Conservation Tips

WATER CONSERVATION TIPS

• Install a low-flow shower head with a maximum flow rate of 2.5 gallon per minute or less.
• Turn off water when you?re not using it. Don?t let it run while you brush your teeth or shave.
• Wait until you have a full load before running your dishwasher or washing machine.
• Add low-flow aerators to threaded faucets in sinks. These inexpensive devices reduce flow rates while maintaining enough force for washing and other uses.
• Test your toilet valve to be sure it seals properly every time it?s flushed. To test: place food coloring or dye tablets in toilet tank, and then check the bowl for traces of color after 15 minutes. Buy an inexpensive repair kit to repair any leaks or call a professional plumber.
• Insulate hot water pipes.
• Water yards and plants in the evening rather than the day, reducing evaporation.

WATER TRIVIA

• Approximately one million miles of pipelines and aqueducts carry water in the United States and Canada. That?s enough to circle the earth 40 times.

• We drink very little of our drinking water. Generally speaking, less than 1% of the treated water produced by water utilities is actually consumed. The rest goes on lawns, in washing machines, and down toilets and drains.

• You can refill an 8 oz. glass of water approximately 15,000 times for the same cost as a six-pack of pop.

FUN ACTIVITIES TO TRY AT HOME

Activity #1:   Create a small terrarium to demonstrate the water cycle.

Goal:  To show how water evaporates and falls back onto the soil.

Use a clear plastic cup. Place 1 ½ inches of soil in the bottom of the cup. Then plant some bean or other legume seeds in the soil. Water the soil to a light dampness. Then put another cup over the top of the first cup. Seal the two cups together with masking tape to create a seamless terrarium. Set the cup in a sunny area and observe it daily. Keep a scientific record of what occurs each day.

Activity #2:   Create a water distillation unit.

Goal:  To create condensation from the salt water.

Place a metal roasting pan inside a heavy box with a lid. Mix two teaspoons of salt into a cup of water and stir until the salt dissolves. Then pour the salty water into the roasting pan. Put a glass that is slightly shorter than the top of the pan?s wall in the middle of the plastic wrap over the glass. This allows the glass to be the lowest point in the distillation unit so it can capture the evaporation from the salt water. Close the box so it is airtight. Place the box in direct sunlight. After three hours, check to see if there is any water inside the glass. (Inside the glass, there should be condensation from the salty solution. Since salt is heavier than the water vapor, the water resulting from the condensation should be fresh and drinkable and not salty.)