According to the Quebec Ministry of the Environment and Wildlife, groundwater reserves in the inhabited zones of Quebec are estimated to be 200,000 billion litres. These reserves are replenished by approximately 15,000 billion litres of annual precipitation. The annual total volume of groundwater extracted in Quebec, for all uses (domestic and industrial), corresponds to only 3% of the naturally replenished groundwater in the inhabited zones of Quebec. In other words, not only are groundwater reserves not affected, but 97% of this natural replenishment is not used. This immense quantity of unused renewable water flows into the Saint Lawrence river and on to the ocean. Spring-water bottlers use only 0.08% of the annual total volume of groundwater extracted in Quebec, which is equivalent to 0.002% of natural replenishment. In other words, 99.998% of the very small quantity of groundwater extracted in Quebec, is extracted by other users. The daily production volume of Quebec's bottled-water industry is less than that used by 900 households. Of the groundwater used by commercial water bottlers. 19% is destined for export. This is 0.0004% of the natural replenishment of the groundwater resource or the equivalent of supplying water to 150 households. If Quebec could one day satisfy the present world demand for commercial water (4.2 billion litres per year), the quantity would be equivalent to the daily quantity of water needed to supply a city of about 110,000 households or 0.3% of the precipitation that replenishes the aquifers in the inhabited zones of Quebec. Source: Quebec Ministry of the Environment and Wildlife, «La problematique des eaux souterraines au Quebec», April 1996. DISTRIBUTION OF UNDERGROUNG WATER USE IN QUÉBEC Source: Quebec Ministry of the Environment and Wildlife, "La problématique des eaux souterraines au Québec", April 1996.