Wisconsin uses 2 trillion gallons of water yearly

MILWAUKEE (AP) — — The Department of Natural Resources says Wisconsin industries pull more than 2 trillion gallons of water from the state’s lakes, rivers and underground aquifers yearly.

DNR water use section chief Eric Ebersberger says detailed results from an inventory on water use could help regulators, businesses and communities make better decisions on managing resources.

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports Sunday that surface water along the shores of lakes and rivers was tapped for 90 percent of water needs in 2011.

Power plants are the largest users of surface water. Thirty plants took a total of more than 1.6 trillion gallons in 2011 — that’s 84.6 percent of surface water used that year.

Wisconsin’s 49 paper production companies come in second, using over 121.2 billion gallons of surface water in 2011.