Getting the Feast to the Table

When you sit down to another holiday feast, take time to be thankful not only for the food, but for the water, too.

According to California's Orange County Water District, this year's typical Thanksgiving dinner for 10 people will take about 20,000 gallons of water just to get the fixings into the kitchen. Add to that number at least 40 gallons of water to cook the meal, along with another 80 gallons washing the dishes and 1,230 gallons for miscellaneous water use by the group for showering, brushing teeth and other daily tasks not related to the Thanksgiving dinner.

And don't forget to add at least one more cup of water for the after dinner antacid.

Not to endorse the fast-food industry, but if these same 10 people went out for chicken sandwiches, french fries and soft drinks, about 10,000 gallons of water would have been used, or about half as much.

Gallons of water required to produce product:

• 20 lb. turkey: 13,200
• Lettuce salad: 150
• Rice: 360
• Potatoes: 210
• Cranberry Sauce: 360
• Gravy: 400
• Corn: 610
• Broccoli: 220
• Milk: 960
• Bread Dressing: 330
• Butter/Margarine: 920
• Pumpkin pie: 620
• Cherry pie: 750
• Soft drinks: 100
• Water to drink: 1
• Coffee: 100

Total: 19,291

(Source: NeRWA)