How To Save Our Water Supply

A world where water fit for drinking is scarce and millions die of thirst is unpleasant to contemplate. That prospect may be extreme, but many governments and individuals are deeply concerned with preserving the world's water supply and maintaining its quality. Individuals can reduce their consumption and protect the water supply in a number of ways.

Instructions

Protecting The Water Supply

• 1

  Turn off the faucet when feasible to avoid wasting water. You do not need to run the water for the entire time you are brushing your teeth or washing your dishes. Visualize the waste by imagining that the water you send down the drain is running onto the counter or floor instead.

• 2

  Avoid using a hose when possible. For example, fill a bucket with water to wash your car rather than using a hose, which can waste 6 gallons a minute if left running.

• 3

  Water your lawn in the evening or before sunrise to minimize evaporation. Off-peak water use can cost less, too.

• 4

  Wash your clothes with non-phosphate or low-phosphate detergents to protect fish and other wildlife, which can be killed by high phosphate levels.

• 5

  Dispose of trash properly. Any litter left on the ground could end up in a river, lake, ocean or other waterway. Many common pieces of trash, including cigarette butts, contain chemicals that can be harmful to water supplies.