Water Usage & the Ethanol Industry Placed in Perspective

from information provided by the Wisconsin Bio Industry Alliance:

The ethanol industry (the "other" biofuel industry) has recently taken its knocks over the amount of water used in the making of the alternative fuel product. Consumption of our water resources is certainly a growing concern, but the facts show ethanol to be much more efficient in its impact on the water supply than is the petroleum it replaces.

It does take water to make ethanol – about 3 gallons of water for each gallon of ethanol. However, through environmental efforts and developments in technology, ethanol plants have been able to significantly reduce their water usage.

The facts show that in comparison to other industries, ethanol plants are relatively small users of water. Here are some examples:

• It takes 1,851 gallons of water to refine a 42 gallon barrel of crude oil – 44 gallons of water / gallon of crude oil.


• It takes 62,600 gallons of water to produce one ton of steel.


• It takes 39,090 gallons of water to manufacture a new car.


• It takes approximately 1 gallon of water to process a quarter pound of hamburger.


• It takes 11.6 gallons of water to process one chicken.


• It takes 9.3 gallons of water to process one can of fruit or vegetables.


• It takes 1,500 gallons of water to process one barrel of beer.


• It takes 24 gallons of water to make one pound of plastic.

Source: United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)