As we all learn in elementary school science, Earth is made up of 75% water. But for such a seemingly abundant resource, only a small percentage of water is actually potable. With a ballooning population, the chances of an imminent water shortage is now more probable.
The Philippines is not exempt from this dire situation. As a matter of fact, many remote areas suffer from inadequate, if not complete lack , of safe water supply. Just recently, many areas in Metro Manila and Cavite suffered from water loss. There are also reports that say that Philippine water supply may only last till 2025.
Good news is that we as simple citizens can do our part to save water! Not only do we help conserve this precious resource, we also lessen the cost of our water utility bill.
1. Check your faucet and water pipes for leaks. A small drip can waste away 20 gallons of water a day.
2. Don’t use your toilet as an ashtray or wastebasket. Every time you flush a cigarette butt or a tissue, five to seven gallons of water is wasted.
3. Check your toilet for leaks.
4. Use your water meter to find hidden leaks.
5. Install water-saving shower heads and faucets.
6. Consider buying “low-flush” toilets which use 1 to 2 gallons of water instead of the usual 3-5 gallons.
7. Take shorter showers.
8. Turn off the water while brushing your teeth.
9. Use your washing machine only for full loads.
10. When washing dishes, don’t leave the water running.
11. Don’t let the faucet run while cleaning vegetables.
12. Keep a bottle of drinking water in the fridge.
13. Water your plants only when they need it.
14. Water during the early parts of the day.
15. Don’t run the hose when cleaning your car.
16. Use a broom, not a hose, to clean your driveways and sidewalks.
Conserving water is easy and doable. Let’s do our part to make sure that future generations can still enjoy this precious natural resource.