One thing that I think we can all agree on is that water is pretty important. So whether you are looking into graduate school or a job in the environmental sector, it is important to understand the current consumption trends with regards to water.
The U.S. Geological Survey from 2000 to 2005 has recently come out, revealing trends and problems regarding water use in the United States. Check out the Circle of Blue article on the most recent USGS report.
The article highlights that 2005 total water use is lower than in 1975 and that per-capital water use is lower than in the mid 1950s.