Students research water use in several states and want to identify ways to promote sustainable water use.
Information
A graph.Short description, A graph.,Long description,
The graph is titled United States Water Usage and shows 7 states, A through G, and their total withdrawals in million gallons per day. For each state, water usage is shown categorized as being used for public supply, industrial, irrigation, thermoelectric power, and other.
State A: 8,000 million gallons. Two-thirds is used for irrigation, nearly one-third is for thermoelectric power, and very small amounts are used for public supply and other.
State B: 25,000 million gallons. Half is used for thermoelectric power, and a little over a quarter is for irrigation. The rest, in order from most to least, is for public supply, other, and industrial.
State C: 4,000 million gallons. Nearly all is used for irrigation. A small amount is used for public supply and thermoelectric power.
State D: 3,000 million gallons. Half is used for other. The rest, in order from most to least, is for public supply, irrigation, and thermoelectric power.
State E: 4,000 million gallons. Two-thirds is used for thermoelectric power. The rest, in order from most to least, is for public supply, other, and irrigation.
State F: 3,000 million gallons. Three-fourths is used for thermoelectric power. The rest, in order from most to least, is for other, public supply, and industrial.
State G: 9,000 million gallons. Two-thirds is used for thermoelectric power. Most of the rest is used for irrigation, with a small part used for public supply, other, and industrial.
Question
Which ,begin emphasis,two,end emphasis, actions will have the ,begin emphasis,largest,end emphasis, impact on total combined water use from all the states?
Answer options with 5 options
A.
Develop additional solar and wind power plants.
D.
Monitor patterns in crop water use to ensure efficient delivery of water.
B.
Replace all toilets in public spaces with low-flow toilets.
E.
Encourage use of recycled materials and limit manufacturing of new products.
C.
Offer rebates for people who purchase low-pressure shower heads.
1 answer
To determine which two actions would have the largest impact on total combined water use from all the states, we should consider the categories of water usage highlighted in the graph and identify measures that can significantly reduce consumption in those areas:
Thermoelectric Power: A significant portion of water use in several states (particularly States B, E, F, and G) is attributed to thermoelectric power generation. Actions that reduce the energy demand or promote alternative energy sources can likely lead to significant water savings.
Irrigation: Several states (A and C, in particular) have high rates of water use for irrigation. Improving efficiency in agricultural practices can drastically cut down on the amount of water withdrawn for this purpose.
With these considerations in mind, let's analyze the answer options:
Option A: Develop additional solar and wind power plants.
This can reduce the need for thermoelectric power which uses a significant amount of water, thus potentially leading to large water savings.
Option B: Replace all toilets in public spaces with low-flow toilets.
This primarily affects public water supply but impacts only a small portion of overall water usage.
Option C: Offer rebates for people who purchase low-pressure shower heads.
Similar to option B, this affects domestic water use but is unlikely to have a significant impact in states where most water is used for irrigation or thermoelectric power.
Option D: Monitor patterns in crop water use to ensure efficient delivery of water.
This can lead to a significant reduction in irrigation use if implemented effectively. It targets a major area of water withdrawal in states like A and C.
Option E: Encourage use of recycled materials and limit manufacturing of new products.
While this has environmental benefits, it is less directly related to water usage compared to other options.
Given this analysis, the two actions that would likely have the largest impact on total combined water use across all states are:
A. Develop additional solar and wind power plants. D. Monitor patterns in crop water use to ensure efficient delivery of water.
