Conservation is the prevention of a wasteful use of a resource. Water, trees, air, natural environments, land, soil, animals, energy, etc. are all resources that we should not waste or harm. We all can play a part in conserving the resources we share.  In Eco-Lesson #3, we will examine ways in which we may conserve water resources.

water resources & conservation

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Water is a resource that has many uses, including:

• Agriculture – water is used to grow crops and raise animals.
• Industrial – water is used in the manufacturing of products.
• Household – water is used by each of us in our homes.
• Recreational – water is used for recreational activities such as swimming pools and ice rinks.
• Environmental – water is used in environmental eco systems such as a wet land.
  
  

Sometimes we take water for granted and waste it without thinking. If we do take some time and think about the ways we use water each day, we can figure out ways to save water.

​How Much Water Does It Take?

1. Brush Your Teeth                           2 to 5 gallons
2. Wash Your Car                               50 gallons
3. Run the Dishwasher                      8 to 23 gallons
4. Flush the Toilet                               1.5 to 4 gallons (each flush)
5. Take a Shower/Bath                       17 to 24 gallons
6. Run the Washing Machine           35 to 50 gallons (each load)

The 3 Rs of Saving Water Are:  

• Reduce 
• Repair 
• Retrofit

Tips for saving water at your home

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Reduce

• Don’t let the tap run when you are brushing your teeth.  That could save up to 25 gallons of water a month.
• Take shorter showers.  By stepping out a minute or two earlier, you could save 150 gallons of water a month.
• Only run the Dishwasher or Washing Machine when it is completely full.
• Find out how much water your yard and plants really need or plant drought tolerant species. Water your lawn in the early morning or evenings.  Do not water on windy days.
• Collect water in a rain barrel to water your garden.
• When washing your car, fill a bucket with water and use a sponge.  This can save about 75 gallons of water with each wash.
  
  

​Repair                                                             

• Fix Leaky Faucets. Usually it is as simple as replacing a worn-out washer – and you could save up to 140 gallons per month.
• Test your toilet for leaks.  Put a few drops of food coloring in the tank.  If the coloring shows up in the bowl, you have a leak.  One leaking toilet can waste up to 50,000 gallons of water per year.
• Check your sprinkler system for leaks and make sure you are watering only your lawn and not the sidewalks or street.

Retrofit

• Install a toilet tank insert to reduce the water use.  This could save a gallon of water with each flush.
• If it is time to replace your old toilet, buy an ultra-low-volume (ULV) toilet.
• Replace your shower head with a water efficient model.

            
HINT: Garbage Disposals are convenient but you need to run water while the disposal breaks up the scraps. Throw garbage in the trash can or in the compost heap and not down the drain.
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The Final "R" for Saving Water is RETROFIT.
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Changing out your old toilet for a newer more efficient toilet, saves water.  Installing a water efficient shower head will save you and your family water and money.  Here are a few questions you should be able to answer from this last section.

REDUCE WATER USAGE
Think about the water that is running down the drain! Do you need to use that much water?

If you turn off the water while you are brushing your teeth, you will save a lot of water each day. If your family members turn off the water when they are brushing their teeth, your family will save even more water.

A standard shower head flows at 2.5 gallons per minute. A 10 minute shower would use 25 gallons of water. An 8 minute shower would save 5 gallons.

A full bathtub can use as much as 70 gallons of water. Taking a shower conserves water. Taking shorter showers conserves even more! 

OF ALL THE WATER ON EARTH, ONLY A SMALL AMOUNT IS AVAILABLE FOR US TO USE!
It's true! 97.2% of Earth's water supply is salt water. Only 2.8% is fresh water.

Saving water not only protects the environment, it saves you money and energy by decreasing demand for treated tap water.

TREATED WATER
It costs money to take contaminants out of the water and to make it safer for humans to drink. The water that comes out of your tap, in Fremont, is tested and treated to maintain health standards. Each business, industry or residential property pays for the water they use. They receive a bill from the City Department of Utilities each month for the amount of water they used in the previous month. The more water used, the higher the bill.

Here's a math problem. . .
If you turn off the water when you brush your teeth, you save 25 gallons a month. If 4 people in your family turn off the water when they brush their teeth, how much water will they save in a month?

4x25 gallons = _________ gallons

How many gallons of water would they save in a year?

USE A RAIN BARREL TO
COLLECT WATER
A rain barrel is a system that collects and stores rain water from your roof that would otherwise be lost to runoff or be diverted to streams and waterways.

There are advantages to using a rain barrel:

• It collects water and stores it for when you need it most - during periods of drought.
• They contain no chlorine, lime or calcium, making it ideal for gardens,          flower pots, and car and window washing.
• A rain barrel will save most homeowners 1300 gallons of water during the peak summer months.

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LEsson  #3 Questionnaire

Now that you've finished reading through Lesson #3 try to answer these questions.
​(You may look back at this page for help)

L3 -Questionnaire