Water shortages

[scooterbug44]

I loved the movie "gimme green" at Mountain Film! www.gimmegreen.com

I knew we wasted a lot of water on yards, but I didn't realize the extent to which lawns guzzled up water. Some of the people were downright hilarious with how much they were obsessed with their lawns & their neighbors lawns.

Given the current water shortages making news (Atlanta is predicted to be out of water in 100 days) and the ongoing shortages in the West (where my relatives haven't been allowed to have sod yards because of the water needed to maintain them since before I was born), do we need to take drastic measures to remove this major polluter and water guzzler from American Culture?

Couple facts from the film:

-If present consumption patterns continue, two out of every three people on Earth will live in water-stressed conditions by the year 2025.

-On average, Americans use 40 to 60 percent of their water on their landscapes. In some areas, it is 75%.

-In order to maintain all the lawns in America, it would take approximately 200 gallons per person per day.

[John R]

the first thing we as a people need to do is really think about the amount of water we use on a daily basis. install low flow heads in the shower, retrofit the flow valves in the toilet, capture the water that's run while waiting for the hot to be delivered, only run a full dishwasher and clothes washer, turn off the water while brushing teeth, etc

these may seem like little steps, but if everyone started self regulating, we'd be a lot better off.

grow a garden in your front yard. reclaim rain water via cistern for watering plants, carwash.

anyone else have any savings tips?

[JUL]

I live in the Greater Cinti area and the drought has caused foundation problems lke cracking, moving and drywall cracking in a lot of the homes some people are losing equity in sales on top of a bad market in repair costs just to sell their homes. Insurance of course denies claims.

[cp]

Water shortages scare me to death (for real)

[scooterbug44]

Water shortages scare me to death (for real)

Ditto, that's why if we can reduce our consumption by 30-65% just by changing ONE thing I'm all for it! :eek:

[jodiFL]

I am also very worried about them. But this town in TN (http://my.earthlink.net/article/nat?guid=20071101/47295d50_3421_1334520071101-1477742128)has it even worse than most.

[SHELLY]

anyone else have any savings tips?

If it's yellow, let it mellow....if it's brown, flush it down.



College asks football fans not to flush at stadium

Georgia — Fans who had their fill of beer at the University of Georgia’s homecoming football game on Saturday were warned — no flushing allowed.

Earlier this week, crews put up signs in bathrooms asking people not to flush “if it’s yellow” and to leave the handle-pulling to attendants, who will do the job for the estimated 93,000 people at Saturday’s game.

(Saves water AND increases employment at the same time :biggrin:)

.

[scooterbug44]

If it's yellow, let it mellow....if it's brown, flush it down.
.

Traditional & EW inducing water consumption method!

How was your day at work today................. :puke:

[grace]

If it's yellow, let it mellow....if it's brown, flush it down.
.
Heck yeah! We instituted this rule at our house during Ivan (no power to the grinder) and it has stayed in place since.

[grace]

I live in the Greater Cinti area and the drought has caused foundation problems lke cracking, moving and drywall cracking in a lot of the homes some people are losing equity in sales on top of a bad market in repair costs just to sell their homes. Insurance of course denies claims.
What part of the 'Nati do you live in?

[scooterbug44]

I am also very worried about them. But this town in TN (http://my.earthlink.net/article/nat?guid=20071101/47295d50_3421_1334520071101-1477742128)has it even worse than most.

Behold the future!

[SHELLY]

.
I heard there is a waiting list of US Senators volunteering for "Men's Room Flushing Duty" :D

.

[sowalgayboi]

.
I heard there is a waiting list of US Senators volunteering for "Men's Room Flushing Duty" :D

.

REPUBLICAN US Senators.

[scooterbug44]

I think the Senators are already conserving quite a bit of water by not flushing every time they visit the men's room (especially at Minn Int'l).

[NoHall]

I loved the movie "gimme green" at Mountain Film! www.gimmegreen.com (http://www.gimmegreen.com)

I knew we wasted a lot of water on yards, but I didn't realize the extent to which lawns guzzled up water. Some of the people were downright hilarious with how much they were obsessed with their lawns & their neighbors lawns.

Given the current water shortages making news (Atlanta is predicted to be out of water in 100 days) and the ongoing shortages in the West (where my relatives haven't been allowed to have sod yards because of the water needed to maintain them since before I was born), do we need to take drastic measures to remove this major polluter and water guzzler from American Culture?

Couple facts from the film:

-If present consumption patterns continue, two out of every three people on Earth will live in water-stressed conditions by the year 2025.

-On average, Americans use 40 to 60 percent of their water on their landscapes. In some areas, it is 75%.

-In order to maintain all the lawns in America, it would take approximately 200 gallons per person per day.

I don't know where the film got these numbers, but they're contrary to the numbers we've been hearing (daily!) up here.

According to what we've been told, irrigation only accounts for about 12% of residential water consumption. Flushing the toilet accounts for 29%, followed by washing machines (can't remember the percentage for that off the top of my head, and too busy/lazy to look it up right now.)

Those numbers may be different in Florida. I don't know what the irrigation practices are there where there are higher temperatures for longer periods and sandy soil.

Don't apply those numbers to North Georgia...they don't jibe with the ongoing analysis that has been done here for the last decade.

If it's yellow, let it mellow....if it's brown, flush it down.



College asks football fans not to flush at stadium

Georgia — Fans who had their fill of beer at the University of Georgia’s homecoming football game on Saturday were warned — no flushing allowed.

