All Dried Up: Water Scarcity a Growing Issue
Posted on May 17, 2009 - 01:35 PM
By: Amy Roth
A UN report released in March projects that half the world will face acute water shortages by 2030. Water scarcity is an ever-growing issue that will only become more prevalent with global warming and climate change.
Water shortages, and potential water wars, are concerns not just for already dry countries in the Middle East and Africa. Across America, it’s already a problem – the Great Lakes are shrinking, drinking water reservoirs in many states have dropped to record lows and in the western states, snowpacks are diminished and melting faster every year.
Rising demand in coastal states like Florida and California coupled with rising temperatures that are causing glaciers to melt and sea levels to rise are leading reasons for the water crisis in those states. Higher temps mean more water is lost to evaporation and rising seas could push saltwater into underground sources of freshwater, contaminating already stressed drinking water reserves.
These shortages are likely to get worse in coming years unless communities take action and get serious about water conservation and efficiency. And as summer looms closer, demand for water will increase as we water our lawns and gardens, fill the kiddie-pools and wash our cars, which is why it’s even more important now for each of us to use every opportunity we can to make our every day water usage more efficient and less wasteful.
What You Can Do
There are a lot of little things you can do around your home that can have a big impact on your water usage (and your water bill!)
- Indoor Water Saving Practices
- Take shorter showers: Cutting back your daily shower by as little as a minute or two can save 150 gallons a month. If your shower fills a one-gallon bucked in under 20 seconds, you should replace your existing shower head with a more efficient model. You can save upwards of 750 gallons of water a month!
- If you’re in the habit of running the water to get the shower to the right temperature before getting in, try collecting that water and use it to water plants or save to do dishes. Another option is to replace your old, inefficient water heater with an on-demand tankless hot water heater. Not only will you save energy by not heating up water when you don’t need it, but you won’t need to run the tap to get hot water.
- Turning off the water while brushing your teeth can save 25 gallons a month.
- If your toilet was installed before 1992, reduce the amount of water used for each flush by inserting a displacement device in the tank.
- When washing dishes by hand, don’t let the water run while rinsing. Fill one sink with wash water and the other with rinse water. If you use a dishwasher, but sure to run it only when it’s full. Same goes for the clothes washer – together these can save up to 1,000 gallons a month.
- Fix leaks – every little drip counts! It’s simple and inexpensive to do and can save 140 gallons of water a WEEK! Leaky toilets are easy to diagnose; put food coloring or dye tablets in your toilet tank and If it seeps into the toilet bowl without flushing, you have a leak. Another fix that can save up to 1,000 gallons a month.
- Outdoor Water Saving Practices
- Plant smart. Xeriscape landscaping is a great way to design, install and maintain both your yard and garden as well as your irrigation system that will save you time, money and water.
- Choose shrubs and groundcovers instead of turf for hard-to-water areas such as steep slopes and isolated strips. This will help minimize run-off and reduce water usage.
- Think local. Plant native and/or drought-tolerant grasses, ground covers, shrubs and trees. Once established, they do not need to be watered as frequently and they usually will survive a dry period without any watering. Group plans together based on similar water needs.
- Adjust your lawn mower to a higher setting. A taller lawn shades roots and holds soil moisture better than if it is closely clipped.
- Water your lawn and garden in the morning or evening when temperatures are cooler to minimize evaporation. Be sure to adjust sprinklers so only your lawn is watered and not the house, sidewalk, or street.
- Another way to save water is not to use water from the tap to water your outdoor plants – use rain water, collected in a rainbarrel installed under your downspout from your roof and gutters.
- Don’t leave sprinklers or hoses unattended when watering. Your garden hoses can pour out 600 gallons of water or more in only a few hours, so don’t leave the sprinkler running all day. If you don’t have an automatic watering system, use a kitchen timer to remind yourself to turn it off.
- Another easy fix is to outfit your hose with a shut-off nozzle which can be adjusted down to fine spray so that water flows only as needed. When finished, turn off the faucet instead of at the nozzle to avoid leaks.
- Don’t over water your lawn. A general rule of thumb, lawns only need watering every 5 to 7 days in the summer and every 10 to 14 days in the winter. A hearty rain eliminates the need for watering for as long as two weeks.
There are a lot of simple things you can do right now around your house to help limit or reduce your water usage, that in the end, add up to a whole lot more than just a drop in the bucket.
Sources:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/feb/26/water-drought
http://www.stopglobalwarming.org/sgw_read.asp?id=3234810262007
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2009/03/global-water-crisis-nations-avert.php
http://www.americanwater.com/49ways.htm
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