From Guest Blogger Theo Schmidt: Lesser Known Facts about Water Conservation
It is widely known knowledge that only 1% of earth’s water is actually usable for human purposes. While we do have efficient ways to make this small amount work for us, there are things we all can and should do to conserve our limited resources.
About Home Use
Landscaping accounts for about half of the water Californians use at home. (Source: Sunnyslope County Water District)
Simply watering lawns and plants takes up more water than you might suspect. To decrease the amount of water you use on landscaping, consider adjusting your yard so it is more compatible with your climate. Be aware of exactly how much water your lawn and plants need to survive so that you are not overwatering. Also remember that for the most part it is better to water more densely but less frequently.
Showering and bathing account for 27% of domestic water use. (Source: Sunnyslope County Water District)
If roughly half of your water use comes from landscaping, over another quarter of it comes just from personal hygiene. Every toilet flush uses about anywhere from three to seven gallons of water. Showering uses about seven gallons of water per minute.
Dishwashing takes up less than 2% of indoor water use. (Source: National Geographic)
If you’re afraid that running the dishwasher is using up precious water, think again. For domestic water use, dishwashing accounts for only 2% of water use. For the most part, a dishwasher will save more water than washing dishes by hand since most people are less aware of water conservation while washing their dishes.
About Industries
Recycling a pound of paper saves about 3.5 gallons of water. (Source: National Geographic)
One pound of paper is roughly equivalent to your daily newspaper. Instead of tossing it in the dumpster, use a recycle bin or take it to a recycling center. The calculated water saved comes from the amount of water it would take to produce an additional pound of paper.
It takes 100 gallons of water to grow and process a single pound of cotton for clothing. (Source: National Geographic)
The average American goes through roughly 35 pounds of new cotton material each year. That comes out to 3500 gallons of water, just for your wardrobe. You can help lower this number by shopping at used clothing stores or simply cutting back on your purchases.
About the Difference You Can Make
The average American uses 140-170 gallons of water per day. (Source: Sunnyslope County Water District)
Combine showering, toilet flushing, dish washing, lawn watering, cooking, and more, and all of a sudden you are using over 100 gallons of water every day. You can reduce this amount by using more efficient appliances, remembering to turn off sinks and faucets when they aren’t in use, and cutting back on how much and how frequently you use water in your everyday tasks.
A leaky faucet wastes 100 gallons of water a day. (Source: Sunnyslope County Water District)
You probably don’t have the patience to watch your faucet drip all day long and measure out exactly how much water is being lost. However, the typical leaky faucet wastes more water than you may think. It’s a simple fix that takes a trip to the hardware store or, better yet, a call to a plumber.
A tankless water heater can save water and energy for your household. (Source: Comfortable Home Systems)
There are several different appliances which can save your household water and money every year. Did you know that one of them is a tankless water heater? If your household is limited to just a few people (three or four) a tankless water heater will save you money on both water and energy. These heaters store heated water and then allow it to be supplied almost immediately so that you don’t have to run the water, waiting for it to heat up.
If everyone in the United States cut their daily shower by a minute or two, we could save 85 billion gallons of water a year. (Source: County of Maui Hawaii)
Remember how one minute of showering uses seven gallons of water? Assuming that you shower on a daily basis, if you cut each shower by ten seconds you could save a gallon a day. If every person in America did this we could save billions of gallons a year.
Water conservation is all about making a small difference on a daily basis. You don’t have to go out and change everything you do, but have a constant awareness about what you are using and what you could be doing better.
Author Byline:
Theo Schmidt has an interest in computer science and engineering, and he uses that interest to fuel his blogging. Theo also enjoys spending time in the outdoors, and he is passionate about protecting the environment.
