Water

Why do over a billion people lack access to fresh, clean water?

First, less than one percent of the 70% of world’s water supply is actually treatable.

Second, we are using more water than the natural rate of replenishment.

In fact, Americans use 13 million gallons of water every minute, which is approximately fourteen times the rate of replenishment. And it’s getting worse. Water levels in lakes and rivers across the globe are dropping to dangerously low levels. Something has to be done.

Scarce & Getting Worse

Our 3rd Rock is really a WET Rock 70% is covered by Water, but less than 0.5% is treatable. Americans use 13 million gallons of water every minute-14 times faster than the natural rate of replenishment.

Water is an amazing resource In nature it exists in liquid, solid, and gaseous states. It is in dynamic equilibrium between the liquid and gas states at standard temperature and pressure.

At room temperature, it is a nearly colorless with a hint of blue (1).

Things To Think About

Wars and Famine will result from lack of water 1 billion people lack access to drinking water Global demand has tripled in the last 30 years Many of the world’s rivers are a fraction of their original size, and some have dried up completely Earth’s lakes are vanishing. Nevada’s Lake Mead is half its original capacity and may be gone in less than fifteen years 36 states will have a water shortage in the next three years, and many are placing restrictions on use and mandating new initiatives

Virtual World Foot Print

Water is essential to our lives and our lifestyle in more ways than most of us can possibly imagine. The following chart shows the water consumed by the production of everyday items. The numbers reveal where so much of our water goes.

And this is just a sample. It goes on and on…

Biggest Daily Waste

Do you ever let the water run when you brush your teeth? How about when you shave or prewash dishes, take long showers and ignore renegade sprinklers? They all waste water. But it is a drop in comparison of how much water is wasted every time someone flushes a standard toilet. Hitting the water waste problem where you flush is a simple, easy and effective wave to save millions of gallons of water a day. That’s millions of gallons of water a day!

Do I have your attention yet?

Flushing the toilet is Biggest use of Water

5 Billion gallons of expensively treated (potable) water are flushed away daily

Over 350 Million Toilets in the US alone

Majority are standard 5-7 gallon Flush toilets

Americans flush 5 times daily, with 80% of the time being just liquid

Saving just ½ Gallon per flush would save a family of Four:

350 Gallons a month $205 per year in reduced water/sewage costs

Environmental decrease in kilowatt energy

Reduced production to treat and transport water

Reduced loss of evaporated water

Reduced water used in the creation of electricity

How Much Water does a Toilet Use?

If your toilet flushes 3.5 gal /13 liters per flush, one person can consume as much as 19.5 gal / 74 liters* per day, or 7,135 gal /27,010 liters per year

If your toilet flushes 1.6 gal / 6 liters per flush, one person can consume as much as 10 gal / 39 liters* per day, or 3,760 gal /14,234 liters per year

If your toilet flushes 1.28 gal / 4.68 liters per flush, one person can consume as much as 6.4 gal / 32 liters* per day, or 2,336 gal /8,877 liters per year

If your toilet flushes 1.0 gpf/ 4 liter per flush, one person can consume as little as 5 gal / 20 liters per day, or 1,928 gal / 7,300 liters per year

Sources

(1) Learn more about H20 on wikipedia.

(2) “Water: The Epic Struggle For Wealth, Power and Civilization. Charity:Water. CBS America Stands on Water 1/8/2010.

(3) Fabi Fliervoet. “Paradise and Trash”. Flickr. Retrieved from: http://www.flickr.com/photos/irievibrations/3687855352/