Water conservation is the most cost-effective and environmentally-sound way to reduce our demand for potable and non-potable water. This distinction is important as we evaluate how and what we conserve, recycle and re-purpose. Whatever we do, this stretches our supplies farther, and protects all of our local streams, lakes, rivers and the bays, gulfs and oceans they supply.

Like the windmill, the hand-pumped cistern or the well with bucket hanging beside it are iconic images from our Nation’s history. For most of us, however, “getting some water” means turning the faucet, not hauling a three gallon (21#) bucket from the bottom of the well or priming a pump and laboring to get enough water to heat on the stove for coffee or a bath. In even earlier times, water was hauled from the nearest stream or river, hence the locating of early settlements near sources of water and heated battles over water as we expanded into the desert. Some of these battles continue to this day as populations outstrip the available water to sustain them.

For many people conserving water is not a concern until there's a prolonged drought or the water main serving their community fails. However, as this new century begins, the costs of water will become the driving force for an increased emphasis on water conservation by everyone. After thousands of acres of forests and woodlands burned in the worst fires ever in Southern California in the fall of 2003, the ensuing rains created floods and mudslides that destroyed communities throughout California and virtually no benefit was received from the rain that fell. According to the World Conservation Union (WCU), about 115,000 square miles of the European Mediterranean is turning to desert because of mismanagement and exploitation. This has been apparent for decades in Africa as the desert has expanded due to deforestation of its arable lands. Inhabitants have cut the forests to create crop-lands or to use the timber to make charcoal to earn income for their family. When the land will no longer support the peoples’ needs, they move on to an area that will support them and begin the cycle again – and again – and again.

The Earth's water is trapped in a continuous cycle of evaporation, condensation and precipitation commonly referred to as the hydrologic cycle. This water has been on our planet for since its creation and no new fresh water will ever be available. This makes it increasingly important to manage the water we have with extreme care. While the water we use represents a very a small portion of the less than one percent of all the fresh water on the earth's surface, as the world’s population explodes each person’s “share” of fresh water is reduced.

Think about how a typical family might use water over the course of a 24-hour cycle. When we arise from sleep, we prepare coffee, tea or juices that require water. We brush our teeth, shave, take a bath or shower and flush the toilet. We rinse the plates and cups before we put them in the dishwasher. If we’re following a healthy lifestyle, we should actually drink a glass or two of fresh, plain water.

We get into our car or wait for a bus or train that uses water in their engines. These conveyances have been washed – maybe even shampooed. We travel on streets that may have been washed – especially if there's a construction site nearby that was sprayed with water to keep the dust down. We travel to offices, schools and stores where there are windows to wash, floors to scrub, water fountains to drink from and toilets where we flush and wash.

We return to our homes where we may water our plants, have an irrigation system for our lawns or fill a pool or hot-tub for ourselves - or simply have a water-slide for children and grandchildren. We cook our evening meals and clean the pots and pans (or microwave containers) with water. We may start a load of laundry or dishes. Finally, at day's end, we wash our faces, brush our teeth and, perhaps, put a glass of water on the night stand.

According to Data360, the average American uses
100 - 150 gallons of water each day – every day, 365 days a year.

http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?data_set_group_id=757

http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/index.html

The next question is what do we change to conserve, recycle and repurpose the water that we take from the tap and have run off of our homes?

Let's start at the sidewalk, driveway and/or curb in front of our homes. Any water that gets that far is headed to the ocean someday along with oil residue, lawn fertilizer and air-born pollutants that have settled on our lawns and other surfaces. If we plant border gardens along these boundaries, run-off can be filtered and released as groundwater instead of running directly into storm drains. This filtering can be enhanced by the use of pervious surfaces instead of solid concrete or asphalt areas.

The water that runs off your roof is probably not being used but is going directly to surface run-off or into the groundwater tables to migrate to the rivers and seas. Every time it rains, hundreds of gallons of water drain from your roof into the ground-water table. We aren't suggesting that you harvest all of it – that's not practical or healthy for the water-table. All we suggest is that you divert a little of the rain to another purpose on its way to the sea.

If you capture the rainwater from one set of gutters in a 55 rain barrel, you can:

• water your garden between rain falls or clean your gardening tools
  
• water your ornamental plants or give your dog a bath
  
• fill the kiddie pool or wash a car
  
• With two or more barrels, you can do even more!

Wise use of water – whether from the tap or the barrel - for garden and lawn waterings not only helps protect the environment, but saves money and provides for optimum growing conditions. Simple ways of reducing the amount of water used for irrigation include growing xeriphytic species (plants that are adapted to dry conditions), mulching, adding water retaining organic matter to the soil, and installing windbreaks and fences to slow winds and reduce evapotranspiration. Another way to save water is to divest ourselves of the notion of a perpetually green lawn. Constant watering flushes nutrients away from the roots of the grass plant and creates an artificial look. While making your lawn the envy of the neighbors, this may increase the cost of your crab-cakes as algae blooms deplete oxygen the crabs need to thrive.

Once inside the home, there are a number of things we can do to save water – and money. Be conscious of leaving the faucet running - turn the tap off when shaving and brushing teeth. If you can't purchase a low-flow toilet right now, displace some of the water in the tank with a filled half-gallon plastic jug. Depending on the number of flushes per day, you could save 5 to 10 gallons of water per day just doing this. Take a (dare I say it) shorter shower. Intentionally engage the entire family in the planning and implemantation. There are a number of websites that show the impact your decisions can have.

Take these ideas outside of your home. Wait a few more days to wash your car and be sure to use a business that recycles their rinse water. Saving water has a more “macro” impact – your local water authority doesn't have to provide you as much water which means they can delay the construction of new processing facilities. That saves you tax dollars for construction bonds. It's all good!