food, but only about a week without water.
- Only 1% of water on earth is suitable for drinking.
- 66% of the human body is water; 75% of the human brain is water.
- Americans drink more than 1 billion glasses of tap water per day.
- On average, 50-70% of household water is used outdoors (watering lawns, washing cars).
- It takes, on average, 39,090 gallons of water to manufacture a new car and its four tires.
- A person must consume 2.5 quarts of water per day from all sources (eating & drinking) to maintain health.
- It costs over $3.5 billion to operate water systems throughout the United States each year.
- The average American uses over 100 gallons of water per day; the average residence uses over 100,000 gallons during a year.
Source: EPA, June 2004
WHERE TO GO TO…
PROTECT YOUR WATER RESOURCES
Learn About Water Resources in Your Area
- To view information about the water quality of South Carolina’s lakes, rivers, and streams, along with permitted activities in your area, visit: http://www.scdhec.gov/environment/water/shed/index.htm
Get Involved in Your Community
- Contact your local government for activities in your area.
Save on Your Water Bill by Using Water-efficient Products
- Purchase high-performing, water-efficient products for your home.
- Look for the WaterSense label.
- For more information, go to www.epa.gov/watersense .
Prevent Runoff Pollution
- Runoff pollution is the #1 source of pollution in South Carolina.
- For more information, go to www.scdhec.gov/runoff.
Be a Champion
- The Champions of the Environment program awards more than $10,000 to K-12 students and teachers for environmental action and awareness projects.
- To learn more about the program, visit: www.scdhec.gov/champions
PROTECT YOUR HEALTH
Test Your Private Well
- If you use a residential well, make sure you test it periodically and look for signs of problems.
- For more information, go to: http://www.scdhec.gov/environment/water/dwrwtesting.htm .
Properly Dispose of Medications
- Do not flush them. Make sure to throw them away properly.
- To learn more, go to: http://www.epa.gov/ppcp/basic2.html or view DHEC’s fact sheet
Learn More About Your Drinking Water
- For more information, go to: http://www.scdhec.gov/environment/water/dwoutreach.htm
Be Aware of Advisories in Your Area
- For fish consumption advisories, go to: www.scdhec.gov/fish
- For swimming advisories, go to: www.scdhec.gov/swim
- For beach advisories, go to: www.scdhec.gov/beach
Read Your Consumer Confidence Report
- Annual water quality report from your water supplier that compares water analysis of your tap water with EPA standards.
- For more information, go to: http://www.epa.gov/safewater/ccr/index.html