Zusammenfassung der Ressource
Water Conservation
- Water conservation involves reducing the amount of water used rather than trying to increase water supplies. In a world where the supply is finite, this is an important strategy
- Water conservation can be applied in a variety of situations
- In agriculture, it can involve more efficient irrigation
- In industry, water can be treated or recycled
- Domestically, water savings and water harvesting are beginning to move from a DIY basis to a more commercial footing
- In some places, efforts are being made to
conserve wetlands, as part of a wider challenge to
store water and develop a more eco-hydrological
view of water resources and their management
- At home, measures such as raising water prices and introducing water meters make consumers more careful about their consumption
- Effective use of water for food production is of crucial importance, and irrigation is a key area in this
- In the past, flood irrigation has proved to be wasteful of
water as it leads to high evaporation and seepage losses
- Modern spray technology is
more controllable, and the more
advanced 'drip' irrigation, though
expensive, is more effective
- Fertigation, which uses small quantities of
fertiliser with fine water sprinklers, has
proved to be effective in Israel and the USA
- Conservation of industrial and domestic
water is about recycling and re-use
- Potable water is crucial for some purposes
but grey water can be used for others
- Water can be treated using filters of
chemicals, but sewage and polluted
water require strict disposal strategies
- In around the home, there is much
that can be done to conserve water:
- Fit a low-flush toilet, or put a water-filled plastic bottle in your toilet tank - saves 1,300 litres a month
- Shorten your showers by
1 or 2 minutes - saves up
to 3,000 litres a month
- Don't waste water by waiting for hot water to reach the shower or sink. Catch the cold water in a container to use on your outside plants - saves 900 to 1,300 litres a month
- Turn off the water while brushing your teeth or shaving - saves 13 litres a day
- When washing dishes by hand, don't leave the water
running for rinsing - saves 900 to 2,000 litres a month
- Run only full loads in the washing
machine and dishwasher - saves
1,300 to 1,800 litres a month
- Keep a bottle of drinking water in the fridge instead of running tap water to cool it for drinking - saves 900 to 1,300 litres a month
- Water the garden during the cool parts of the day
- Try water harvesting - catching rainwater from roods in butts or ponds
- Drive your car onto the lawn to wash
it - the rise can help water the grass