Environment
al Awareness:
Water
Conservation
Table of Contents
Introduction
Water Conservation
Water Conservation in Urban Areas
Water Conservation in Developing Countries
Innovative Technologies for Water
Conservation
Summary
Did you know
that 96.5% of
Earth's water is
found in
oceans?
Water is the basic
demand for every
food.
and produce
oxygen the
Plants help the
ecosystem
necessary to
keep us healthy.
Ninety-seven percent
(97% ) of all water on
saltwater.
Earth is
Only three percent
(3% ) of
water on
Earth is
freshwater.
Earth has 2.5% of
fresh water but
most of that is
locked into ice caps
and glaciers.
This means only a small
amount is ready for human
use.
What is water
conservation?
Water conservation refers
to the mindful
consumption and upkeep
of the water supply,
including the quantity and
quality of water used.
Why do we have to conserve
water?
Water conservation saves
energy. Consuming less water
keeps more in our
environments and aids with
wetland ecosystems healthy
for wildlife.
Water conservation can
help save money.
What actions
can we take
to help save
water?
Turn off the tap
water
Each minute brushing
teeth uses 4 gallons or 15
liters of water. By turning
off the tap, you can save
gallons while you brush!
Reuse rain
water
On average, one inch
of rainfall on a 1,000
square foot roof can
yield approximately
600 gallons or 2,271
liters of water.
Use a low flow
toilet
By using the half flush
option on a toilet you can
save about 1 gallon or 3.8
liters of water.
Water Conservation
in Urban Areas
Efficient Water
Use
Helps reduce the overall demand
for
water in urban areas.
Encouragin efficient water
g use
practices among
businesses, andresidents,
industries is
crucial.
Water
Pricing
Pricing structures that reflect the
true
cost of water supply and encourage
efficient use can help discourage
wasteful consumption.
Increasing block tariffs, where the price
per unit of water increases with higher
consumption.
Water
Metering
Metering can promote
accountability
and raise awareness among
consumers about their water
usage, leading to more responsible
Enables utilities identif high
water use behaviors. y
to
targe
consumption areas and t
conservation efforts
accordingly.
Greywater and
Rainwater Harvesting
Greywater systems can treat and
reuse
water for activities like toilet flushing
and irrigation.
Rainwater harvesting systems collect
and store rainwater for non-potable
uses.
Landscaping and
Green Infrastructure
Implementing green
infrastructure
features such as permeable
pavements, rain gardens, and
green roofs can help reduce
stormwater runoff and enhance
water absorption, reducing the strain
on urban water systems.
Water Recycling and
Reuse
Wastewater treatment plants
can
employ advanced treatment
processes to produce reclaimed
water that can be used for industrial
processes, irrigation, and non-potable
urban uses like toilet flushing or
street cleaning.
Public-Private
Partnerships
Public-private partnerships can
facilitate
the adoption of new technologies,
financing mechanisms, and community
engagement programs, leading
to more effective water
conservation practices in urban
areas.
Water
Conservation in
Developing
Countries
JORD
AN
A small country in the Middle
East
with a population of over 10
million people. The country
has limited freshwater
resources, and is located in
a region that is prone to
drought. Jordan is also facing
IRA
N
Troubling sinkholes in Iran are
the
leading cause of water scarcity in
this country. Some sinkholes
drop nearly 200 feet. The holes
are caused by water pumping
endeavors and drought, which
have caused the problem to
compound.
Inefficient agricultural practices,
LEBANO
N
Another desert country, Lebanon, has
extremely high water stress, with
households and industries needing
more water than the country can
supply. Much of the water stress in
Lebanon is due to the inability to
store water, water pollution, and
chronic misuse of water. Both the
agricultural industry and people at home
are guilty of misusing the scarce water
ISRA
ELis Israel,
Another water-stressed country
which
has the second-worst water stress in the
world. Severe climate change and droughts
have made this issue compounding since
2013. Just five years ago (2018), Israel’s
official water authority reported that
water sources, like rivers and lakes,
were at 100-year lows.
Desalination plants across the
QATA
R
Compared to all the countries in the
world,
Qatar is by far one of the most
water- stressed countries. The need
for water is extremely high, while
water availability is scarce. This
country is a desert without a
single river to help sustain the
population.
The growing population and economy saw
water use almost double between 2006
These countries are facing a
number of challenges in terms
of water, including:
Water scarcity: These countries have limited
access to freshwater resources.
Pollution: Water resources in these countries
are often polluted by agricultural runoff,
industrial waste, and sewage.
Climate change: Climate change is exacerbating
the water crisis in these countries, leading to
more extreme weather events such as droughts
and floods.
These countries are taking
a number of steps to
address the water crisis,
inlcuding:
Investing in water
conservation and rainwater
harvesting
Developing new water sources,
such as desalination plants
Improving water management
Innovative
Technologies for
Water
Conservation
Faucet
Aerators
Elie Prodromou Aghnides
(1988)
The devices reduce the
amount of water that comes
out of a faucet and control
the stream
Leak
Alertor
Daniel E. McGehee and Eric
J. McGehee
Prevent serious water damage.
This self-contained battery-
powered unit will sound a loud
alarm the second it gets wet,
alerting you to a potential water
leak.
Eco
UrinalKlaus Reichardt
Eco Urinal is designed to use the
water that was used for
washing hands to flush the
urine.
iSAVE
Faucet Reamon Yu
2007
The iSAVE faucet features an LED
display that reads the amount
of water that is being used.
Eco
Bath Enver Karaali
2009
“Eco Bath” system makes use of gray
water but only after purifying it a bit,
not by using the latest in UV
purification, but simply mixing it with
fresh water.
The Life
Straw
Torben Vestergaard Frandsen
1994
The straw purifies a minimum of
1,000
liters of water and removes 99.9
percent of bacteria and parasites
through a unique filtration
system.
Those who are privileged to have
access to water anytime are fortunate.
They c an take a shower whenever they
want, wash their hands whenever they
need to, and drink clean water whenever
they are thirsty. They do not have to
worry about where their next drink of
water is coming from, or how they are
However, it is important to remember
going to get it. t h a t not everyone is so lucky. Millions of
people around the world do not have
access to clean water. They have to walk
long distances to get water, And they
often have to drink water t ha t is
contaminated with bacteria. This can
lead to serious health problems, such a s
diarrhea, cholera, and typhoid fever.
HERE ARE WAYS TO PROMOTE WATER
CONSERVATION
