Saving Water

In this section, let's take a look what at we can do to save water. Fresh, clean water is almost non-existent anymore. This analysis is not new, but I heard it at a meeting once: Compare a pail and a teaspoon - the filled pail is the amount of water on earth. The filled spoon is the available fresh water!
If we don't drastically take measures to reduce water waste, think what could happen not only to our food, but subsequently to our health! Already, cities add chemicals to our drinking water, but now they have discovered traces of drugs in most cities' drinking water.

Following are some ways to save water (more on Water: Stormwater, Grey water, Rainwater Catchment, Xeriscaping)

• - Fix leaky water pipes and faucets. A leak of one drop per second wastes 192 gallons per month.
• - Install low-flow shower heads. Showering represents about 17% of residential indoor water use in the U.S. Since 1994, all showerheads have been required to use no more than 2.5 gallons of water a minute, less than half that of many older models. There are several low-flow shower heads on the market that use 1.6 gallon
• Take short (5 min.) showers rather than baths.
• Turn the faucet off while brushing teeth, shaving, and doing the dishes.
• Install a water efficient toilet.
• Do not use the toilet as wastebasket; use a compost bin and dispose of insects and tissues in trashcan.
• Test your toilet for leaks. A leaky toilet wastes more than 50 gallons of water per day.
• Consider replacing your toilet with one that uses 1.6 gallons per flush. Toilets installed before 1994 use between 3.5 and 6 gallons per flush.
• Only run the washer with a full load of clothes.
• Use Energy Star dishwashers and washing machines.
• Install a 2 gallon per minute aerator on your kitchen faucet if there is no aerator.
• Avoid using your garbage disposal. They waste water and contribute to sewer line problems. Instead, start a compost bin for vegetable scraps and throw grease in the trash.
•  Install a water aerator on your bathroom faucet (aerators increase spray velocity, reduce splash, save water and conserve energy.)
• Apply mulch around trees and plants to retain moisture in soil.
• Reuse water from the tub and sink for watering plants (See "grey water").
• When watering your lawn, water during early morning hours or in the evening after dark to reduce evaporation.
• Make sure you do not over-water your lawn. Step on your grass to see if it needs water. If it springs back, it doesn't need to be watered.
• Plant native and drought-tolerant trees and plants. These selections will not need to be watered once they become established (see Xeriscaping).
• Drip irrigation systems uses between 20 to 50% less water than conventional in-ground sprinkler systems and are more efficient because no water is lost to wind, runoff, and evaporation.
• Use water- and energy-efficient appliances like horizontal axis laundry washers. Always look for the Energy Star logo.
• Reuse grey water, but check with the local Health Department for legalities.
• A "hot water recirculation system" can prevent water running while waiting for hot water. The system consists of a sensor and a pump that pumps hot water to the faucet while returning the cooled water back to the water heater. It costs less than $400 installed and can save an average family well over 10,000 gallons of water per year. However, if that's too costly, open (or turn to) the Hot-Water tap first, then when you feel the hot water coming from the tap, open the cold water to get the right mix with out wasting cold water.

About toilets:
If your toilet is from before 1992 you probably have an inefficient model that uses at least 3.5 to 6 gallons per flush.

In the Dwell magazine of July/August 2008, I read the following: Architect, writer, and environmental evangelist Jason F. McLennan said; "…that really stinks. For the last 100 years, we've basically done everything wrong. The toilet is simply a receptacle on one end of a huge chain of stupidity created in a misguided effort to protect the public from disease and embarrassment," he explains. "By using water to convey waste over long distances to industrial treatment facilities, we've committed two great environmental sins. One, we've polluted our water supply: Huge amounts of energy and toxic chemicals are required to make it clean again. Two, we've become the only species on Earth that disrupts nature's nutrient cycle because we destroy those found in our waste. An entire industry has arisen just to replace them."

Dwell goes on to say, "…large-volume flushes are quite literally sending extra water down the drain. Providing a low-volume option is a simple and sensible solution-one that most of Europe caught on decades ago."

WaterSense is an organization that monitors water use. They help consumers identify water-efficient products and programs. The WaterSense label (similar to the Energy Star label in energy use) will indicate that these products and programs meet water efficiency and performance criteria. WaterSense labeled products help save money and encourage innovation in manufacturing. WaterSence label products must perform as well or better than their less efficient counterparts and be about 20 % more water-efficient than average products in that category.

 A complete list of water-saving faucets is available at www.epa.gov/WaterSense.