Why conserve water?

Why conserve water?

97% of the Earth’s water is in our oceans and 2% is trapped in icecaps and glaciers.  This leaves about 1% available for human consumption.  This limited supply of water goes towards satisfying increasing needs of residential, manufacturing, agricultural and recreational industries.  This limited supply is also not evenly distributing forcing many regions to have mandatory water conservation.
Total public water usage in the United States has
tripled since 1950 while the population doubled!
Water-conserving efforts result in diverting less water from rivers, bays and wetlands which contributes to a healthy environment.  Fish, wildlife and birds depend on these water resources.  Conserving water also decreases the amount of used water (both treated and polluted) being discharged back into the environment.  Water consumption in agriculture leads to permanent changes in the natural water cycles, and causes erosion, salinity and desertification.  Maintaining consistent water supply levels requires the construction of dams, which has severe environmental and socio-economic effects.       
Water conservation also moderates the use of water and wastewater treatment plants, postponing the need for investments in new infrastructure.

By limiting our daily use of water, we also reduce our monthly water and sewer bills.  Conserving water in the home can be easy and cost very little, but the impact it can make is significant.   

An average single family home uses more than  70 gallons of water per day for indoor needs, of which 5-10% can be wasted due to leaks.  By installing more efficient water fixtures and making conscious efforts to save water, a total use of water can be decreased by 35% or more.   

Easy ways to conserve water in your home

• Turn water off while brushing your teeth and shaving.
• Only run the dishwasher and clothes washer when they are fully loaded.  When washing dishes by hand, fill one sink with water for washing and the other for rinsing. 
• Defrost frozen food in the refrigerator or in the microwave instead of running water over it.
• Repair dripping faucets and leaky toilets.  Toilet tanks are easy to fix and can save you more than 600 gallons a month.  Check for rebate programs and tax breaks in your area to help to cover replacement costs to low flow toilets and devices. 
• Reduce the amount of time, and water, you spend while showering.  If your shower can fill a one-gallon bucket in less than 20 seconds, then replace it with a water-efficient showerhead.
• While waiting for hot water, catch the cool, clean, water in a bucket or a watering can to water plants, run your garbage disposal or pour into the toilet bowl to flush and save up to 50 gallons a week per person.
• Scrape food scraps off dishes into the garbage can instead of rinsing them down the drain and using the disposal.  Better yet; start a compost bin (see Recycling - For Home) 

Easy ways to conserve water around your home

• Water your lawn only when needed early in the morning or after the sun sets, generally once every three days in the summer and adjust the watering schedule for each season.
• Install a rain shut off device or sensor that shuts off the water in response to a predetermined amount of rain.
• Install a 90% efficient drip irrigation system instead of sprinklers so a low flow of water is carried slowly to the plants
• Install a soil moisture sensor system that measures the level of moisture in the soil and halts irrigation if the soil is wet or permits irrigation if the soil is dry. (A controller lets you set the moisture level)
• Check sprinkler heads, valves and drip emitters once a month. Make sure heads are aimed correctly.
• Use a broom to clear off pavement.
• Use a hose spray nozzle with a shutoff handle to stop water flow.
• Creating a water-efficient landscape (called a xeriscape) by using drought resistant and native plants.
• Set lawn mower blades one notch higher, leave grass clippings on your grass  and cover bare ground with mulch to save up to 100 gallons or more a week.
• Use a pool cover to cut down evaporation and keep your pool cleaner while reducing the need to add chemicals.
• Use a car wash that recycles its wash water.

When thinking about our water conservation efforts, we generally think about how to save water in the home – tap water, showers, watering plants, etc.  But there are also products and services we use in our everyday life, which require an enormous amount of water in order to be made – food, furniture and clothing, among many others.  When making a new purchase, think about your water footprint.  Almost every production process uses water, from building materials to coffee.  To maintain your commitment to water conservation outside of your home, look for eco-friendly or green businesses.  Carry a water bottle around to avoid purchasing bottled water.  

Economics – will conservation measures pay for themselves?

Payback is simply a return on an investment equal to the amount invested.  Although you feel hesitant to incur a price tag of $300-$600 to replace an old dishwasher, investing in water and energy saving equipment does pay for itself over time.  Here are estimated simple paybacks of common expenditures:    
An average low-flow shower head can cost as little as $10.  Depending on your utility rates and whether you heat with a gas or electric water heater, you can save up to $75 per year on water bills and up to $100 on energy bills by reducing the amount of hot water needed.  Most showerheads should pay for themselves during the first year of use.
An older toilet (generally before 1994) uses about 3.5 gallons per flush. Newer toilets use less than half per flush.  New low flow toilets cost in the range of $200-$400.  Replacing a working high-use toilet in good condition will take several years to pay for itself.  There are kits on the markets to reduce the flow of those toilets.  However, there are often rebates offered by local water districts for replacing old toilets.  If your old toilet has leaks the return can be relatively quick, often within few years.

