Convert Cubic Meter (m³) to Megaliter (ML) instantly.
About these units
Cubic Meter (m³)
The cubic meter is the SI unit of volume, representing the volume of a cube one meter per side. It is vastly larger than a liter, since 1 m³ = 1,000 L. Cubic meters measure the volumes of rooms, shipping containers, refrigeration units, natural gas consumption, and water flows in hydrology and civil engineering. Because it is derived directly from the meter, the m³ integrates perfectly into other SI measurements such as density (kg/m³) and flow rate (m³/s). In industry, pricing and standards for timber, construction materials, and natural gas often use cubic meters. For environmental science, m³ is essential when modeling rainfall runoff, river discharge, or air pollutant concentrations. It stands as the backbone of large-scale volumetric measurement.
Megaliter (ML)
A megaliter is one million liters, equivalent to 1,000 cubic meters. It is used in large-scale water management, including municipal supply systems, reservoirs, agricultural irrigation planning, and hydroengineering. City planners and hydrologists often express daily water consumption in megaliters per day (ML/day). For example, a medium-sized city might use anywhere from 50 to several hundred ML daily. The unit is especially helpful because it bridges the gap between the cubic meter (too small for city-scale usage) and the gigaliter (too large for many practical applications). As water scarcity and climate resilience become critical global issues, the megaliter continues to be a foundational measurement in environmental science and infrastructure planning.