Why Waste the Elixir of Life?

Water conservation. It's really not difficult. Scouts' promise.

What is this elixir I speak of? Water, of course. Although it may not be the most interesting tasting liquid, no one can deny its crucial importance for sustaining life as we know it. The simple fact that we cannot live without water should make it the most precious and valuable resource available.

However, it often isn’t treated that way.

There are many simple ways to greatly reduce individual water consumption without sacrificing ones’ standard of living. The Washington, DC Water and Sewer Authority (DCWASA) is a readily available resource to help residents improve their water usage. On the DCWASA website they have information on small habitual changes one can make: Leakage checks for faucets and toilets, water conserving devices for indoor and outdoor applications, or altering your landscaping style.

To give you an example, the website details the easy process of installing an aerator on your faucet, which can improve water use by 50%. A standard faucet uses 4 gallons of water per minute, which is a staggering number when you compare water to similar commodities like milk. Think about pouring 4 gallons of milk down the sink every minute you brush your teeth, not a pleasant thought. With the installation of this aerator you can reduce the faucet’s use to 2 gallons per minute.

To check out this and other useful suggestions on how to improve your own water consumption go to: http://www.dcwasa.com/education/conservation/default.cfm

Photo Credit: CC-licensed by Flickr user Vaidy Krishnan