All of us know that around 70% of our planet is covered with water. But, how many of us know that 97.5% of the water is locked in oceans and seas, often making it unfit for use? The rest of 2.5% is in the ice caps. Therefore,
Less than 1% of the world’s water is available for human use.
This is often difficult to believe! We see water everywhere and have a steady supply of water at homes and wherever we go. Then, where lies the problem?
785 million people in the world do not have access to drinkable water.
Freshwater consumption has more than doubled since World War II, and it is expected to increase by another 25% by 2030. The United Nations estimates that by 2025, 30% of the world’s population residing in 50 countries will face acute water shortages.
This growing problem of water shortage has alarmed environmentalists and scientists across the globe. Conservation of water has become the need of the hour! Efforts for awareness and conservation are being made by organizations working for this cause.
But, what are we doing to save water? How many of us monitor the amount of water we are using? Well, only a few of us!
This can change! Each one of us can take these small, but significant, steps that will considerably reduce the amount of water consumption in our homes. Let’s start!
1. Take a quick shower
Do you enjoy taking long showers? It’s time to reconsider this habit! You can typically be using 18 liters of water per minute in the shower. Now multiply this with the number of members in your family. You will be surprised by the amount that comes up!
It’s good practice to take a quick shower of fewer than 5 minutes. A simple change in your habit can help save up to 70 liters of water per shower.
2. Turn off the water while washing hands and brushing your teeth
How often do we leave the tap running while brushing our teeth, shaving, washing hands, and washing face? Almost every time, right?
Turn off the tap when you are not actively using the water. Doing this can save more than 20 liters of water per day.
3. Do not leave the tap running while washing dishes
Kitchen taps run at 9 liters per minute. So every time you do dishes and leave the tap running, that is the amount of water you are wasting per minute.
One way to avoid this is to wait till the sink is full, and wash all the utensils at once rather than washing them one by one under the running tap.
Better so, try installing a dishwasher. A dishwasher uses 10 liters per cycle as against 9 liters per minute used by the tap.
4, Run the washing machine only with a full load
A fully automatic washing machine uses between 60-100 liters of water per load. A good practice is to save up your dirty clothes and only run the machine when you have a full load. In addition to saving water, this will also lower your energy bills.
5. Avoid using a hose
A garden hose uses up to 1000 liters of water per hour depending on its size. Undoubtedly, this leads to a lot of water wastage.
Consider using a broom to clean your driveway and other parts of the house instead of cleaning it with a hose. Water your plants with your hands instead of running a hose or a sprinkler.
6. Fix leaking pipes, taps, and toilets immediately
A dripping tap can waste up to 70 liters of water in a day!
As soon as you notice a leak in any of the taps, pipes, or toilets, fix it immediately. Also, try conducting a regular maintenance check from time to time to prevent such leaks.
Final Thoughts
The importance of conserving water cannot be undermined. By adhering to the above-mentioned ways, each one of us can play our part in conserving water, and ensuring there is enough for our future generations!
