10 Water Conservation Tips in The Face of Rising Scarcity

This article will examine the rising global water scarcity and tips for water conservation techniques applicable in our various homes. Let’s get right into it.

Water being the main constituent of Earth’s hydrosphere is a vital component of life forms. Many believe that there is nothing more essential to life on Earth than water. It is considered a geological resource, and like many resources, it faces an increasing threat to its continued existence. It is clear from this background that water is crucial to the continued existence of different lives. It is essential for our day-to-day activities, and we can hardly do without it.

However, as vital as this resource is, access to it is uneven. Globally, people struggle to access the quantity and quality of water they require to meet their basic daily needs. Water scarcity can denote scarcity in availability due to physical shortage or scarcity in access attributable to institutions’ failure to ensure a regular supply or inadequate infrastructure.

In recent time, we have seen how drastic this can be, from Cape Town to Flint, Michigan, California, and from rural, sub-Saharan Africa to Asia’s teeming megacities. Media for Community Change Initiative’s recent exposition revealed how challenging it is for people in the Gwako community in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital city to access water. This is a sneak peek into the harsh realities of uneven access to water. Countries are experiencing a swift rise in the shortage of water. Although there is no global water shortage as such, it is essential to state a strong need for regions and individual countries to urgently rise to the occasion and address critical problems water stress presents in their regions or countries. Apart from the health challenges water scarcity tends to pose especially to children and women, they are also vulnerable to harm while trekking long distances to fetch water. The resultant impacts of these also have ripple effects on their finances.

The United Nations has long warned that human-driven climate change is leading to severe droughts and more flooding, making water availability increasingly less predictable. Water use has been increasing globally at more than twice the rate of the human population in the last century. An increasing number of regions are reaching the limit at which water services can be sustainably delivered, especially in arid areas.

Although remarkable progress has been made towards ensuring that clean potable water is accessible to 2.6 billion people in developing countries from 1990 to 2015, there are still many opportunities to multiply clean water benefits through improved sanitation and hygiene education. There is a clear nexus between access to clean water and development. Water is at the core of sustainable development and is vital for socio-economic development as well.

Quick facts on Global water crisis

• One of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 6) aims to provide universal access to clean water and sanitation by 2030.
• 2.2 billion people currently do not have access to safely managed drinking water.
• By 2025, half of the world’s population will be living in water-stressed areas.
• By 2050, at least 1 in 4 people will likely live in a country affected by chronic or recurring fresh-water shortages.
• Women and girls spend an estimated 200 million hours hauling water every day.
• The average woman in rural Africa walks 6 kilometres every day to haul 40 pounds of water.

There is, therefore, the need to practice exemplary and sustainable conservation of this resource. Water conservation has transitioned into a necessary practice, worldwide even in regions that tend to have sufficient water supply. It is the most practical and environment-friendly approach to reduce our need for water. It is expected that the global demand for freshwater will be one-third greater than it is now by 2050. Thus, action plans need to be put in place to curb water pollution and encourage water conservation.

To this end, decision-makers and significant stakeholders need to work closely and fast as well since, without an actionable plan, the challenges will only increase. In the same vein, as individuals, we also need to encourage smart water use. Smart water use saves nature, energy, prevents droughts and also saves money.

Below are 10 practical tips we can employ to help conserve water use in our homes.

1. Always turn off your taps tightly after use and swiftly repair any leakage from your tap, i.e. fix leaks. (One leak can waste several thousand litres of water per year). Also, avoid keeping the tap running while washing clothes or utensils.

2. Encourage rainwater harvesting and storing. This has been practised for centuries in countries like China, Brazil, Argentina and India. For instance, in places like India, It has been in practice for more than 4000 years.

3. You can reduce water usage by 40% to 50% by installing low-flush toilets.

4. Take shorter showers- A four-minute shower uses approximately 20 to 40 gallons of water

5. Use a high-efficiency washing machine for laundry.

6. Perform routine appliance maintenance. Carrying out regular maintenance of appliances helps prevent possible leaks and thus, reduce energy wasted. Also, purchasing energy-saving products and devices is advised. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the average household can use about 20 per cent less water with water-efficient fixtures and appliances.

7. Educate a friend about the need to conserve water; share your knowledge about saving water through conservation and efficiency with your neighbours.

8. Water lawns/garden during the cool parts of the day. Don’t overwater your lawn or water during peak periods. Also, install rain sensors on irrigation systems

9. When brushing your teeth, turn the water off while you are brushing. Use short bursts of water for cleaning your brush. (This saves about 80% of the water usually used).

10. Plant drought-resistant trees and plants. It will ensure that water conservation is incorporated into your landscaping as drought-resistant trees and plants use less water.

Conclusion

It is important that we embrace these smart but straightforward water conservation techniques in our homes as they can go a long way to reduce the usage of water in various homes and lessen the demand for water per time.

Thank you for reading.

Author: Mujeeb Balogun

Photo: Getty Images

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References and further reading;

The Water Project Bloomberg Gwako Community The Berkey NRDC American Rivers World Vision UN-Water WHO Fact Sheet EPA Statistics and Facts