As climate change begins to have a more and more significant impact on the world, including here in the UK, the concept of water conservation is becoming more important. The global water crisis poses a serious challenge in all nations, with environmental, health and economic issues all taking hold. Even in countries like ours where fresh drinking water appears to be an endless resource, we need to be doing more to ensure generations to come have the same access to water than we currently enjoy.
In this article we are going to discuss how water conservation is essential for sustainable living in the UK and beyond, and the water conservation methods we can employ to preserve Earth’s most precious resource for the future.
Why Conserve Water?
Before we discuss how we can conserve water, let’s discuss why. Water is the source of all life on this planet. Without it, life on Earth would cease to exist and yet we often treat it without respect. There are a number of issues facing water in the world today, which demonstrate why we all need to be better at conserving water. These issues are also very prevalent in the UK.
Scarcity of Freshwater Resources
As global warming continues, extreme weather patterns become more common. This can have a huge impact on freshwater resources in the UK, with droughts becoming more common in summer and flooding becoming more likely in the wetter months. These prolonged periods of drought pose a significant problem and we can expect water shortages and hosepipe bans to become more common. Additionally, increased urbanisation and house building also impact our freshwater supply, putting pressure on outdated water systems that will eventually struggle to cope with increasing populations.
Pollution of Water Sources
Water pollution is another significant issue in the UK which makes water conservation important. Sewage leaks from our mains water system are infecting our rivers, lakes and seas, exacerbated by other issues like agricultural runoff, industrial discharge and plastic litter. While the biggest impact of these factors is on wildlife and the environment, it also impacts our access to clean water and ramps up the pressure on the finite resource of water.
The Cost of Water Wastage
With water levels becoming lower, the last thing we want to do is waste what we have, right? Unfortunately, regular households, heavy industry and agriculture are common wasters of water, sometimes without even realising it. At home, we often run water unnecessarily while brushing teeth or shaving, overwater our gardens and use inefficient appliances with leaky pipes, all contributing to water wastage. In the industrial world, water is used excessively for lots of heavy machinery and factory processes, while old pipes and outdated inefficient systems across many industries lead to huge water loss. And in farming, water wastage is also huge. Older farms use irrigation systems that are less targeted and so mean water is spread unnecessarily. This water runs off into local waterways and leaches into the soil, creating environmental issues not just wastage.
This impact of such wastage is economic, social and environmental. From an economical point of view, there are huge costs associated with improving water supply and upgrading our old systems. Infrastructure of this kind is extremely expensive and so would be water importation if it ever got to the stage that water in this country could no longer support the population. In terms of social costs, public health will become an issue if water continues to be wasted and access to clean drinking water becomes more difficult. This will also affect our food supply, as livestock and vegetable growing relies heavily on vast amounts of water. And the costs of these problems to the environment are obvious, from degradation of habitats to a loss of biodiversity as a result of an increase in polluted water. All in all, the growing problem with water wastage and scarcity will have enormous consequences on our lives.
Water Conservation Methods
Now you know the significance of water conservation and why we should all be doing everything we can to save water, let’s look at the best ways of conserving water at home and in the community. Even making small changes to our daily lives can have a big impact on freshwater supply in the long run if enough of us take the matter seriously, so please share these tips with your friends and family.
Household Water Conservation Techniques
There are some really easy things we can do at home to reduce your water consumption and help with national water conservation efforts. Do you run the tap while brushing your teeth? Do you run the tap a little longer than you need to before pouring yourself a glass of water? These small things can add up to a lot of wastage over time, so consider reducing your tap usage where possible. In a similar vein, consider shortening your showers and generally taking showers over baths. We all love a good long shower every now and then but it’s not necessary every day, so keep them short and refreshing.
Larger water conservation techniques at home are around your appliances and plumbing system. There are modern solutions to inefficient water appliances such as low-flow toilets and water-saving shower heads which over time will significantly reduce your water consumption. Additionally, it’s important to maintain an efficient plumbing system around your home. This means always fixing leaks as soon as they become apparent and replacing outdated pipes. At the end of the day, these household methods of water conservation are not only good for the planet, but also for your bank balance, as they will reduce your water usage and so your water bills.
Community Water Conservation Techniques
There are also some things that communities, states and nations can do collectively to conserve water. For one, water metering is a really crucial technology that can increase ownership and awareness of the amount of water being used by properties and communities. This will help with accountability and encourage community members to be mindful of their usage. In some countries, it may even be possible for communities to introduce tiered water pricing, making it more expensive for those who overuse water, helping to encourage conservation.
The most significant thing you can do to help conserve water in the community is increasing public awareness. Currently, not enough people know about the threat to our water supply and how their actions can have an impact. Educational outreach campaigns in local schools and community centres, plus using social media to spread awareness, can really have a great impact. This should encourage behavioural change and make more people use the household conservation techniques we outlined above.
We can also stand to be better at recycling water in communities both in the UK and abroad. If we treat wastewater at community level using sewage treatment plants, we can recycle and reuse this water for irrigation and other significant uses of non-potable water. In a similar vein, so-called ‘grey water’ from washing up and washing machines can be used for tasks in the garden. The key is to always consider how many uses we can get out of water to prevent just turning on the tap when it’s not really necessary.
Rainwater Harvesting – The Best Water Conservation Method
One method of conserving water we really believe in is rainwater harvesting. There are so many tasks around the house which we can use rainwater for, reducing the amount of water we take from the mains supply. This not only helps with the amount of water available in the community but is also cost-effective over the long-term through reduction on your water bills.
Many properties around the UK are turning to rainwater harvesting at home, often through the installation of a complete rainwater harvesting system. These systems collect the rainwater, store it in a huge tank and filter out any unwanted debris and particles, ready to be used around the house. The most common uses for harvested rainwater are flushing toilets, watering plants, washing cars and washing clothes. Think how much water these tasks usually take up and then consider the freshwater you’ll conserve by introducing rainwater harvesting into your home. Even if you want to start with a simple water butt to collect water for your plants, you’ll soon see the difference it makes in your water consumption.
At Owls Hall Environmental, we’re passionate about rainwater harvesting and the difference it can make on a local and global scale. We have rainwater collection solutions for all properties, from basic collection to advanced harvesting systems. For more information on our rainwater harvesting solutions and how they can help conserve water, get in touch with our experienced team.