Planetsave

Sunday March 22, 2009 is World Water Day. With the world water crisis representing one of the most significant public health issues facing the world today, we need to find ways to conserve this precious resource now more than ever.

The UN expects that 3.4 billion people will be living in countries defined as water-scarce by 2025. When water is scarce, people are forced to consume contaminated water.

Here are ten simple things you can do to cut down on your water consumption today:

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1. Never throw water away. If you pour too much out or have some left in your glass, use it. Pour the surplus into your dog’s water dish, water a plant, or add it to your water kettle.

2.  Don’t leave the tap running needlessly. If you are washing your face and you need to get the tap warm, use that initial cooler water to brush your teeth, and then wash your face.

3. Choose and use your appliances wisely. Use energy star appliances whenever possible and always use them at full capacity. Choose economy settings and don’t run the dishwasher half-full.

4. Install a low-flow toilet and don’t flush it more than necessary. If it’s yellow let it mellow.

5. Make sure every tap in your home has an aerator. They restrict water flow.

6. Stop that leaky toilet. Not only does it sound annoying, it wastes loads of water. Leaks can often be fixed by making minor adjustments.

7. Repair dripping faucets by replacing washers. According to American Water & Energy Savers, a faucet that drips at the rate of one drop per second will waste 2,700
gallons per year.

8. Shorter showers are a nobrainer. At the very least replace your shower head with a low-flow one. These are designed to maintain water pressure while using much less water than the old-fashioned sort. Treehugger says you will reduce your shower water use by 20 to 60 percent by doing so.

9. Insulate your water pipes. You won’t have to wait as long for hot water as an added bonus.

10. Set up a rain barrel this summer. You can collect rain water from your eaves to water your garden.

There is so much that we as individuals can do to help conserve water. Our collective conservation and advocacy efforts will not only reduce our monthly water bills, but will go a long way towards alleviating this growing problem.

You can read more about World Water Day and the world water crisis at WorldWaterDay.org and by downloading the UN booklet, Water for Life Decade.

Image Credit: Hypergurl at Flickr under a Creative Commons License.

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