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The Best Green Site
THE SOURCE FOR GREEN PRODUCTS AND INFORMATION
Water Conservation
Conserving Water
Why Is Conserving Water Important?
Reducing our use of water will decrease water pollution, increase energy savings, and
create more efficient use of our water resources. Too much water in an on-site sewage
treatment system can flush untreated material through before organisms have a
chance to break it down. If untreated material gets to the drainfield, the material can
plug up the soil within the drainfield and shorten the life of the septic system. Sending
too much water down the drain can also cause systems to "blow out," allowing
untreated material to flow out onto the ground. If this occurs, the system needs to be
dug up and repaired. Failing septic systems can:
contaminate drinking wells
cause health risks such as hepatitis or dysentery
cause chemical pollution from household cleaning products
contribute excess nutrients to ground water, lakes, or streams
Conserving water in rural areas will increase the life of existing septic systems.
Conserving water within a municipal water system will reduce household expenses,
increase treatment plant efficiency, and reduce the amount of electricity and chemicals
needed to treat wastewater. In both situations, conserving water protects water quality
through improved wastewater treatment.
How Much Water Do We Use?
A typical household of four uses 260 gallons of water each day. Much of this water is
used in the bathroom. Toilets use 40% of the total, showers/baths and faucets use
35%. By contrast, 15% is used in the kitchen, and 10% for washing clothes.
Reducing our use of water will decrease water pollution, increase energy savings, and
create more efficient use of our water resources. Too much water in an on-site sewage
treatment system can flush untreated material through before organisms have a
chance to break it down. If untreated material gets to the drainfield, the material can
plug up the soil within the drainfield and shorten the life of the septic system. Sending
too much water down the drain can also cause systems to "blow out," allowing
untreated material to flow out onto the ground. If this occurs, the system needs to be
dug up and repaired. Failing septic systems can:
contaminate drinking wells
cause health risks such as hepatitis or dysentery
cause chemical pollution from household cleaning products
contribute excess nutrients to ground water, lakes, or streams
Conserving water in rural areas will increase the life of existing septic systems.
Conserving water within a municipal water system will reduce household expenses,
increase treatment plant efficiency, and reduce the amount of electricity and chemicals
needed to treat wastewater. In both situations, conserving water protects water quality
through improved wastewater treatment.
How Much Water Do We Use?
A typical household of four uses 260 gallons of water each day. Much of this water is
used in the bathroom. Toilets use 40% of the total, showers/baths and faucets use
35%. By contrast, 15% is used in the kitchen, and 10% for washing clothes.
Water:
Older toilets use 3.7-7
gallons per flush
Dishwashers use 8-14
gallons per cycle
Top-loading washers use 45
gallons/load
A dripping faucet waste 15-
21 gallons per day
US water users withdraw
enough water to fill a line of
Olympic-size swimming pools
reaching around the world
EVERY DAY (300 billion
gallons)
Although our planet is 71
percent water, humans
depend on a mere .65
percent of the water for
survival – much of which is
polluted.
About a quarter of the nation’
s largest industrial plants
and water treatment facilities
are in serious violation of
pollution standards at any
one time.
An estimated 7 million
Americans are made sick
annually by contaminated
tap water; in some rare
cases this results in death.
Older toilets use 3.7-7
gallons per flush
Dishwashers use 8-14
gallons per cycle
Top-loading washers use 45
gallons/load
A dripping faucet waste 15-
21 gallons per day
US water users withdraw
enough water to fill a line of
Olympic-size swimming pools
reaching around the world
EVERY DAY (300 billion
gallons)
Although our planet is 71
percent water, humans
depend on a mere .65
percent of the water for
survival – much of which is
polluted.
About a quarter of the nation’
s largest industrial plants
and water treatment facilities
are in serious violation of
pollution standards at any
one time.
An estimated 7 million
Americans are made sick
annually by contaminated
tap water; in some rare
cases this results in death.
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| Florida Green Building Coalition |
Member