Why Saving Water for Summer Is Key
In our modern society, most of us turn on the water faucet without giving it much thought. In our country, it seems as though water is easily and readily available to meet all of our needs, including bathing, cleaning, irrigating, cooking, along with a host of other uses. However, water is not a limitless resource and wasting water has significant impacts to our homes, our communities, our country, and our world.
Most of us do not give it much thought, but there is a finite amount of water available to us. Further, while water is so easily readily available in this country, over one third of the world’s population lives in countries that have water shortages. In the most desperate situations, people are going thirsty and do not have the water they need for cooking and cleaning. Not having fresh, clean water leads to disease and illness, increasing medical needs and threatening lives.
On a global scale, water waste destroys habitats. When bodies of water dry up, it threatens numerous plant and animal species. Reduction in available water threatens the agriculture industry, and ultimately our supply of vegetables and fruits.
Conserving water is important for many reasons. It is especially key in the summer months, when water usage is at its highest. Many cities have had to take the drastic measure of mandating water reduction to help cope with drought and water shortages.
Consider the following reasons to avoid water waste:
Save on Water Cost
Water costs have been steadily rising. In major cities in the United States, water cost has risen over 40% since 2010. Given that summer is also the time when water usage is at its peak, high usage during these months can create some very high water bills from the utility company. Studies have shown that water usage may peak as high as 1,000 gallons of water a day during the summer, compared to only 260 gallons a day during period of lower usage. Conserving water can keep your water bill reasonable and affordable and keep cash in your pocket.
Save on Energy Cost
Increased water usage also means increased energy consumption. Energy is used to heat the water needed for bathing, washing dishes, and other daily tasks. The utility company also uses energy to make water available and deliver it to customers. A study showed that in one state, over 6% of all energy consumption was for moving water from one place to another. Conserving water also helps to conserve energy.
Guard Against Drought
During times of severe heat and drought, the water supply can become too low. At these times, the city or state may face water shortages and impose restrictions on water usage. Droughts create dangerous fire hazards, putting entire communities at risk. Further, drought threatens natural habitats for wildlife and fish. One of the best things we can do to manage and minimize the impact of drought is to conserve water.
Preserve Systems
Using less water extends the life of your septic system. Soil saturation is reduced, and the risk of pollution due to leaks is reduced. Using less water also helps ease the toll on your city’s sewage system. The risk of pollution is reduced for these systems, as well. Reduction in water usage better enables the city’s water facilities to adequately meet water usage demands. As usage increases, facilities become too small to handle the load. In this case, the water company must upgrade and install larger, expensive facilities to meet demand. These increased costs are ultimately passed to the consumer.
What Can You Do?
As you can see, wasting water has significant and widespread impact. How can you help with water conservation efforts? Fortunately, water conservation is not difficult nor does it require significant sacrifice. It simply involves being mindful of your water usage and making a few adjustments to your daily habits. Consider a few of the following actions to conserve water.
- Take shorter showers. Shaving off 2 minutes from your shower each day can save 150 gallons of water a month.
- Remember not to leave the water running while brushing your teeth or rinsing dishes.
- Repair leaky faucets and toilets. A leaky toilet can waste up to 200 gallons of water a day.
- Limit car washes.
- Limit watering of the lawn.
- When you do water your lawn, do so before 10:00 a.m. This will reduce evaporation and the chance of fungus and lawn disease.
- Only use the dishwasher and washing machine when you have full loads.
- Consider planting drought tolerant, native plants. These plants will require far less watering.
- Keep your pool covered. An uncovered pool can result in the evaporation of hundreds of gallons of water each month.
- Consider installing water efficient fixtures. Low-flow shower heads and faucets can reduce your monthly water usage.
- Make use of rain barrels or other methods of reusing water for irrigating gardens.
We Can Help
To learn more about water conservation in the Fort Lauderdale, FL area, and how we can help you reduce your water usage, contact C&D Plumbing Inc. at (954) 758-8169.