Water Conserving FAQ

1. What is the global water crisis?

a. The global water crisis is the basic problem that we need to conserve our water. Although many people think it is an issue of water scarcity, the real problem is that we need to start using our water more wisely.

2. How can we conserve water?

a. Turn off faucets when not using them.

b. Take shorter showers.

3. What will happen if we don’t conserve water?

a. If we do not start using our water more wisely, we will eventually end up with no water at all.

4. Is water really that important?

a. Yes, water is actually quite important. You may not realize it but water is a vital resource for human life. We consume water, we wash things with it, and we even water our plants with it.

5. Can we live without water?

a. No, in fact we cannot. Because water is so important to many of the basic bodily functions, lack of water can cause severe dehydration and even death.

6. How long can a person go without water?

a. Depending on the temperature, a person can go up to about 10 days without any water.

7. Where do we get our water from?

a. We get our water from both natural and manmade bodies of water that are refilled whenever it rains. There is also a series of processes that we use to clean the water.

8. How is water purified?

a. There is a specific order of processes that water has to go through. The first process is called coagulation. Coagulation is a process which forces suspended particles to stick together into several clumps. In the next step, sedimentation, water is poured into sedimentary bins where any sediment is then removed. The third step in this list, filtration, is self-explainable. Water gets filtered so that anything other than water is thus removed. The final process to get clean water is called disinfection. In the process of disinfection, chemicals and such products are used to disinfect the water so that it is consumable for humans.

9. Why do I care about water conservation?

a. Water conservation is important because although you may not know this, we are all dependent on water.

10. What are people currently doing to conserve water? Are there any organizations I could join to help?

a. Currently, people have found many ways to help conserve water. Also, there are many organizations such as Every Drop Counts.

All case studies were from this website.

Case Study 3

Phoenix, Arizona: Using Less, Conserving More

In Phoenix, Arizona, State legislatures have required that after 2025, Phoenix must not pump groundwater any faster than it can replenish it. As a solution to the problem, members of Phoenix decided to reform water pricing, conserve water that is both industrial, commercial, and indoor residential, and increase the efficiency of plant and turf irrigation. As a result of these changes, Phoenix has saved a total of 40 million gallons per day so far.

Case Study 2

New York City, New York: Conservation as a Water Resource

In the nearby city of New York City, New York, water and sewer rates were quickly doubling. Things had gotten bad. As a way to approach this problem, New Yorkers were asked to regulate water use. After doing this, an average of 30-50 million gallons had been preserved per day.

Case Study 1

Ashland, Oregon: Small Town, Big Savings

In a town of roughly 20,000 people, local members of the community in Ashland, Oregon are learning how to properly conserve their water. The simple approach to conserving water was to adopt four basic concepts: system leak detection and repair, conservation-based water rates, toilet retrofits and replacement, and a high-efficiency showerhead replacement program. By doing this, the town saved an estimated 395,000 gallons of water per year and avoided an estimated 10 million dollars!

Glacier Blanket?

Apparently, there is a fleece-like blanket that you can put on a glacier. It is supposed to protect the glacier during the summer months. That's so cool! =D

Here's a whole bunch of photos about the global water crisis.

Article Summaries

Title: ‘National Geographic’ Water Issue: Emerging Problems Have Many Solutions, But Will We Act Fast Enough?	This article is actually about another National Geographic article. It talks about how although the world is covered in water, we are running low on water suitable for humans. It shows a few examples of how bad this problem has gotten, spanning from retreating glaciers to citizens of Delhi killing each other for a few containers of water. It is clear from these examples that something needs to be done to change this problem.
By Jeneen Interlandi
Published April 5th, 2010
From Newsweek
http://blog.newsweek.com/blogs/thehumancondition/archive/2010/04/05/national-geographic-s-water-issue-emerging-problems-have-many-solutions-but-will-we-act-fast-enough.aspx

Title: The Dry Facts About Water	This article plainly states that those in developed countries tend to waste water while those in undeveloped countries are forced to live without. With the comparison that undeveloped countries use in one day what developed countries use to brush their teeth, Noonoo is stating that water needs to be saved quickly. Also in the article, she states that the water crisis in some areas isn’t necessarily about water scarcity, but improper management and usage.
By Jemimah Noonoo
Published June 24th, 2007
From Newsweek
http://www.newsweek.com/id/33508

Title: Land, Water, and Conflict	This article focuses on Darfur and those living on the margin of survival. Specifically, it identifies some of the major issues that are going on in the area. Because water scarcity is one of the issues mentioned, I decided this was relevant.
By Jeffrey Sachs
From the July 7-14th, 2008 Issue
From Newsweek
http://www.newsweek.com/id/143700

Title: Dying For A Drink	Beginning with a story about Lake Mead’s water level, this article moves on to talk about why it is that the water level is diminishing.
By Bryan Walsh
Published Thursday, December 4th, 2008
From Time Magazine
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1864440,00.html

Title: Dried Out	This article is about the importance of water and the need to preserve it. It lists several reasons as to why the global water crisis needs to be solved.
By Maryann Bird
Published Monday, May 7th, 2001
From Time Magazine
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,108131,00.html