Water Conservation: Waste Not, Want Not
Where Does Our Water Come From?
A clean, constant supply of drinking water is essential to every community. People in large cities frequently drink water that comes from surface water sources, such as lakes, rivers, and reservoirs. Sometimes these sources are close to the community. Other times, drinking water suppliers get their water from sources many miles away. In either case, when you think about where your drinking water comes from, it's important to consider not just the part of the river or lake that you can see, but the entire watershed. The watershed is the land area over which water flows into the river, lake, or reservoir.
In rural areas, people are more likely to drink ground water that was pumped from a well. These wells tap into aquifers - the natural reservoirs under the earth's surface - that may be only a few miles wide, or may span the borders of many states. As with surface water, it is important to remember that activities many miles away from you may affect the quality of ground water.
The Dangers of Taking Too Much Water
Increased groundwater withdrawals could impact the lakes, springs, and wetlands. These valuable natural resources depend on the groundwater. Lake levels could drop, spring flow could slow or stop, and wetlands could recede.
Water conservation is the easiest and most inexpensive way to address water shortages. Water conservation can be as simple as developing the habit of using a little less every time you use water. If we each save a little, we all save a lot.
Click here to read more about how to save both water and money.
