Water Waste And Conservation
Everybody knows that water is indispensable to human life.
We use water for drinking, cleaning, cooking, and gardening. And those are just individual uses! We can list even more uses of water in the local, national, and international levels. But despite water’s undeniable importance, did you know that an average person wastes around 30 gallons of water a day?
Water waste is a huge problem, but it’s not too late to act. This article will help you understand water waste and conservation, so that you can help preserve this precious resource.
What is water waste?
Water is considered “wasted” if we use it excessively, or if we fail to use the water we have for a beneficial reason. Common causes of water wastage include toilet flushing systems, running water, and water purification by reverse osmosis. Other causes are negligence during water distribution and illegal water use.
Why should you care about water waste?
Water waste is a pressing problem primarily because of two reasons. First, water is a shared resource and fresh water — the kind that we drink — is finite. Second, as the global population grows, we will face increasing demand for water that might not be easily met. Plus, the fact that global warming is drying up many great lakes and rivers is compounding our water supply problems.
But what can we do about water waste, you might ask. The short answer is water conservation.
What is water conservation?
Water conservation is the efficient use of water that reduces unnecessary water usage. Another way to put it is that water conservation is a means of controlling and managing a limited resource.
Conserving water involves looking at the quantity and quality of the water we are using. With regard to water quantity, you need to think about how much water a specific task requires and only use that required amount. On the other hand, when it comes to water quality, you can ask yourself whether or not you need clean water to accomplish a task, or whether you can reuse wastewater for it.
What happens if we don’t conserve water?
If we do not do our part in conserving water, we might end up with water shortage, run out of drinking water, or see a surge in waterborne diseases. This is not to be taken lightly because the lack of access to safe, potable water has caused thousands of deaths worldwide. We need to learn as much as we can about green living and sustainability. Most importantly, we need to act.
Simple ways to conserve water and stop waste
While companies have their own sustainable practices for water conservation, here are simple things you can do at home to stop water waste.
Repair leaks immediately
Is your toilet leaking? Do you have a faucet that just won’t close? If you find any leaks around your house, make sure to call a repairman as soon as possible. Not only will this save you money from the water bill, but it will also be a big help to the environment. Not to mention, you’ll prevent water damage or accidents that may be caused by pools of water collecting on surfaces inside your home.
Invest in water-saving appliances
Lots of appliances require water, so let’s go through the kinds of appliances you should purchase in order to reduce water consumption.
- Low-flow shower head. Traditionally, shower heads used to dispense around 5-8 gallons of water per minute. But low-flow shower heads only deliver around 2 gallons of water (or less) in a minute. If you can’t buy a new shower head, you can reduce the time you spend in the shower.
- Dishwasher. A good dishwasher can save you over a thousand gallons of water over its lifetime. Dishwashers are more efficient, especially when you’re washing full loads of dishes.
- Front load washers. A front loading washing machine is ideal because it uses less water and less energy than a top loading washing machine. It also causes less wear and tear on your clothes, and is perfect for big families.
Turn off the faucet after use
This may seem like a no-brainer, but a lot of people forget to turn off the tap after they use it. Running water is one of the leading causes of water wastage, so it’s important to make a conscious effort to close unused faucets and to remind everyone at home to do the same.
Water your plants strategically
Water plants early in the morning or late at night. That way, the heat of the sun won’t immediately evaporate the water. Don’t water plants on cloudy or rainy days. Additionally, avoid watering your lawn on windy days because the wind causes excessive evaporation.
Defrost food in the fridge
Instead of using water to defrost the food from your freezer, leave it in the refrigerator overnight. If you can’t spare the time, you can use a microwave. This can save you around 50 to 150 gallons of water a month.
Do not flush trash in the toilet
Flushing trash like cigarette butts in the toilet are not only bad for your home plumbing. It can clog your community’s wastewater treatment systems, too. In addition, too much organic matter in the wastewater can lead to inadequate treatment.
Conclusion
Conserving water is an essential step in saving our home planet from ruin. Through little things like buying water-efficient appliances to watering plants early in the morning, you can make a difference.
But you’re not alone — the environment-loving people at The Earth Project are here to support you. If you want to show your commitment to water conservation, take a sustainability pledge today.