How do we use groundwater on PEI?
Learn about how this precious resource supports the island's communities, agriculture, and industry.
| Type | Water Use (billion litres/yr) | Percentage |
| Residential | 16.7 bn L | 47% |
| Industrial | 12.8 bn L | 36% |
| Geothermal heat | 3.5 bn L | 10% |
| Livestock operations | 2.0 bn L | 6% |
| Irrigation (incl. agriculture) | 0.6 bn L | 2% |
Did you Know?
- Each year Islanders use only 1.4% of the water that recharges groundwater (total recharge 2.4 trillion litres).
- On average, Islanders use 189 litres of water per day, of which only 8 litres is for drinking and cooking.
- Residential water use on P.E.I. is 17 billion litres per year (49% of all water used).
- All P.E.I. groundwater flows and discharges either to streams or the ocean.
- Agricultural irrigation on P.E.I. uses 0.4 billion litres per year (2.2% of all water used).
- Streams are affected much more than wells during periods of drought.
- Long-term P.E.I. records show that groundwater levels have not changed in several decades.
*Data from the Province of PEI and for more info on water use on PEI check out On the Level PEI
For the Groundwater Usage Data from the Province of PEI check out this Summary.
