Water efficiency is the practice of reducing water wastage by measuring the amount of water required for a particular purpose and the amount of water used or delivered.[1] Water efficiency differs from water conservation in that it focuses on reducing waste, not restricting use.[2] Solutions for water efficiency focus not only focus on reducing the amount of potable water used, but also on reducing the use of non-potable water where appropriate (i.e. flushing toilet, watering landscape, etc.).[3] It also emphasises the influence consumers can have in water efficiency by making small behavioural changes to reduce water wastage, and by choosing more water efficient products.
Examples of water efficient steps include; fixing leaking taps, taking showers rather than baths, installing displacement devices inside toilet cisterns, males using urinals rather than toilet stalls, and using dishwashers and washing machines with full loads. These are things that fall under the definition of water efficiency, as their purpose is to obtain the desired result or level of service with the least necessary water.
Importance
According to the Second UN World Water Development Report, if present levels of consumption continue, two-thirds of the global population will live in areas of water stress by 2025. Increasing human demand for water coupled with the effects of climate change mean that the future of water supply is not secure. At present, 2.6 billion people do not have safe drinking water. Added to this, are the changes in climate, population growth and lifestyles. The changes in human lifestyle and activities require more water per capita. This tightens the competition for water amongst agricultural, industrial, and human consumption.
Water policies and impact assessments
Environmental policies and the difference usages of models that are generated by these enforcement can have significant impacts on the society. Hence, improving policies regarding environmental justice issues often require local government's decision making, public awareness, and significant amount of scientific tools. Furthermore, it is important to understand that positively impacting policy decisions require more than good intentions, and they necessitate analysis of risk-related information along with consideration of economic issues, ethical and moral principles, legal precedents, political realities, cultural beliefs, societal values, and bureaucratic impediments. Also, ensuring that the rights of people regardless of their age, race, and backgrounds are being protected should not be neglected according to "The Role of Cumulative risk Assessment in Decisions about Environmental Justice." Also, the article suggests that if a policy protects the natural environment but negatively affects those who in the reach of the enforcement of the policy, that policy is subjected to revaluation. Researchers suggests racial and socioeconomic disparities in exposure to environmental hazards describing the demographic composition of areas and their proximity to hazardous sites.[16] Then, any improvements of a social policy and models that are generated by these improvements should reflect the policy-makers' and researchers' environmental justice beliefs. Therefore, researches and social changes should examine the promises and pitfalls associated with the environmental justice struggles, explore implications of proposed solutions, and recognize the fact that tools necessary to sufficiently carry preceding requirements are yet underdeveloped.
TIPS
- Take shorter showers to reduce water consumption.
- Check your water bill to see how much water you are using. • Check all faucets, pipes, and toilets for leaks.
- Use mug instead of running the tap while brushing teeth or shaving.
- Use a toilet flush which consumes less water.
- Water your plants early in the morning or late in the evening to reduce water loss due to evaporation.
- While watering plants, use watering-can instead of a running hose.
- For watering plants, use waste water that comes off washing of food items.
- Use water efficient sprinkler and drip irrigation for your garden.
- Promote drip irrigation and other water conservation methods in agriculture. Practice rainwater harvesting. RWAs should adopt this in every public park of their locality.
- Make sure you have a faucet aerator on each faucet. These inexpensive appliances conserve water, keeping water pressure high.
- Make roof top rain water harvesting and recharging wells/ tanks mandatory.
- Utilize kitchen waste water for home gardening.
- Take advantage of Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayi Yojana (PMKSY), Integrated Water Management Programme (IWMP) and Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) for the conservation of water and agriculture development.
- Establish community nursery by using waste water and distribute saplings in the neighbourhood.
- Wash utensils using collected water in a bucket instead of washing directly under the running tap.
- Instead of washing mop the floor
- Select village level volunteers to check whether all the public taps and pipes are leak free.
- Promote Eco-san toilets : a closed water - less system
- Skip rinsing dishes before using your dishwasher and save water in each load.
- Don't allow water overflow from the overhead tank.
- Don’t wash the clothes and kitchen utensils in the water bodies.
- Don’t throw waste in water bodies.
- Run your dishwasher, washing machine, and dryer only when you have full loads.
- Dry clothes in sunlight
- Make water saving devices in taps mandatory.
- Use rejects of your RO for toilet flushing.
- Make percolation pits appropriately in backyards and parking .
- Avoid concrete pavements inside the compounds. Keep of 5-10 percent of your residence ground unpaved for water percolation.
- Use less fertiliser on your lawn – better use compost than chemical fertilisers.
- Set your sprinkler to keep the water on the lawn.
- Mulch around your landscaped area. A three-inch layer of mulch holds moisture and prevents evaporation, and conserves soil moisture thus reducing the need to water.
- Sweep your driveway and sidewalk instead of cleaning with water
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