In reaction to a growing water crisis around the world, in 1993 the United Nations established World Water Day, which is observed annually on March 22. The goal of this important day is to draw the attention to the seriousness of water scarcity and to encourage people to change their habits aroundwater consumption to help.
While climate change can take the blame for some of the lack of water, people’s sometimes cavalier attitude towards water consumption in their daily lives hurts the cause as well. It’s not too late to change this trend. Simply by embracing water conservation, you can make a difference. It comes down to good water habits and paying special attention to your plumbing.
World Water Day Overview
Each year World Water Day is assigned a theme. This year, the theme is “Wastewater”. This is an important theme because it is so relevant. Proper treatment of wastewater can help tap into sustainable water solutions.
Similarly, a key part of the water crisis is linked to a lack of sanitation, which intensifies already challenging health conditions in less developed countries. 2.4 billion people don’t have access to adequate sanitation.
How Your Plumbing Fits in
You know that you need your plumbing to be working well to keep your home running smoothly; you also need your plumbing to be running smoothly to keep you from wasting water.
Here are some fun facts: according to the EPA, a leaky shower head that does 10 drips per minute wastes more than 500 gallons per year, which is equivalent to doing 60 loads through the dishwasher. 10 percent of homes in the U.S.A. waste 90 gallons of water each and every day. And if you fix these simple leaks, homeowners can expect to shave about 10 percent off of their water bills.
Leaky faucets and showers are easy to spot and to fix (unless you need
a full replacement). A leaky toilet is harder to detect. Pop the lid off
the tank and put a colored dye tab. Wait about 10 minutes, and if the
color has made its way into the bowl, you’ve got a leak.
In all cases, it’s a great idea to call your plumber for help.
Water Conservation Helpful Hints
Now that you know how important water conservation is, it is time to change your habits.
Start in your kitchen, where you will leave your garbage disposal off and compost your waste instead. Instead of boiling vegetables, steam them. Don’t run the tap to wash veggies or to pre-rinse dishes. Only run the dishwasher when it is full.
In the laundry room, avoid the permanent press cycle which has an extra rinse cycle. Instead of using a new shower towel every day, try every other day or a few times a week.
Don’t water your garden with a hose; use a watering can. Even better, use water that you’ve collected from a rain barrel. If you have a dog, give him a bath outside on the lawn; you are watering the lawn and washing the dog at the same time.
Are you curious about how your water use can be reduced even more? Call Plumb Level at (979) 200-6674 in Brenham, TX to find out more.