World Water Day Happens on March 22. Are You Ready?

In 1993, the United Nations reacted to the growing problem around the freshwater supply by creating an annual day of observance. Every year, on March 22, World Water Day is celebrated. It is a day to publicly mark progress in dealing with water scarcity, as well as educate the public on how they can make a difference.

Each year the UN assigns a theme to World Water Day. This year it is “Waste Water”. This is important because improperly treated water contributes to water-borne illnesses, which kill millions of people a year. Not only are billions without access to fresh water; millions are also without a toilet. Learning about wastewater treatment is essential to rectifying this problem.

Fix All Leaks Immediately

Leaky plumbing wastes a lot of water. It is a critical step in reducing your own water footprint to stay on top of any leaks in your home.

Signs of leaks include mold growth, unexplained hikes in your water bills, damp spots, pooling water and musty smells. Check your faucets, showerheads, and toilets regularly.

Inspect piping around your washing machine, dishwasher and on fridge ice makers. Don’t forget outdoor faucets, which are prone to leakage too.

Water Crisis Stats

The World Economic Forum has named the water scarcity crisis the greatest risk to the global economy because of the potential devastation that could result from the inadequate water supply. Over the past four decades, the world’s population has doubled, but the water use has quadrupled. Half of the world lives in areas where water tables are falling. While water scarcity exists nearly everywhere in the world, the regions in Sub-Saharan Africa are the hardest hit.

In less developed countries, families need to travel by foot for hours every day just to collect water, most of which isn’t clean anyways. This job usually falls to the women in the house, which means many girls drop out of school very young, limited education and employment opportunity.

Although it is estimated that you only need 12 gallons of water a day for survival, the average American actually uses close to 158 gallons.

Tips to Get Your Conservation Efforts Going

Ready to reduce your water footprint? Here are some easy-to-follow tips.
Instead of boiling veggies, steam them in a couple of inches of water. Reserve pasta liquid to water plants. Don’t defrost frozen food under running water. Keep a full jug of tap water in the fridge for drinking, rather than running the tap.

Avoid the permanent press or extra rinse cycles. Don’t do laundry unless the washer is full.

When having a shower, collect the water while you are waiting for it to heat in a bucket. You can use it to flush the toilet naturally. Don’t flush the toilet to get rid of unnecessary items (i.e. Kleenex, cigarette butts, etc.).

Don’t water your lawn unless it needs it, and then do it early in the morning. Make sure your sprinkler is aimed at the grass only as there is no point in watering the pavement or gutters. Give pets a bath on the lawn, accomplishing two jobs with less water.

Water conservation starts in your home. Want to know more? Contact PHD Mechanical in Wayne, NJ, call us at (973)-492-5931.