Water conservation rebates and tax credits

There are many different rebate programs and resources that are designed to help you save money and live water smart.  The most common and accessible way to cut your costs are rebate coupons for which almost anyone can qualify.  For example, in some cities in California, you can apply for a $200 rebate when purchasing a qualifying high efficiency clothes washer.  The same applies to high-efficiency toilets and other home appliances, which use less water than older models.  Most counties and states have a number of similar programs and participating vendors.  There are also rebates and low interest loans available to cover outdoor water conservation improvements, such pool covers, more efficient irrigation systems for your lawn and garden, rain sensors, etc.
Some water conservation programs offer free home evaluations, often called “Home Energy Audit,” where a professional auditor will come to your home and conduct an efficiency inspection, recommending energy (including water) saving steps and appliances.
A handful of states provide consumers with tax breaks for purchasing energy efficient products or even personal income tax credits (for residential solar-thermal equipment in New York for example).
It can be tricky to figure out what types of programs are available where you live, since they vary from state to state.  A good place to start is the national Database of State Incentives Funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, this comprehensive database lists the renewable energy and energy efficiency programs available in each state.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the biggest water use for households?
About two-thirds of indoor water usage goes down the tubes in our bathroom (toilets and showers).  It’s important not to use toilets as trash cans and flush them for no good reason.  Toilets are also notorious for their hidden leaks. 
How can I track my water usage?
Understanding how much water your household uses is an important step in beginning to make real progress in your efforts to conserve water.  The easiest way to do it is to start watching your water use patterns and to calculate them accordingly.  By keeping track of how many showers are taken each day in your household and the average length of each shower, you can figure out your average water use in the bathroom.      
What is rainwater harvesting?
Rainwater harvesting is the collection of water that would otherwise have gone down the drain or into the ground.  This water can be collected from large surfaces such as roofs, and used to water gardens, flush toilets and other household needs, that don’t require drinking water quality.  A special rainwater harvesting system is required to be installed, and its payback depends on several factors – the average annual rainfall in your region, the size of the collection area and whether you are able to meter your water supply.
What is a water footprint?
The water footprint of an individual, business or nation is defined as the total volume of freshwater that is used to produce the goods and services consumed by the individual, business or nation.  When thinking about how much water we use for our personal and household needs, we normally don’t take into consideration the amount of water that was used to produce our food, clothing and other items often taken for granted.  For example, 37 gallons of fresh water is required to produce 1 cup of coffee, and about 4200 gallons for 2 pounds of beef!
Is tap water safe for drinking?
Over 90 percent of water in the U.S. meets EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) standards for safety.  However, because water sources and ways in which it is treated vary from place to place, the best source of information about your drinking water is your water supplier.  Suppliers must make available annual water quality reports.  These reports contain information about types of contaminants that have been detected in their drinking water, how these detection levels compare to drinking water standards, and where their water comes from.  You can always contact your supplier to get a copy of this report or go on-line at the EPA web site.    
What are recycled water programs?
Recycled water programs (also referred to as reclaimed water or gray water is mostly used for irrigation, toilet flushing, industrial processes and replenishing a ground water basin. Gray water includes wastewater from bathtubs, showers, washbasins, or clothes washing machines, but not from the kitchen or toilets. Many homeowners use gray water for landscape irrigation. Gray water reuse systems range from installing a dedicated plumbing system that performs subsurface irrigation to simply watering the yard directly from the shower or clothes washer through a garden hose or by using buckets.   Gray water can contain pathogens and, as such, is regulated to ensure protection of public health and water quality. Check with your local city or county government for its gray water system requirements.

Facts and Figures  

• A leaky faucet can waste 100 gallons a day.
• One flush of the toilet uses 6.5 gallons of water.  An average family of four uses 881 gallons of water per week just by flushing the toilet.  According to the United Nations, one flush of a toilet equals to the amount of water the average person in developing countries uses for cooking, washing and drinking in one day. 
• 3-5 gallons of water will be saved per day, if you turn water off while brushing your teeth. 
• The average 5-minute shower takes about 20 gallons of water.  If everyone in the United States could manage to use just one less gallon of water per shower every day, about 85 billion gallons of water could be saved each year.  The energy savings would also be great! 
• An 8-oz glass of tap water can be refilled approximately 15,000 times for the same price as a six-pack of soda.
• There are three standard categories of freshwater use – for agriculture, industry and domestic (personal, household and municipal).  Agriculture in the U.S. accounts for 80 percent of water use.