A few weeks ago, the local electric utility visited my apartment building to give the residents free efficiency upgrades. The focus was not solely energy, however—in addition to replacing all of the building’s standard light bulbs with energy-efficient ones, the company installed free water-efficient faucets and showerheads in each unit.
I was pleasantly surprised to find these new additions upon entering my apartment that day—they are an easy way I can help conserve energy and water while going about my everyday tasks. While I have always been conscious of saving energy, my new faucet has helped me consider how I can conserve water as well.
Just as consumers are becoming more aware of contaminants and other water quality issues, they are also becoming more aware of water efficiency and sustainability. Water conservation options such as rain gardens and rain barrels are becoming increasingly popular. In addition, the presence of programs like the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) WaterSense is growing, further bringing the topic to the forefront in the U.S.
The WaterSense program works to raise Americans’ awareness of this issue. According to Veronica Blette, chief of the WaterSense program, more than 3,700 products have been certified by WaterSense as water efficient. The program recently celebrated its first WaterSense-labeled homes—four new houses in Roseville, Calif., that EPA estimates will save families approximately 10,000 gal of water and $100 in utility bills per year.
Adding to the issue’s urgency are reports of shrinking water supplies in the U.S. Last year, news outlets reported that Lake Mead, the Colorado River reservoir behind the Hoover Dam and a major drinking water source in the West, dropped to its lowest level since 1937. Further drops could cause water shortages in Nevada. The New York Times recently reported about scientists who use satellite technology to measure groundwater levels around the globe (“Groundwater Depletion is Detected From Space,” May 30, 2011). Using data from two satellites, they have found that groundwater reservoir supplies are dwindling, especially in areas like the Sacramento-San Joaquin Valley in California.
It does not take a whole WaterSense-certified home to do your part in terms of conserving water—there are small steps that anyone can take to be more efficient, such as installing a rain barrel at your home. The water that is collected is ideal for non-potable uses, such as watering the garden or lawn. These simple efforts help conserve the water resources municipalities draw on for drinking water.
