Varied calculators on the Web help you figure out how much water you use, how it affects global-warming emissions, and how you can cut usage.

  • A simple pictorial calculator that lets you roll your mouse to find water-saving opportunities in your home is offered by the Alliance for Water Efficiency. The state Department of Water Resources' simple calculator Another simple calculator, comparing your water use to California averages and estimating actual water savings, plus lists of outdoor and indoor tips, comes from the California Department of Water Resources
  • A more detailed calculator from the United States Geological Survey includes, for example, how many glasses of water you drink and how often you wash your hands.
  • A really detailed calculator, telling you both water use and greenhouse-gas emissions, with customized personal recommendations, is Pacific Institute’s WeCalc calculator
  • A set of rather specific calculators -- for example, estimating savings in water and greenhouse-gas emissions from low-flow showerheads or toilets, or turning down your water-heating thermostat, by ZIP code, comes from Rivers Network.
  • Going beyond your water use at home toward your broader water "footprint," the National Geographic’s calculator also estimates indirect use -- for example, water that goes into transportation, some foods (for example, much more water goes into producing beef than pork or chicken), and some common things you buy.