Water

How much water does an average household use?

Short answer

In Flanders the average in 2022 was 84 litres per person per day; in the Netherlands 119.1 litres in 2025.

Explanation

Showering, toilet flushing and the washing machine are the biggest items. Smaller households use more per person. The Netherlands aims for 100 litres per person per day in 2035.

Rules of thumb

• Flanders 2022: 84 l per person per day; 70 m³ per year for a household of 2.3 people. [SW-S40]
• Flanders: single people on average 103 l per day. [SW-S40]
• NL: 119.1 l per person per day (2025), 126.5 l in 2021; target 100 l in 2035. [SW-S39]

Pitfalls

• A sudden rise in use can point to a leak: read the meter in the evening and in the morning without using water in between. (practical tip, not a source value)

Search terms

These search terms are in Dutch; only terms that also find a topic in English are links.

waterverbruik liter per dag waterfactuur lek

Read also

• How do I save water and energy in the shower?
• Is a rainwater tank mandatory?

Sources

1. SW-S39 Hoeveel drinkwater gebruiken we gemiddeld per dag? — Vitens (Reference date 2026-09-27)
2. SW-S40 Gemiddeld kraanwaterverbruik gezinnen — Vlaamse Milieumaatschappij (VMM) (Reference date 2026-09-27)

Reference date: 2026-09-27 · Translated with AI from the Dutch original.