Water

Water. It symbolizes a lot of things - life, redemption, renewal, recreation... It is the substance of our bodies, our earth, our food; it's everywhere. It is essential for every living thing. Yet, how often do we think about how we treat water or what happens to what we put down our drains and in our sewers? Most of us probably don't think about it at all. We just hope that a waste water treatment plant does a good job of cleaning up after us and we go on about buying our bottled "mountain spring" water and put whatever we like, or more likely don't like, down our drains. In America, and perhaps the rest of the western world, we take for granted all of the clean water that we have right at our fingertips and doing so is harmful. 1.4 million die each year from lack of access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation. A mere 12 percent of the world’s population uses 85 percent of its water, and these 12 percent do not live in the Third World. so, i've been thinking about this whole process and reading up on what i can do to be more responsible in my handling of this essential substance.
Some facts about water and water pollution:

• Water from rain, storm drains, and ditches flows directly to streams and bays with little or no treatment. Storm drains and ditches are DIFFERENT than sewers. They are NOT CONNECTED to a treatment plant.
• We all live in a watershed. What you do personally does affect streams, even if you don’t live on a stream. A watershed is an area of land which drains to the lowest point, usually a stream or bay.
• Small amounts of contaminants from all over the land add up to cause pollution in our water. Yes, even the little things matter. You will make a difference, no matter how small, if you change the way you do some things.

Here are some tips:

• Use less fertilizer. Instead, mulch grass clippings to enrich your lawn and create a compost pile that will provide natural nutrients for your gardens.


• Keep harmful runoff and litter out of storm drains.


• Plant trees. Trees contribute to clean water; they are the oceans' best filters.
• Don't use the toilet as a trashcan or garbage disposal. Doing so contributes to overload sewer and septic systems, which release their effluent into local waterways and the ocean.
  
• Sweep walks and driveways rather than hosing them down. Water picks up chemicals and transports them to the nearest storm drain, creek, or waterway. Often, these hard surfaces contain oil, antifreeze, lawn chemicals, and other substances.


• Empty your swimming pool or hot tub on the grass, not into the street. Chlorinated water is harmful to aquatic life. By emptying it into a wooded or grassy area, you are making use of nature's natural filtering action.


• On trips to the beach, carry out whatever you carry in. Wildlife can ingest, or become entangled in, trash left behind.


• If you decrease your water use at home, you'll decrease the amount of water that must be treated with chemicals before entering rivers, streams, and the oceans:


• Fix leaky faucets and plumbing joints. Saves 20 gallons per day for every leak stopped.


• Don't run the hose while washing your car. Use a bucket of water and a quick hose rinse at the end. Saves 150 gallons each time.


• Install water-saving shower heads or flow restrictors. Saves 500 to 800 gallons per month.


• Run only full loads in the washing machine and dishwasher. Saves 300 to 800 gallons per month.


• Shorten your showers. Even a one or two minute reduction can save up to 700 gallons per month.


• Use a broom instead of a hose to clean driveways and sidewalks. Saves 150 gallons or more each time. At once a week, that's more than 600 gallons a month.


• Capture tap water. While you wait for hot water to come down the pipes, catch the flow in a watering can to use later on house plants or your garden. Saves 200 to 300 gallons per month.


• Don't water the sidewalks, driveway or gutter. Adjust your sprinklers so that water lands on your lawn or garden where it belongs--and only there. Saves 500 gallons per month.


• If you're taking a shower, don't waste cold water while waiting for hot water to reach the shower head. Catch that water in a container to use on your outside plants or to flush your toilet. Saves 200 to 300 gallons a month.


• Turn off the water while brushing your teeth. Saves three gallons each day.


• Turn off the water while shaving. Fill the bottom of the sink with a few inches of water to rinse your razor. Saves three gallons each day.


• If you wash dishes by hand--don't leave the water running for rinsing. If you have two sinks, fill one with rinse water. If you only have one sink, use a spray device or short blasts instead of letting the water run. Saves 200 to 500 gallons a month.


• When washing dishes by hand, use the least amount of detergent possible. This minimizes rinse water needed. Saves 50 to 150 gallons a month.


• Keep a bottle of drinking water in the refrigerator. This beats the wasteful habit of running tap water to cool it for drinking. Saves 200 to 300 gallons a month.


• Don't defrost frozen foods with running water. Either plan ahead by placing frozen items in the refrigerator overnight or defrost them in the microwave. Saves 50 to 150 gallons a month.


• Use the garbage disposal less and the garbage more (even better--compost!). Saves 50 to 150 gallons a month.


• Water during the cool parts of the day. Early morning is better than dusk since it helps prevent the growth of fungus. Saves 300 gallons.


• Don't water the lawn on windy days. There's too much evaporation. Can waste up to 300 gallons in one watering. Cut down watering on cool and overcast days and don't water in the rain. Can save up to 300 gallons each time.


• Set lawn mower blades one notch higher. Longer grass means less evaporation. Saves 500 to 1,500 gallons each month.


• Have an evaporative air conditioner? Direct the water drain line to a flower bed, tree base, or lawn.


• Drive your car onto a lawn to wash it. Rinse water can help water the grass.


• Dispose of hazardous materials properly! One quart of oil can contaminate 250,000 gallons of water, effectively eliminating that much water from our water supply. Contact your city or county for proper waste disposal options. And don't flush prescription medications!
• Use natural soaps and cleansers in your home.

sources:

http://www.oceanconservancy.org/site/PageServer?pagename=ta_choiceshttp://www.monolake.org/socalwater/wctips.htm

image courtesy of randy shelton on flickr