by Lorelei Cohen

Created on: July 28, 2010   Last Updated: July 29, 2010

It is not difficult to reduce our water usage, in fact there are many simple ways to conserve, and preserve our drinkable water supply. We just have to break a few old habits, and incorporate a few new ones, into our current lifestyle. This new healthier way of living isn't a time consuming task and it is certainly not a more expensive way to live. It just means a few simple changes to the way that we view life on this old planet that we live on.

Fixing leaky taps and toilets is the first step. A dripping faucet wastes approximately 60 drops of clean drinkable water per minute. Which means that those little insignificant drips add up to a whopping 5 gallons of wasted drinkable water each and every day that the tap continues to leak. Stop those leaks. It is important.

When washing your dishes rather than keeping your rinse water running, use a basin, or second sink to rinse them. This same principle applies when you or your family are performing your basic hygiene rituals. When washing your hands and face do not leave the water running, but fill your bathroom sink instead, or simply moisten a facecloth for cleansing. When brushing your teeth use a cup for rinse water. These little changes do make a very big difference in the amount of water that your family will use in a day, month, year, and lifetime. It all adds up.

Buy energy efficient appliances, and use smaller load settings when washing smaller loads, this will reduce the volume of water needed.

Water shortages are no longer just an issue that occurs in third world countries, it is happening here, and it's frequency is increasing. One in every five people on our planet no longer has access to clean water. It is time for each and every person to make an effort to conserve clean water.

When washing your vehicle use a bucket, and cloth, rather than the hose. Why send all that good clean water down the nearest drain?

If you live in a house, or have a patio deck or balcony on your apartment, gather rain water for later use. Rain water can be used for watering gardens, lawns, indoor plants, or even for the basic washing of everyday items ( Like the car! ).

Always dispose of your contaminants in a responsible manner. The reason that we have a shortage of drinkable water isn't because the amount of water on our planet has reduced, but because much of the water on our planet has changed, clean water is becoming undrinkable. Pollution is destroying our usable clean drinking water supply. We are slowly poisoning our water supply. Every time we dump used oil, or some other household poison down a drain, we put a little more poison into our usable waters. Every time we flush medications down the toilet, or waste clean water, we reduce the amount of usable water left on our planet.

Water shortages are not just in third world countries anymore. Do your part to help.

Sources:

http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/sc4.html

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