Water Shortage...Are we REALLY running out? (how much, house)

[ATLienGirl]

Could it be true? Could it be that I'm taking a shower and the water just cuts off because I am over my "water rationing" limit?

[atlantagreg30127]

Someone I used to hang out with years ago moved to Southern California and the area he moved to was in was in the middle of extreme water shortages at the time. This is what they did, and I talked to someone at my local water department and they said it's pretty much standard as to how many places do it...

1) Water use (outdoors) is restricted to certain days depending on your address.

2) When it gets worse, outdoor water use is cut off altogether for residences, except for professional car washing places, and landscapers.

3) Next step, carwashes must use recycled water in order to stay open for limited hours. Landscapers are no longer allowed to water.

4) Next, it is determined the "average" amount of water you use through the year. Then a certain amount % wise is knocked down off of that to conserve. Then, when you exceed that amount, you pay $$$ extra for the amount you go over. As in 3-5 times the regular amount you pay. In some areas, they just impose a flat fine instead of extra charges per gallon (from $100 to $1000 depending on violations).

* it got to this level in my friend's area. People paid hundreds of dollars for their water bills for around 3 months because they simply used too much water. He lived in a 1BR unit by himself and he had to pay $550 one month.


5) In the most extreme cases, and later even after #4 if there is no rain, if the user, neighborhood, or area continues to exceed a certain amount, they can get cut off and "rationing" begins. Basically, you have to go to the curb or a designated area where water trucks pour water into containers for you, and that's all the water you get.


If every person did a few things, it would really help things from getting that bad. Take an empty shampoo or water bottle and place one in the back of each toilet tank. It will save that much water every time you flush. Take shorter showers and/or use a shut-off switch and turn the water off while you're soaping up, and avoid filling up tubs and jacuzzis and jacuzzi tubs during times of droubt (as well as pools). Don't let the water run while brushing your teeth. Don't set the clothes washer at too high of a level for the amount of clothes you have in there, etc.

In other words, the average person does not do *everything* they could do to help conserve water. It's time to do it now, cause I'm willing to bet that it's a real pain in the ass to stand in line with uptight people you don't know trying to get a couple of buckets of water.

[shania]

Curious, does buying bottled water and using it for things like brushing your teeth, cooking, etc. help with local water shortage?

[happymom4]

Originally Posted by shania

Curious, does buying bottled water and using it for things like brushing your teeth, cooking, etc. help with local water shortage?

I'm sure it helps somewhat...can't hurt

[SaraSatin]

Recycling water in your house will help too. My mother was upset with the water ban because it came right after she paid to have her house landscaped (after buying it almost 2 years ago). She took a bath instead of a shower (which used less water probably) and then filled a bucket with the water when she was done and poured it over the flowers. I don't know if it will work because the soap might kill them, but I don't think it does so her flowers should live.

[normie]

And now for a dumb comment... but it's something I've always wondered, so what the heck I'll ask it...

Since droughts are a recurrent problem all over the world, why don't we make it a priority to figure out how to synthesize more water?

I'm not trying to be a smart-#ss, I'm genuinely curious. I'm not a scientist, which means I don't appreciate the challenge involved. Can someone explain what that challenge would be? The world would be so much better if we could somehow combine hydrogen and oxygen to make more water for everyone--or at least master the art of desalination.

[JPD]

Originally Posted by atlantagreg30127

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If every person did a few things, it would really help things from getting that bad. Take an empty shampoo or water bottle and place one in the back of each toilet tank. It will save that much water every time you flush.

You need to fill the empty shampoo or water bottle with water or sand before putting it in the toilet tank or else it'll just float, saving you no water at all.

[happymom4]

Originally Posted by normie

And now for a dumb comment... but it's something I've always wondered, so what the heck I'll ask it...

Since droughts are a recurrent problem all over the world, why don't we make it a priority to figure out how to synthesize more water?

I'm not trying to be a smart-#ss, I'm genuinely curious. I'm not a scientist, which means I don't appreciate the challenge involved. Can someone explain what that challenge would be? The world would be so much better if we could somehow combine hydrogen and oxygen to make more water for everyone--or at least master the art of desalination.

My husband thinks there should be something they could do too...not sure if his plan is similar to yours but he always brings it up when he sees other areas flooding on the news and we are in a drought...so many extremes!

[BobKovacs]

Originally Posted by normie

And now for a dumb comment... but it's something I've always wondered, so what the heck I'll ask it...

Since droughts are a recurrent problem all over the world, why don't we make it a priority to figure out how to synthesize more water?

I'm not trying to be a smart-#ss, I'm genuinely curious. I'm not a scientist, which means I don't appreciate the challenge involved. Can someone explain what that challenge would be? The world would be so much better if we could somehow combine hydrogen and oxygen to make more water for everyone--or at least master the art of desalination.

There's plenty of ways to "make water", but alot of them are far too costly- people gripe about their water bills when they're paying $2 per 1,000 gallons of water- do you think they'll have a problem with paying 100x that?

Of course, one way to make a ton of water for free is to have more nuclear power plants- they generate it just by operating. Of course, no one wants those either......

Bob

[SaraSatin]

Too bad nobody thought to just siphon off water in flood areas into tankers to refill lakes and dump into rivers to bring water level up some. It does seem a shame that one area could be in such a horrible drought and another be flooded with nothing to do to remedy the two situations other than time...

Oh, and jpd, I think the point is to stick the empty bottle in when the tank is empty in such a way that it won't float. Then, it will fill up when the tank fills again and each time the tank flushes however many ounces that are in the bottle will not empty and refill. It saves a little water at a time, but everyone saving a little water at a time could make a big difference. Reminds me of a show I watched as a kid about a summer camp where one child decided they were all wasting water and hurting the environment... the whole show was about how she was teaching all the other campers ways to save water and help clean up the environment.

By the way, anyone going to try the bottle in the toilet tank thing I would caution to only use one bottle. I was just contemplating how much water you could save if you stuck 2 or more in there and realized that removing too much water will make your toilet less efficient at flushing... not good...