Water Efficiency

Photo Source: Mowling

Water makes up 80 percent of Earth’s surface, yet our water is in short supply.  Only 3 percent of the water on the planet is freshwater (mostly held in the polar icecaps) which means it is suitable for drinking.  The UN estimates that 1.2 billion people lack access to safe drinking water and that this number will get larger as the world’s population continues to grow.

Drinkable water might be a given for American’s, but our consumption habits are amongst the world’s highest.  The EPA now estimates that every American uses 100 gallons of water a day.  This rate of consumption adds additional stress on water supplies and distribution systems threatening both human health and the environment.  In a recent study 36 of our states anticipate water shortages by 2013. 

Here are a few tips to reduce your water consumption around the house:

• Take showers.  A full bathtub requires 70 gallons of water, while a 5 minute shower uses 10-25 gallons.

• Don’t run the faucet.  The average bathroom faucet flows at a rate of 2 gallons per minute.  If you brush your teeth for 2 minutes twice a day, not running the faucet will save 2920 gallons of water a year.

• Fix Leaks. A faucet leaking one drip per second can waste more than 3000 gallons of water a year.  Seal those leaks and save yourself some money.

Source: EPA