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Value to the Nation

Value to the Nation: Water Supply

How much water do you use in a day? Would you believe more than 1,200 gallons?

The typical household only uses 50 to 85 gallons a day, but it takes nearly 1,200 gallons per person per day to meet the needs of farmers, factories, electrical utilities, and the many other entities that make it possible for us to have food on our table, a computer on our desk and power for our house.

Careful management of the nation's water supply is critical to limiting water shortages and lessening the impact of droughts. As one of the nation’s largest water supply agencies, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) plays a major role in ensuring that Americans have enough water to meet their needs.

136 reservoirs with M&I water supply

6.1B gallons per day yield from contracted water supply storage

6.2M acre-feet contracted water supply storage

More Information

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 Benefits in Perspective


Water is essential for life and a critical input into virtually all economic activity. Although the importance of water is evident, estimating its value is a complex process.

The value of USACE's contribution to the nation's municipal and industrial (M&I) water supply is not in the form of finished water at the tap ready to be consumed. The primary National Economic Development (NED) benefit of USACE Water Supply efforts would be measured by the resource cost of the alternative most likely to be implemented in the absence of the storage provided by USACE's reservoirs. Given resource and information constraints, the data needed to measure cost of the most likely alternatives on a national level are not currently available to USACE. Therefore, the Value to the Nation water supply benefit estimate presented here does not represent a NED benefit estimate; rather, it is an attempt to quantify the value of water stored within USACE reservoirs. The primary benefit of USACE water supply projects is that they provide the ability to store large amounts of water.

Water Supply storage and agreement information noted here is based on the FY 2016 Municipal, Industrial and Irrigation Water Supply Database Report.

 Drought and Emergency Assistance

USACE is involved in many water supply activities. These include workshops, helping to meet community needs, and providing assistance during droughts and other emergencies. Read more…

 Economic Activities

Water plays an integral role in the day-to-day operation of nearly every business in the United States. A reliable water supply system is crucial to the effective functioning of the economy. USACE water supply projects help ensure a steady flow of water to the nation's businesses. Read more…

 Environmental Benefits

USACE undertakes numerous water supply studies each year designed to protect and restore the environment. Many of these efforts involve improving fish and wildlife habitats by reallocating water supplies or revising dam operating plans. Read more…

 How These Numbers Were Calculated


Of the approximately 380 reservoir projects operated and maintained by USACE, 136 currently contain storage space for M&I water supply. Combined, the projects contain approximately 7.9 million acre feet of storage space allocated for M&I water supply. About 78 percent, or more than 6.2 million acre feet, of this storage is currently under contract. 

Water supply benefits are estimated by multiplying daily present use water supply yield by 365 days to arrive at an annual yield. The resulting number then is multiplied by an estimate of the average price of water in the U.S.

The most recent and reliable estimate of the average price of water in the U.S. was reported by NUS in 2008. Unfortunately, at present there is not sufficient information available to accurately compare the earlier estimate to the NUS estimate used in this analysis. The NUS estimate of the price of water is considered to be the best available estimate for the average price of water in the U.S., even though it includes treatment and other costs. 

Water Supply Benefits = Yield from Contracted Storage (MGD1) x 365 x Average Price of Water per MGD $6.5 Billion = 5.063 (MGD) x 365 (days) x $3,527 (per MGD)


Water Supply storage and agreement information is based on the FY 2016 Municipal, Industrial and Irrigation Water Supply Database Report.

1Where 1 MGD = 3.069 acre-feet. Please note that, in order to convert a volume (acre-feet) to a rate (MGD), and vice versa, this conversion assumes 1 acre-foot = 1 acre-foot per year.

