Water scarcity is becoming a global problem. While many of us don’t think about where our water comes from and how much we use, times of drought can teach us something about how to be more responsible with the resources that are available to us.
In this blog post, we present 5 tips to help you save water in times of drought. Whether you live in an area prone to drought or you’re just trying to be more eco-friendly, these tips will help you reduce your water use and save money on your water bill.
1. Change your habits
The first step to conserving water is to change your habits. In emergencies, it is often said, “This is not an exercise,” but if there were a drought, the exercise would be called “Conserve Water.” When there is a drought, we need to use less water. Conserving water on a regular basis will prepare you for an emergency—like a drought. The key to reducing your water consumption is changing your habits and lifestyle. Here are a few tips to help you reduce your water consumption:
- Broom instead of hose for cleaning the driveway or sidewalk
- Take shorter showers
- Fix leaky faucets
- Fix leaking pipes in your house
- Install low-flow toilets
- Wash your clothes in cold water
2. Fix leaky faucets and pipes
Thousands of litres of water are wasted every year due to leaking faucets and pipes. A leaky faucet, for example, can waste up to 2,000 litres of water per year. Fixing leaking faucets and pipes is just not a priority for many people, but it should be.
If you hear a dripping sound coming from your pipes, chances are you have a leak. You will also see water pooling and running down the walls. You can also use a leak detection spray to find leaks in pipes. If you cannot find the source of the leak, you can use a special tool, a sonic flow meter, to locate the leak. The best way to find and fix leaks is still to call a plumber. Before the leak gets out of control and causes significant damage to your home, all you need to do is shell out some extra money and call a professional plumber.
3. Don’t water your lawn during a drought
If you live in an area that is prone to drought, stop watering your lawn. While this may seem extreme, it’s actually a good idea to let the lawn die off during a drought. And not just because you save yourself the work of mowing the lawn!
The best thing you can do for your lawn during a drought is to let it die. If you continue to water your lawn during a drought, you waste thousands of gallons of water each month and contribute to water scarcity. If you keep watering your lawn, your local water board may even fine you. In many dry areas, lawn irrigation is restricted.
4. Use rainwater
During a drought, you should start collecting water when it rains – the free water that comes from the sky. You can capture rainwater by installing a rain barrel or rainwater collection system.
Rain barrels are barrels that you attach under your gutter. To collect rainwater in a rain barrel, you simply need to direct the water from the gutter into the rain barrel when it rains.
Rainwater harvesting systems are more complex and are offered in two basic forms – as a trough and as a collection and storage system. With a trough and catchment system, you divert the water from your gutter into a trough, a long, narrow ditch-like structure. At the bottom of the trough is a storage tank that stores the water. Later you can use the water collected in the tank.
5. Plant drought-tolerant vegetation for prolonged drought
In addition to collecting water in rain barrels, you can also plant drought-resistant plants. Some of the best drought-resistant plants are cacti, agaves, and aloe vera. If you live in an arid desert area, you might as well plant a tree—but be sure to choose a drought-resistant tree.
A specialist store can help you choose the best tree for your area: a staff member will ask you a few questions about where you live and what your soil is like. It then recommends a tree that can survive in your area.
You can also find more information about the current water shortage in this video:
Conclusion
Water scarcity is a global problem and many areas of the world are experiencing drought. Luckily, we can reduce our water consumption and help conserve this precious resource by following these 5 tips. If we are to survive droughts and live sustainably, we must change our habits, fix leaky pipes, stop watering our lawns, collect rainwater, and plant drought-resistant crops.
