Water consumption has skyrocketed with globalization and is expected to increase by 30% in the next 29 years. Water waste is similar to food waste: it’s completely unnecessary and could cost lives.
So, the questions that follow are all important. How do we reduce water consumption? How many litres of water should we use? How do we protect our local water supply and contribute to water conservation? These are all important questions, but first, we need to address some terms before we speak about how we can save water and reduce our water usage.
Grey Water: Soapy water/water that has been used in sinks, bathtubs, showers, and washing machines. You should use this water to first flush your toilet. If you have excess grey water, then use this water on plants in the garden or wash your car.
Clean Water: This is precious water, used for drinking and cooking.
Rain Water: Water that has been collected from rainfall. This is perfect water for washing, and if mineral levels are monitored, then it can be used as water for drinking.
Water Runoff: Water that flows along a surface, usually due to impermeable surfaces.
Water Scarcity: Shortage of freshwater
How To Save Water And Reduce Your Water Footprinnt: Water Saving Tips
Turn Off Taps
You save around 6 litres of water per minute if you turn off your tap while brushing your teeth. Fix any leaking taps, too, and potentially save up to 9 litres of water per day, or 60 litres of water per month.
Eat Greener
The beef industry consumes unjustifiable amounts of freshwater. By cutting out meat and dairy, or cutting down, you can reduce your water footprint far more than any other way.
Don’t Bath, Take Shorter & Fewer Showers
We all love a shower with hot water, or cold water (or warm water, if you’re one of those kinda people!), but unfortunately, we don’t need to use hundreds of gallons per day on showering. Showers use up lots of water, so be smart and be efficient. Shower once per day, maximum, and invest in water-saving shower heads for your home.
Monitor Your Water Meter And Log The Results
Most water companies will help keep a log for you. Otherwise, buy a water meter with a built-in water log.
Why Do We Need To Save Fresh Water?
97% of all water on the planet is ocean water, which is too salty for human consumption. Around 2.5% of the remaining water is held within ice caps. If we use up all the fresh water, it’s essentially over for life on earth.
