Vista, CA - A study released in August 2014 by the Natural Marketing Institute (NMI), a consulting and market research firm based in Harleysville, PA, finds that Americans are consuming more than 68 million eight-ounce servings of water in less than one year.

The study involved 60,000 U.S. adults who drank plain/unflavored water-from bottles, the tap, or filtered water-from the end of 2013 through mid-2014.

Consumption of water, according to the study, jumped from 4.43 to 4.72 eight-ounce servings per day and included most demographic groups with Hispanics increasing consumption more than the population as a whole.

Additional results of the study include the following:

Men drink more water than women

Younger adults drink more water than older adults

"Boomers," in general, registered the largest increase in water consumption

High income and low income groups showed greater increases in water consumption than middle income groups

Unemployed individuals drink significantly more water than working adults 

The increases in water consumption, according to Klaus Reichardt, CEO and founder of Waterless Co. Inc., are partially due to a greater emphasis on health and well-being "since we are continually being advised to drink more water. However, we must also drink water responsibly." 

The increases in water consumption, according to Klaus Reichardt, CEO and founder of Waterless Co. Inc., are partially due to a greater emphasis on health and well-being "since we are continually being advised to drink more water.  However, we must also drink water responsibly." 

Reichardt advises caution because California and many other Western states are facing severe water shortages that could get much worse without major rainfall events this coming winter. 

"Water consumption does have its health benefits, which is without question," he says.  "But, we cannot take water for granted any longer whether it is in a bottle or from the tap.  [We must] drink for health, but drink responsibly as well."