End-use analysis of household water by metering: the case study in Korea

The purpose of this study is to estimate the real water use for a person per day by analysing water use trend of respective metered data. To investigate the unit amount used and component ratio of residential water usage in households, 146 households nationwide were selected as representative samples, and each end-use usage was monitored by actual metering from 2002 to 2006. From the results of analysing the acquired data, it was found that the unit amount used in a household was 165.8 litres per capita day (lpcd). Additionally, the unit amount used consisted of six end-uses; toilet water was the greatest, at 25% (38.5 lpcd), laundry water represented 20% (30.8 lpcd), kitchen water was 19% (28.4 lpcd), bathtub water was 16% (24.7 lpcd), washbowl water was 10% (15.4 lpcd) and miscellaneous use of water represented 9% (13.5%). Comparing the unit amount used according to housing type, 141 lpcd was shown in the case of single houses, and 155 and 159 lpcd were derived in the cases of multi-unit houses and apartments, respectively. Moreover, the proportions of the aged (50 and over) among the total number of members in single, multihouse and apartment houses were 68.2, 38.1 and 32.4%, respectively. In addition, comparing the amount used and the component ratio among United Kingdom, United States and Korea, the end-use amount and component ratio in Korea are similar to those in the United States. The total amount of water use in the United Kingdom was less than that in both Korea and the United States.