Post on 02-Apr-2018
7/27/2019 lauranatsci.ppt
1/45
Water Conservation:
The Facts and What you Can do
About it.
7/27/2019 lauranatsci.ppt
2/45
1955-1995
7/27/2019 lauranatsci.ppt
3/45
7/27/2019 lauranatsci.ppt
4/45
Water Facts
Bathroom claimsnearly 75% of wateruse
In 1990, the averageperson used 183gallons of water perday.
The water use is about50% higher in the westthan the east.
7/27/2019 lauranatsci.ppt
5/45
Seattle Water Use
The Months with theleast precipitation arethe months we usethe most water.
In the summer, wateruse increasesbetween 50-250%
This increase ismostly attributable tothe watering of lawns.
7/27/2019 lauranatsci.ppt
6/45
The Errsons
7/27/2019 lauranatsci.ppt
7/45
Rainwater Harvesting for
Consumption Cost less than $1500
to build
Softer Water: 5mg/gal
of dissolved mineralsas compared to 500in city water.
Cut water use by 95%
Many use similarsystem for laundryand toilets.
7/27/2019 lauranatsci.ppt
8/45
7/27/2019 lauranatsci.ppt
9/45
Composting to Create Hot
Water Temperatures of 90-130
degrees Fahrenheitprovided.
Enough hot water to take3 quick showers providedat any given time. (9gallons)
Made of plastics
sheeting, straw, pvcwaterline, and compost
7/27/2019 lauranatsci.ppt
10/45
How Compost Hot Water
Works Use tree branches, which can be gotten
for free from loggers, which are Carbonrich.
Vegetables and manure and urine whichare nitrogen rich
Together these accelerate thedecomposition process, producing heat.
Because the water piping is buried in this itabsorbs the heat.
7/27/2019 lauranatsci.ppt
11/45
Sawdust Toilet
When used, add layerof sawdust to absorbodors.
When full, empty intocompost pile
Some save urineseparately. Can be
diluted and used onplants for its nitrogenrichness.
7/27/2019 lauranatsci.ppt
12/45
7/27/2019 lauranatsci.ppt
13/45
Another Somewhat
Extreme Idea
7/27/2019 lauranatsci.ppt
14/45
Waste Water Wetlands
The system willfunction in thedormant as well asthe summer season.
The oxidizingpurification occurs inthe root activity notthe nutrient removal
1 sq. ft for each gallonof daily flow.
Needs:
A 2 cell septic tank(removes sludge)
Then a wetlandconstructed of 12-18inches of gravel withnative plants for the
water to slowly passthrough
7/27/2019 lauranatsci.ppt
15/45
H2O House
www.h2ouse.org
7/27/2019 lauranatsci.ppt
16/45
Bath
7/27/2019 lauranatsci.ppt
17/45
7/27/2019 lauranatsci.ppt
18/45
Toilet Tidbits
A family of 4 uses 881gallons of water perweek just to flushtheir toilet.
If everyone in the USflushed one less timea day, we could saveenough water tomake a square milelake that is four feetdeep everyday.
7/27/2019 lauranatsci.ppt
19/45
7/27/2019 lauranatsci.ppt
20/45
7/27/2019 lauranatsci.ppt
21/45
Saving water
Add bricks or two liter bottles filled withwater to your tank to reduce gpf.
Add food coloring to the tank, wait 30mins. If the bowl is colored then you havea tank leak.
Running water while shaving or brushingteeth, wastes more water than what oneperson needs for an entire week.
7/27/2019 lauranatsci.ppt
22/45
7/27/2019 lauranatsci.ppt
23/45
Shower improvements
Take shorter showers
Replace shower headwith water savers thatuse 2.5 gpm or less
Do not take baths. Thetypical bath uses over 50gallons of water.
Consider collectingexcess water for use onhouse plants.
7/27/2019 lauranatsci.ppt
24/45
7/27/2019 lauranatsci.ppt
25/45
Kitchen Facts
Typical dishwasher uses between 8 and15 gallons per load. High efficiencywasher use around 6.
The Dishwasher is about 1.4% of typicalwater use.
Faucets represent 15.7% of the typical
water use. One drip per second from a faucet will
waste 2,700 gallons per year
7/27/2019 lauranatsci.ppt
26/45
Kitchen Improvements
Install low-flow faucet aerators.
Only run dishwasher when full.
New dishwashers are powerful. Dont pre-wash dishes.
Collect excess sink water for wateringplants
7/27/2019 lauranatsci.ppt
27/45
7/27/2019 lauranatsci.ppt
28/45
Laundry
7/27/2019 lauranatsci.ppt
29/45
Laundry
Replace old washerwith water savermodel. New models
use 23 gallons ascompared to the 41 ofolder machines.
Only wash full loads.
Pretreat stains toavoid rewashing
The washing machineaccounts for 21.7% oftypical water use.
7/27/2019 lauranatsci.ppt
30/45
What is Grey Water and Dual
Plumbing? Grey water is domestic wastewater from
sinks, tubs, and clothing washers that isused for lawn care
Dual plumbing is a process of recyclingwater by having to separate drainage linesto the city utility. St. Petersburg, Fl
currently is using this process.
7/27/2019 lauranatsci.ppt
31/45
7/27/2019 lauranatsci.ppt
32/45
Outdoors
7/27/2019 lauranatsci.ppt
33/45
7/27/2019 lauranatsci.ppt
34/45
The Car Wash
A 15 min. car washuses 100 gallons ofwater.
Use a bucket of waterand rags instead
Go to a commercialcar wash that reusestheir water.
7/27/2019 lauranatsci.ppt
35/45
The Family Pool
Ways to Save:
A pool cover
Repair any leaks
An inch a day leak in a15 X 30ft pool wastes102,000 gallons.
Turn heat down toslow evaporation.
Maintain pool to avoidwater waste in refillingit.
Keep water in pool.
7/27/2019 lauranatsci.ppt
36/45
7/27/2019 lauranatsci.ppt
37/45
Landscaping (Continued)
Properly fertilize your lawn.
Mulch when you mow by leaving clippingin the yard.
Watch for weather changes when wateringlawn.
Harvest rainwater
Try Xeriscape and using native plants.
7/27/2019 lauranatsci.ppt
38/45
Xeriscape: History
Began in 1981 withthe AssociateLandscape
Contractors ofColorado.
7/27/2019 lauranatsci.ppt
39/45
7/27/2019 lauranatsci.ppt
40/45
Goals of Xeriscape
Planning anddesigning for beautyand waterconservation from the
beginning. Create practical
areas.
Group similar waterneed plants togetherto prevent over andunder watering.
7/27/2019 lauranatsci.ppt
41/45
7/27/2019 lauranatsci.ppt
42/45
Benefits of Xeriscape
Reduces water use
Reduces fertilizer use
Reduces pesticide use Lower maintenance costs
Reduces runoff
Preserves Topsoil Drought Tolerant
Lower maintenance needs
7/27/2019 lauranatsci.ppt
43/45
Xeriscape
These low waterplants can thrive withless water use.
In Las Vegas,Xeriscape usereduces a familieslandscape water use
by 33-39%
U i t t t
7/27/2019 lauranatsci.ppt
44/45
Using your water meter to
conserve Leaks can account for more than 10% of a
typical families water bill.
On a straight reading meter, read it justlike a car odometer.
A round reading dial:
Start with the 100,000 ft dial and work around
to the 1 ft dial. If between numbers rounddown.
7/27/2019 lauranatsci.ppt
45/45