Water Conservation Necessary for Everyone
It goes without saying that water is one of the essential ingredients necessary for human survival. For this
reason it is critical that we have a sufficient supply of water at all times. It is interesting that although approximately 70 percent of the earth is covered by water, only about .3 percent of this water is available for our use. The remainder of the water is found in the oceans, where it is too salty for use, contained in the ice caps of Antarctica and Greenland, or deep underground in aquifers where we cannot get to it.
With increasing population growth, we are constantly increasing our demands on the available water supply. But what can we as homeowners do that would have an impact on water use? As with many things, the answer does not lie in large changes in behavior but in a series of small ones. The following is a list of
simple things that we can all do to help conserve this vital natural resource.
Approximately 95 percent of water use in a single-family home comes from the following five sources:
1. Clothes washers and dishwashers use 23 percent of the water typically used daily in a single-family home. Run your dishwasher and clothes washers only when they are full. Depending upon how you use these appliances, this could save 1,000 gallons of water a month.
2. Consider replacing those old toilets with low-flush models. Toilets use more water than clothes washers, accounting for approximately 26 percent of the daily water use in a single family home. Older toilets can use 4 to 5 gallons of water per flush. Low-flush toilets use 1.6 gallons. If replacing the toilets is not practical, consider installing a pan or plastic milk jug in the toilet tank. The water held in the jug will reduce the amount of water needed to fill the tank. Make sure that the jug does not interfere with the flush mechanism.
3. Showers use 17 percent of the water typically used daily in a single-family home. By replacing a standard 4.5-gallon-per-minute showerhead with a 2.5-gallon-per-minute showerhead, a family of four can save 20,000 gallons of water per year.
4. Faucets use about 16 percent of the water in a single-family home. Installation of aerators on faucets can be effective in reducing water use. By breaking the water into small droplets while adding air to it, aerators allow you to use less water while maintaining a strong flow.
5. Inspect your water-supply system for leaks. This includes all joints in the piping as well as the flapper in the toilet tank. Leaks account for about 14 percent of water use and do nothing but waste the water.
In addition to the major items listed above, there are many other things we can do around the house to save water.
• Consider composting food waste instead of running your water while using the garbage disposer.
• If you wash dishes by hand, wash them in a sink full of water instead of allowing the water to run while
washing.
• Keep showers to less than five minutes. This can save thousands of gallons of water a year.
• Plug the bathtub while waiting for hot water. This way no water is wasted.
• Use a single drinking glass during the day. This will allow you to use the dishwasher less often.
• Direct downspouts from the roof to plantings. This will reduce the amount of watering necessary to keep
plants healthy.
• Turn the water off while brushing your teeth. This goes for washing your hands as well.
• If you have young children, bathe them together.
• Insulate hot water pipes so you do not have to run the water so long before it becomes hot.
By BILL GARWOOD
Edifice Inspections
770-594-2222
Published on 02/15/07 in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution
