Water is one such resource that is quickly being depleted, not because there is a scarcity of it, but due to our carelessness. Our planet is made of 70% water and yet most areas of the world are without water. Drought-like conditions are faced daily and mostly in summer times when the supply of water is low. The question one usually asks is where are we going wrong? The answer is simple yet astounding. Since water is plentiful, just like the environment, people use it freely without giving a thought to its implications. However, it is only when water resources start to deplete that people realized that conservation needs to be done. And this is exactly what is happening to the environment where pollution has been emitted for centuries and only now that its implications are clear, saving the environment is given a thought.
The Middle East is one of those areas of the earth where drought-like conditions have been experienced for many centuries and the availability of water is costly. Large projects have been undertaken in desert states like Dubai and Qatar to only bring water to the state but to make it plentiful. However, to conserve the cost of this important resource, certain steps are being taken by the respective governments and people themselves who realize that water is not disposable anymore.
According to research, an average household in a Middle Eastern state consumes approximately 500 liters of water each day. And a general breakup of this consumption given by the Waitakere City Council (2008) is
- 10% in kitchens,
- 20% in use outdoors,
- 20% in laundry,
- 25% in toilets, and
- 25% is bathrooms.
This average ratio of consumption seems fair in the sense that all of these reasons are necessary for humans to live a hygienic and healthy lifestyle. The following discussion will explain how technology can help to reduce the consumption of water in each of these areas.
Kitchens & Laundry
Kitchens utilize water mainly for washing purposes and the main water consumer is the dishwasher. Dishwashers utilize a huge proportion of water first by rinsing the dishes, then washing them with power jet cleaners mixed with soap, and then rinsing them again for a clean wash.
Washing of the clothes is a hygiene matter and people either use commercial dry-cleaning washers or home washing machines to do their laundry. These machines work just like those dishwashers except, they have a few more cycles of washing as cleaning clothes is a little more difficult than cleaning dishes.
Using modern front-loading machines rather than top-loading machines can reduce the water consumption by 50% since they use lesser water, lesser detergent but take longer cycles to clean. (Waitekere City Council, 2008)
Outdoors
People, who have the luxury of owning backyards and lawns, utilize much of their water resources in maintaining them. This requires a high amount of water being supplied through hoses to water the plants and the grass (Geofiber, 2008). For lawn hoses, aerators are handy in saving a lot of water and yet dispersing enough water to moisten the lawn completely. People can also use rainwater systems that efficiently divert rainwater to collection bins which can be later used for indoor irrigation. Also recycling indoor gray water is a strategy that many Australian homes use today. (Search SA, 2009)
Toilets & Bathrooms
Water utilization in the washroom accounts for about 50% of our total water requirement. Water is utilized in huge quantities in the shower while brushing and in washing basins, and mostly while flushing toilets.
For toilets systems have been developed to cater to a dual-type flushing system; one that is a rinse flush that consumes lesser water and the other a power flush. Further innovations like utilizing shower or basin water for flushing are also being used and are an effective recycling strategy. (Berger Biotechnik, 2006)
More innovations for water-saving have come in the shower hose in the form of water filters, restrictors, and aerators. Filters and restrictors control the flow of water by adjusting the valves inside the showerhead to flow only a specific amount of water. Aerators mix air with water to maintain a steady pressure of water for a full spray of water (Waitekere City Council, 2008). Also, people have the habit of letting water drain until hot starts pouring (vise-versa in summers or warm cities in the Middle-East). A solution for this is a device that circulates water when the knob is turned but only sprays when the correct temperature is reached thus saving on liters of water. (Sporty’s, 2009)
Wash taps too can be installed with aerators. However, a good technology that can be installed is infrared technology that makes the water flow only when a person’s hand is directly below the tap thus save on water when a person is brushing or soaping.
Commercial
Household water consumption is accounted for a large proportion of total water consumed. However, water consumed for commercial purposes is also of quite a large quantity. Water used for watering green belts in the city, public car washes, commercial laundry, fountains, public toilets/urinals, etc. all waste a lot of water. The best solution for commercial water conservation is the use of recycled water (Geofiber, 2008). Implementing this should be a governmental initiative so that at least rinsed water from cash wash and laundry wash can be utilized in giving water to the plants. For public washrooms, dry toilets or waterless urinals can be best suited while for washbasins, infrared detected taps should be placed so that water is only used when a person’s hands are directly underneath the tap. (Waitekere City Council, 2008)
Works Cited
Berger Biotechnik (2006). The Gustavsberg Water Saving System.
Geofiber (2008). Water Saving System in Qatar. Web.
Search SA (2009). Water Saving: Water Saving South Australia. Web.
Sporty’s (2009). Shower Start Water Saving System. Web.
Waitekere City Council (2008). Saving Water. Web.