Becoming Water Conscious: Every Drop Counts

Clean, potable water is a luxury granted to much of the Western world.

Long-lasting droughts and pollution threaten our access to this precious resource. Droughts make our forests more susceptible to fires and invasive species, and when our forests begin to die, we lose habitat for our diverse wildlife and exacerbate the risk of polluted runoff and reduced environmental services (Joyce, 2014; Guarin & Taylor, 2005). Environmental services are the functions ecosystems provide to all life on Earth, like absorbing carbon-dioxide from the atmosphere, acting as buffers against wind or weather, or even just providing us a place to go to enjoy our time with family and friends. The litter in our environment can also make its way into our storm drains and waterways, polluting the water that we enjoy and that life depends upon in our state. We know this all too well in San Diego, because after it rains here, we're advised to avoid swimming in the oceans for 3 days because of the polluted runoff that makes its way from land into the sea (Beachapedia, 2016).

As one of the largest agricultural producers in the United States, much of the water in California is used environmentally or agriculturally, granting us access to locally-grown fresh fruits and vegetables which demand irrigation. A large portion of the resource demand for agriculture goes to central and southern California where the crops are grown but where environmental sources of water are lacking, explaining why some of these parts, including San Diego, are the last to escape drought conditions. About one-tenth of all freshwater used in California goes to urban centers distributed across the state (Mount & Hanak, 2016).

Environmental regulations such as mandatory drought restrictions aim to reduce water waste, promoting and enforcing water-efficient technology to mitigate demands. While agriculture remains a heavy-hitter for water use, farmers are switching to more drought-tolerant perennial crops to offset water cost and upgrading to more efficient irrigation technology, reducing waste (Christian-Smith, Levy, & Gleick, 2015). Some farms are even flooding their fields to provide crucial wetland habitats for migrating species (Mount et al., 2016).

Urban and suburban spaces including homes and businesses are switching their lawns to more drought-tolerant native plant species in a process known as xeriscaping, fueled in part through a rebate program that helped promote the transition and implement more efficient technology (Orlowski, 2015). Urban water use has even declined since we've entered the latest wave of droughts in California, giving potential for water conservation to continue past our recovery from the drought (Mount & Hanak, 2016)! While we've come a long way in preparing for and combatting drought conditions, we can always do more.

At home, we have the power to contribute to water conservation too. When cleaning the dishes, all that you need is a trickle of water to moisten your sponge and knock out grime, turning off the tap when it's not in use. If you're using a dishwasher, wait until the dishwasher is packed full before running a cycle, making sure the water you spend is well used. When brushing your teeth, wet your toothbrush head and turn off the faucet, saving precious water from needlessly pouring down the drain. When you're taking a shower, collect the warming water with a bucket to reduce water demand when washing laundry, watering plants, or any water-demanding activity. When washing a load of laundry, use the low-energy settings and wash the full load on cold, reducing energy demand. Upgrading to more efficient technology can even reduce your water bills and be assisted through trade-in or upgrade programs. Finally, if it's going to rain, putting out buckets to collect rain or even buying a rain barrel to store it can be valuable whenever water becomes scarce.

Want to take it to the next level? Create challenges for you and your family to meet and exceed your conservation goals. I have been timing my shower lengths for over one month, keeping track of them through social media to increase my accountability and keep myself honest. When I wait for the water to heat, I collect the water in a bucket which I use for other purposes the following day or otherwise store (click the photo below for more information). I save nearly 18 gallons of water each week through this simple task! This way, I am both saving and reusing water while minimizing water use, playing my part in avoiding another water crisis.

Sheets.google.com, 2016, personal graph

What can you do to protect this valuable resource? Share your ideas on in our blog and with your friends. Set up a neighborhood challenge. Share your stories at school or work. By spreading a culture of sustainable water use, we can help our communities avoid unneeded water stress. Take the challenge and see what you're capable of!

Benjamin Rolland, 2016, personal photo