Earlier this week, crews put up signs in bathrooms asking people not to flush “if it’s yellow” and to leave the handle-pulling to attendants, who will do the job for the estimated 93,000 people at Saturday’s game.

(Saves water AND increases employment at the same time :biggrin:)

.

I'm having my dad check my well again this week, but I don't flush as frequently or in the same way anymore. Bathtub water goes into the tank for the necessary flushes. All that nice soap means that I have a cleaner bowl, too!

I'm doing a play at another local college right now, and there are signs all over the place about conserving water...so far everyone is flushing after their own use, though.

[scooterbug44]

Reducing Water Use and Costs
According to the American Water Works Association, the average household uses 350 gallons of water a day or approximately 127,400 gallons a year. The bathroom is where most water use occurs, with toilets and showers accounting for 27.7 percent and 17.3 percent of consumption respectively. Washing machines account for about 20.9 percent of indoor residential water use. There are many ways that households can reduce indoor water use, long term, and save money on monthly water and sewer bills. Household conservation measures in the bathroom, kitchen, and laundry area can reduce daily water consumption by about 30 percent or 51.9 gallons per person. Below are a few tips that can help households conserve water.


Everyday Conservation Measures:
Turn off the water when shaving, brushing your teeth, and lathering in the shower.
Turn faucets completely off to avoid drips. A slow drip (less than 5 drops per second) can waste up to 34 gallons of water a day.
Run the dishwasher and washing machine only when full.
Adjust the water level on the washing machine when doing less than a full load of laundry.
Avoid running water when washing fruits and vegetables. Washing in a bowl conserves water.
Take a shower instead of a bath. The amount of water needed to fill a tub varies, but on average, a bath uses 15 to 25 gallons of hot water, compared to less than 10 gallons for a shower.
Take short showers. An efficient 4-minute shower uses 10 gallons of water compared to an 8-minute shower, which uses about 17 gallons of water.


Long-term Conservation Measures:
Replace present showerheads with low-flow showerheads. All new showerheads are required by law to restrict water flow to 2.5 gallons per minute or less.
Install aerators on all faucets. Aerators are inexpensive, easy to install, and can reduce daily faucet water use by 13 percent.
Repair leaks immediately. Leaks account for 14 percent of household water use.
Consider installing low-flush toilets that use 1.5 gallons of water per flush, compared to 3 to 5 gallons per flush used by conventional toilets. A toilet dam can also be installed to conserve water.
Consider replacing your old washing machine with a more efficient model. Studies show that newer models can result in a 68 percent energy savings and a 38 percent water savings. Some utilities may provide incentives for buying new washing machines.

[sowalgayboi]

We'll need that extra Publix once Georgia dries up and all the "vacation" homes here become permanent residences for very parched owners.

[scooterbug44]

Outdoor Water Use in the United States

An American family of four can use 400 gallons of water per day, and about 30 percent of that is devoted to outdoor uses. More than half of that outdoor water is used for watering lawns and gardens. Nationwide, landscape irrigation is estimated to account for almost one-third of all residential water use, totaling more than 7 billion gallons per day. Other residential outdoor uses include washing automobiles, maintaining swimming pools, and cleaning sidewalks and driveways.
Water use varies greatly depending on geographic location and season, largely as a result of differences in climate. Water withdrawals for irrigation and landscaping are highest in the drier regions of the West and Southwest, where population growth is often greatest.
http://www.epa.gov/owm/water-efficiency/images/outdoorwateruse_4web.jpg Some experts estimate that more than 50 percent of commercial and residential irrigation water use goes to waste due to evaporation, wind, improper system design, or overwatering. Following are some common outdoor water inefficiencies, but there are simple solutions to reduce water waste and produce great results:

Many people water their lawns too often and for too long, oversaturating plants. It's usually not necessary to water grass every day. Instead, test your lawn by stepping on a patch of grass; if it springs back, it doesn't need water.
Regular maintenance of an irrigation system can help ensure that water is distributed evenly on the lawn and does not overspray onto paved areas. Look for a WaterSense irrigation partner to maintain and audit your system to keep it working efficiently.
Weather-based irrigation controllers can reduce water use by 20 percent compared to conventional equipment, potentially saving nearly 24 billion gallons per year across the United States—approximately equal to more than 7,000 hoses running non-stop for a year.
Soil moisture sensors determine the amount of water in the ground available to plants. These sensors, when professionally installed and properly maintained, can potentially save a household more than 11,000 gallons of water used for irrigation annually. WaterSense, a partnership program sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, seeks to help homeowners and businesses improve water efficiency and reduce their costs by promoting efficient irrigation technologies such as weather-based irrigation controllers and soil moisture sensors. For more information, visit <www.epa.gov/watersense (http://www.epa.gov/watersense)>.

[jodiFL]

THis place (http://www.aridsolutionsinc.com/page/page/1117909.htm) has some really nice cistern systems for lawn water and also has some very good tips for conservation.

[scooterbug44]

THis place (http://www.aridsolutionsinc.com/page/page/1117909.htm) has some really nice cistern systems for lawn water and also has some very good tips for conservation.

Nice!

54 gallon rain barrel in a variety of colors, w/ spigots and mosquito screen for less than $200 including shipping! :clap:

Also love the graywater collection system - it goes under your bathroom sink and uses your sink water to flush your toilet.

[skippertoo]

THis place (http://www.aridsolutionsinc.com/page/page/1117909.htm) has some really nice cistern systems for lawn water and also has some very good tips for conservation.

:clap::clap: thanks