44 oz
Average daily plain-water intake for U.S. adults
This is the average amount of plain water adults reported drinking each day in 2015-2018.
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2024 ↗ENZO reference
U.S. Water, Bottle & Recycling Statistics
A concise, source-backed reference for writers, researchers, and anyone looking for current context on water intake, packaging waste, and PET bottle recycling.
Last updated August 18, 2026. Each figure includes the date of the underlying source data.
At a glance
Six figures, with the context that makes them useful.
Water intake, packaging waste, and bottle recycling are often discussed together, but they are measured differently. This page keeps those measures separate and links every figure to its original source.
Use the individual statistic anchors below when citing a specific finding. For a fuller picture, read the source notes and methodology at the end of the page.
The statistics
U.S. water and bottle facts
23 oz
Average daily plain-water intake for U.S. children and adolescents
The CDC reports this average for children and adolescents during 2015-2018.
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2024 ↗82.2M tons
U.S. containers and packaging generated in one year
Containers and packaging accounted for 28.1% of U.S. municipal solid waste generated in 2018.
Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2018 data ↗53.9%
Recycling rate for U.S. containers and packaging
The EPA's 2018 estimate covers the broader containers-and-packaging category, not bottles alone.
Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2018 data ↗30.5M tons
U.S. containers and packaging sent to landfill
The EPA estimates this was 20.9% of all materials landfilled in the United States in 2018.
Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2018 data ↗30.2%
U.S. PET bottle recycling rate
This rate applies specifically to PET bottles in 2024 and should not be used as a proxy for all packaging.
Source: National Association for PET Container Resources, 2025 ↗How to read the numbers
Different measures answer different questions.
The CDC figures describe self-reported plain-water intake. They are not a recommended daily target and they do not measure total fluid intake.
The EPA figures cover the broad U.S. containers-and-packaging category, including packaging beyond beverage bottles. The PET rate is narrower: it tracks PET bottles specifically. Keeping the scope beside each number helps prevent a useful statistic from being stretched into a misleading claim.
Explore ENZO water bottles →Sources and method
Where these figures come from.
This page reports source figures as published. It does not combine them into a single calculation or estimate. Source dates are shown because the most recent available evidence is not always from the same year.
The page is reviewed regularly. When a source publishes newer comparable data, the relevant statistic will be updated while its direct anchor stays in place.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fast Facts: Data on Water Consumption ↗
January 19, 2024. National plain-water intake estimates for children, adolescents, and adults from 2015-2018.
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Containers and Packaging: Product-Specific Data ↗
2018 data, page updated October 2025. U.S. municipal solid waste figures for containers and packaging.
- National Association for PET Container Resources, 2024 PET Recycling Report ↗
December 10, 2025. U.S. PET bottle recycling-rate finding for 2024.
Cite this page
ENZO. “U.S. Water, Bottle & Recycling Statistics.” Updated August 18, 2026. https://enzolumiq.com/water-bottle-statistics