Sources of Data

  • FY 2021 Fast Facts
    • FY 2016 Municipal, Industrial and Irrigation Water Supply Database Report. (2017) Alexandria, VA: Institute for Water Resources, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
    • Operations and Maintenance Business Information Link (OMBIL) accessed via USACE Enterprise Data Warehouse. (2017). Electronic database. Maintained by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Washington, DC.
    • Thompson Reuters, "Average U.S. Water Costs Increase by 7.3%." 2008. Available via http://www.marketwired.com/press-release/nus-consulting-903477.htm
  • FY 2020 Fast Facts
    • FY 2016 Municipal, Industrial and Irrigation Water Supply Database Report. (2017) Alexandria, VA: Institute for Water Resources, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
    • Operations and Maintenance Business Information Link (OMBIL) accessed via USACE Enterprise Data Warehouse. (2017). Electronic database. Maintained by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Washington, DC.
    • Thompson Reuters, "Average U.S. Water Costs Increase by 7.3%." 2008. Available via http://www.marketwired.com/press-release/nus-consulting-903477.htm
  • FY 2019 Fast Facts
    • FY 2016 Municipal, Industrial and Irrigation Water Supply Database Report. (2017) Alexandria, VA: Institute for Water Resources, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
    • Operations and Maintenance Business Information Link (OMBIL) accessed via USACE Enterprise Data Warehouse. (2017). Electronic database. Maintained by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Washington, DC.
    • Thompson Reuters, "Average U.S. Water Costs Increase by 7.3%." 2008. Available via http://www.marketwired.com/press-release/nus-consulting-903477.htm
  • FY 2018 Fast Facts
    • FY 2016 Municipal, Industrial and Irrigation Water Supply Database Report. (2017) Alexandria, VA: Institute for Water Resources, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
    • Operations and Maintenance Business Information Link (OMBIL) accessed via USACE Enterprise Data Warehouse. (2017). Electronic database. Maintained by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Washington, DC.
    • Thompson Reuters, "Average U.S. Water Costs Increase by 7.3%." 2008. Available via http://www.marketwired.com/press-release/nus-consulting-903477.htm
  • FY 2017 Fast Facts
    • FY 2016 Municipal, Industrial and Irrigation Water Supply Database Report. (2017) Alexandria, VA: Institute for Water Resources, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
    • Operations and Maintenance Business Information Link (OMBIL) accessed via USACE Enterprise Data Warehouse. (2017). Electronic database. Maintained by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Washington, DC.
    • Thompson Reuters, "Average U.S. Water Costs Increase by 7.3%." 2008. Available via http://www.marketwired.com/press-release/nus-consulting-903477.htm
  • FY 2016 Fast Facts
    • FY 2016 Municipal, Industrial and Irrigation Water Supply Database Report. (2017) Alexandria, VA: Institute for Water Resources, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
    • Operations and Maintenance Business Information Link (OMBIL) accessed via USACE Enterprise Data Warehouse. (2017). Electronic database. Maintained by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Washington, DC.
    • Thompson Reuters, "Average U.S. Water Costs Increase by 7.3%." 2008. Available via http://www.marketwired.com/press-release/nus-consulting-903477.htm

Water supply graphic

For many years, USACE has provided water supply storage space in its multipurpose reservoirs to state and local interests, who repay the costs associated with that storage to the U.S. Treasury.

2021 Water Supply Fast Facts

VTN Fast Facts mapUSACE's primary role in the water supply industry is to provide water supply storage in partnership with state and local interests. USACE partners provide finished water.

Water Supply Fast Facts Reports can be selected by national, project, state, watershed, USACE Division, or USACE District level. Select 2021 Water Supply Fast Facts Reports from the USACE Digital Library collections:

You can select an individual report, or go to a collection of reports. For a list of all reports in a collection, for example, in the project report collection, select "All Project Reports".

Water Supply Fast Facts Archive

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 2020 Water Supply Fast Facts


Select 2020 Water Supply Fast Facts Reports from the USACE Digital Library collections:

You can select an individual report, or go to a collection of reports. For a list of all reports in a collection, for example, in the project report collection, select "All Project Reports".

How these numbers were calculated.

 2019 Water Supply Fast Facts


Select 2019 Water Supply Fast Facts Reports from the USACE Digital Library collections:

You can select an individual report, or go to a collection of reports. For a list of all reports in a collection, for example, in the project report collection, select "All Project Reports".

How these numbers were calculated.

 2018 Water Supply Fast Facts


Select 2018 Water Supply Fast Facts Reports from the USACE Digital Library collections:

You can select an individual report, or go to a collection of reports. For a list of all reports in a collection, for example, in the project report collection, select "All Project Reports".

How these numbers were calculated.

 2017 Water Supply Fast Facts


Select 2017 Water Supply Fast Facts Reports from the USACE Digital Library collections:

You can select an individual report, or go to a collection of reports. For a list of all reports in a collection, for example, in the project report collection, select "All Project Reports".

How these numbers were calculated.

 2016 Water Supply Fast Facts


Select 2016 Water Supply Fast Facts Reports from the USACE Digital Library collections:

You can select an individual report, or go to a collection of reports. For a list of all reports in a collection, for example, in the project report collection, select "All Project Reports".

How these numbers were calculated.