analysis: Living In a Drought – Ways to Conserve and Save Water

About Droughts:

Within many regions throughout the world, our communities, villages and farms are experiencing drought conditions – meaning that the lack of rain drops below annual normals:

Reasons For Drought:

There are contributing factors of droughts. Global warming is one. The increase warming of the earth’s land and oceans offsets weather patterns. Deforestation, excess usage of water, and improper land and farming management can over time alter ecosystems required for evaporation and rainfall.

Monitoring and Reducing Water Consumption:

There are several helpful gadgets to have for water monitoring and reducing water consumption. We use water for daily showers, toilet flushes, clothes washing, cooking and kitchen clean-up, garden irrigation, etc.; and including the various water leakage points throughout the house. These activities use vast amount of water to sustain family and business.

Water Saving Tricks:

There are also tricks that you can do to reduce and recycle water usage. These tricks include:

• Toilet Usage:

  Reduce water by placing 1-2 or more bricks in the toilet bowel to raise the level of water that will be flushed down. Likewise, flush the toilet only when needed.

• Using Automation:

  Automation such as dishwashers and car wash establishments can reduce water consumption by large percentages. For example, energy-efficient dishwashers use about 3 gallons of water compared to the 27 gallons or more to wash and rinse by hand. Likewise, there is no need to rinse your dishes before loading. Simply scape off food instead of rinsing.

• Another example is using auto washing establishments. A newer, established car washing establishment may use approximately 8-12 gallons of water. Washing your car at home with a hose can consume 20-100 gallons of water.

• Energy-Saving Appliances:

  It might be time to replace some of your old water usage appliances such as the dishwasher, washing machine, water heater, and others with energy-saving appliances. These appliances use less water to perform the same function as your older appliances; and they save you money over the appliance life-time. Also make sure you have a full load for the dishwasher and clothes washer before operating.

• Instill Better Habits at Home:

  Train yourself and other family members to turn off water when not in use. For example, turning off water while brushing teeth or lathering up during the shower. Help them to understand the need of water conversation and their part to help preserve a precious commodity.

• Inspect Plumbing:

  Check you plumbing often for any potential leaks especially in toilet bowls, outdoor spigots, and dripping faucets. You can install a water leakage system to your plumbing to help detect leaks.

• How Much:

  View the table below to view how much an average household consumes water. Again instruct your family on the need of conservation and where they can reduce water usage:

  • Toilet Flushing	to 5 gallons
    Dishwasher	5 to 14 gallons
    Bathroom Faucet	2 gallons per min
    Shower (8 minutes)	10 to 20 gallons
    Bath	10 to 40 gallons
    Clothes Washing	13 to 50 gallons
    Professional Car Wash	8 to 12 gallons
    Car Washing at Home	20 to 100 gallons