Do You Know How Much Water You Use?

Many people do not realize the amount of water used in everyday activities. Knowing how much water is used will help you determine what is "normal" for your household and may show you ways to conserve.

Outdoor Water Conservation Tips

The following tips can help you do your part in living a more water-conscious lifestyle.

• Don't over water your lawn. As a general rule, lawns only need watering every 5 to 7 days in the dry season and every 10 to 14 days in the rainy season.
• Plant it smart, Xeriscape. Xeriscaping is a great way to design, install and maintain both your plantings and irrigation system that will save you time, money and water.
• Water lawns during the early morning hours when temperatures and wind speed are the lowest. This reduces losses from evaporation.
• Raise the lawn mower blade to at least three inches. A lawn cut higher encourages grass roots to grow deeper, shades the root system and hold soil moisture better than a closely clipped lawn.
• Avoid over fertilizing your lawn. The application of fertilizers increases the need for water. Mulch to retain moisture in the soil. Mulching also helps to control weeds that compete with plants for water.
• Do not hose down your driveway or sidewalk. Use a broom to clean leaves and other debris from these areas. Using a hose to clean a driveway can waste hundreds of gallons of water.
• Outfit your hose with a shut-off nozzle which can be adjusted to fine spray so that water flows only as needed. When finished, "Turn it Off" at the faucet instead of at the nozzle to avoid leaks.
• Use hose washers between water hoses to eliminate leaks.
• If you wash your own car, park on the grass and use a bucket.
• Avoid the installation of ornamental water features (such as fountains) unless the water is recycled. Locate where there are minimal losses due to evaporation and wind drift.
• If you have a swimming pool, consider a new water-saving pool filter. A single back flushing with a traditional filter uses from 180 to 250 gallons or more of water.

Trinidad and Tobago has experienced a period of relatively rapid population growth, which has put a significant demand on the resources of the country. Inevitably resulting in an increase in the demand for water and wastewater services.

Additionally, industrialization, climate change and environmental degradation of our water resources have also significantly impacted on the availability of this precious resource. This reality is not limited to Trinidad and Tobago, but also includes the world's population, which is facing a 'water crisis'. The major aspects of this water crisis relate to the scarcity of usable water and water pollution.

Although water is a renewable resource, pollution, excessive extraction and destruction of our watersheds can lead to dire consequences. It has become necessary therefore to ensure the sustainability of our water resources for future generations and this means we must start conserving today and use our water wisely!