Protect your Groundwater through Conservation

Aquifers are the source for nearly 95% of the available drinking water.  An aquifer is an underground area that holds a lot of water.  The water fills the aquifer from snow, rain, sleet, and hail that gravity has pulled down around soil, sand, gravel and rock. 

Americans are the largest water users in the world, using 79.6 billion gallons per day; 53.5 billion gallons a day for agricultural irrigation alone.  More efficient use of water by individual users can make a huge reduction in the overall amount of water usage.  For example, in the early 90’s, President George W. Bush signed the Energy Policy Act which made 1.6 gallon toilets standard.  Replacing just one 3.5 gallon toilet with this new low flush toilet reduced water consumption in a household of four up to 16,000 gallons per year. 

Here are some other easy tips to conserve water:

• Install low-flow shower heads, you can save 15 gallons during a 10-minute shower
• Better still take a 5 minute shower
• Add faucet aerators to kitchen and bathrooms  
• Harvest rainwater to water lawns and gardens
• Use a swimming pool cover to reduce evaporation
• Purchasing a front loading clothes washer could save 20 gallons per load
• Only wash clothes when you have a full load
• Turn off the water when brushing your teeth
• Only run the dishwasher when it is full
• Water the lawn in the early morning
• Refrain from using your garbage disposal; compost instead
• Wash fruits and vegetables in a bowl the reuse the water for your plants
• Fill your sink to wash and rinse dishes rather than leaving the water run
• Sweep your driveway and sidewalk rather than hosing it down
• Turn off the faucet when shaving
• Keep a bottle of water in the fridge rather than letting the water run to get cold
• Fix any and all plumbing leaks, both inside and outside the home, on average 10 gallons a day are lost to leaks
• Use a carwash that recycles their water
• Wash your car in the lawn water & clean at the same time
• Keep grass longer – longer grass will provide more shade and less water is lost
• Turn off the sprinklers – is a green yard essential?
• Use mulch to trap moisture in your yard
• Don’t flush random trash like tissues
• Cook with as little water as possible
• Save water while it warms up, capture it with a cup or container & use it for drinking or gardening

Some of the items on the list cost money, but if you are paying for your water then you will eventually recapture the cost of a new high efficiency wash machine or faucet aerators.  Most of the items however don’t cost a dime.  Simply thinking responsibly and globally can make a huge impact in the amount of water your household uses.  Take a shorter shower; keep a bottle of water in the fridge, and refrain from watering your lawn – all huge water savers that are simple and free.