A guide to water conservation methods and its importance

Water scarcity is one of the serious concerns for countries across the world. In 2019, Chennai made international headlines when the civic bodies declared ‘Day Zero’, as the city ran out of water and all the reservoirs dried up. A report by NITI Aayog, a government think-tank, said that if methods for water conservation in India were not adopted, another 20 cities including Bengaluru, Delhi and Hyderabad, would run out of groundwater in the next few years. The only solution to avoid this grim situation, is to adopt universal methods of saving water, which could be replicated across households. Here is a detailed guide, for you to understand water conservation and what can you do at an individual level.

What is water conservation definition?

Simply put, water conservation is the practice of using water efficiently and cutting down its wastage or unnecessary usage. Since fresh, clean water is now considered as a limited resource, water conservation has become important and imperative.

Why water conservation is important?

Water conservation is important for several reasons:

1. Water distribution is uneven and therefore, large parts of India remain deficient in rain, as well as groundwater.
2. This unequal distribution across the country, makes most of the population face water scarcity.
3. The requirement of water in urban areas is higher than the availability.
4. Since rainfall in India is highly seasonal, water is required to irrigate crops.

Water conservation methods

Water conservation projects can be done anywhere and in any kind of structure. Here are some water conservation methods where major savings can be done, without much hassles:

Rainwater harvesting

Rainwater harvesting is a very effective method of conserving natural water and replenishing the groundwater level. In this method of conservation of water, the rain water is collected and allowed to percolate into a deep pit or a reservoir, so that it seeps down and improves the ground water table.

See also: Why water harvesting is the best way to end water shortages

Water metering

Another efficient way of cutting down water wastage is to install water meters and measure the amount of water that is being used in residential and commercial buildings. The volume of water that is used, is calculated and charged according to the price of water.

Grey water recycling

Greywater recycling is a method of saving used and waste water from kitchen sinks, washing machines and showers, which is then recycled for usage in toilets, for watering plants, etc. Unlike rainwater harvesting which relies on rainwater, greywater is surplus in volume. Environmentalists have demonstrated that the usage of this recycling system has reduced almost 70% of domestic water usage.

Pressure reducing valves

A pressure reducing valve basically controls the amount of pressure in a hydraulic system. These valves ensure a pre-set level of water that is to be used. In this way, downstream components used in the water system last longer and water consumption is also reduced. This is a very efficient solution for water conservation in industrial, residential, commercial and institutional buildings.

Water efficient bathroom accessories

Currently, the market is flooded with water-efficient toilet tanks, taps and shower heads that can cut water consumption by up to 60%. Innovations, such as change in spray patterns in taps and showers and increased pressure for flushing in toilets, are pushing the boundaries of water conservation, without compromising on usage habits.

See also: Ways in which citizens and housing societies can save water

Simple tips for water conservation in kitchen

• Avoid using running water for cleaning vegetables. Instead, soak the vegetables in a bowl of water for some time and wash it later.
• When buying a dishwasher, select one with a ‘light-wash’ option.
• If you have to wash a few vessels by hand, turn off the water while you are not rinsing.
• Reuse the wastewater from RO water purifiers for washing cars or watering your plants. You can also use this water for mopping or pre-rinse laundry.
• Do not defrost frozen foods with running water. You can keep frozen things outside overnight, for defrosting them.

Simple tips for water conservation in bathroom

• Install water-efficient showers and taps, to reduce water usage.
• Turn off the water when you brush your teeth or shave.
• Frequently check for leakages in the toilet flushing systems. This could be simply done by placing dye tablets or adding drops of food colouring into the tank and if colour appears in the bowl one hour later, your toilet is leaking.

FAQs