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Drop By Drop, It All Adds UpBy Mark Sanders (HIT) - In many parts of our country and throughout the world, clean, drinkable (potable) water is an expensive natural resource. In one of the hardest-hit areas, the West and Southwest of the United States, some communities are experiencing their seventh straight year of drought conditions.
The availability of drinkable water is summed up nicely in a 1998 report funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, titled: Water Efficiency, National Small Flows Clearinghouse. In this report we get an overview on the worldwide and U.S. availability of water. The report concludes: "Although most of the earth is covered with water, only 1% of that water is actually potable. In spite of its importance, potable water is often taken for granted. For many people, fresh water is as close as their faucet… (However,) with the growing shortage of fresh water supplies in many parts of the U.S., particularly in cases of drought, it has become essential to find ways to conserve water and use it efficiently…" The situation is becoming so severe that in many arid areas of the West, Southwest and elsewhere, water rationing and fines are imposed on individuals and institutions that exceed allowable limits of fresh water consumption. As recently as October 30 of 2006, the Santa Fe, New Mexico Water Resource Department has placed Stage 3, Water Emergency Rules on water usage that most of us take for granted, including the prohibition of washing vehicles at residences, a one day per week outdoor watering restriction and a complete restriction on the planting of new turf seed or sod for lawns. To put some teeth into these water conservation measures, fines are imposed for violations, starting with a $20 fine for the first violation and a $200 fine for a 4th and subsequent violation of water conservation rules. Many utilities in the West and Southwest, including Denver, Colorado, are spending money on water conservation, as is Las Vegas which reported spending $24.8 million on water conservation efforts in 2004. Regional droughts and burgeoning population centers in areas with inadequate water supplies ultimately compel us to an inevitable conclusion: much of our water usage is wasteful and that solutions need to be found for water conservation and reuse. Currently, all the water used in homes and buildings is potable and drinkable resulting in massive quantities of water that are literally flushed down the drain. How we use water was explained in detail in a study commissioned by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Water in March of 1999. For example:
Does it really make sense to use drinking water for all our water needs in the home? One key area in the home where potable water is unnecessary is flushing the toilet. A system that captures the water from the bathroom sink, then filters and treats the water to acceptable standards and uses it to flush the toilet would be extremely valuable to communities experiencing drought conditions. Editors & Online Publications, click here to log onto our editor's site to download your favorite Articles ... |
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PRIVACY | TERMS OF USE | SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES | |
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