Water. We drink it, cook with it, shower under it, or bathe in it. We use it to wash our dishes, clothes and cars. We might even put it on lawns and gardens to keep them healthy and green. Its easy to take water for granted.
http://www.waikatoregion.govt.nz/Projects/Smart-water-use/You turn on the tap, and there it is! You could even walk out of the room for awhile, come back, and it's still there. It's like magic! But wait, we're not suggesting that you try this at home. In fact, water is our most precious resource. We depend on it for life, and its an integral part of our society.
Calculate your household use of water here with a Smart Water Use calculator from Waikato Regional Council.
"If you’re on town supply, it’s easy to take water for granted. But it’s no easy task to withdraw it from a source, treat, and deliver it to you the customer. And it’s expensive, too, Costs for water treatment and supply, and wastewater treatment, to meet resource consent requirements and public health standards are significant.
The Waikato region’s fresh water is precious.
We can all do our part to conserve it.
Our region has more than 100 lakes, over 20 rivers and about 1,400 streams. We are also blessed with many underground aquifers. Together, they provide fresh water for agriculture, industry, power generation and, of course, water for use at home.
If too much water is taken from rivers and streams:
·Water levels and flow patterns – like riffles and pools – will change, altering the condition for life there. In extreme conditions, small watercourses could run dry.
·The temperature of water is likely to rise and adversely affect fish, plants and other aquatic life. Higher temperatures also limit the use of water for industrial cooling.
·There may be a higher concentration of pollutants like silt and nutrients, causing algae to grow.
These changes may affect the cultural value of the water body as a food source and for its own life essence (mauri). Recreational uses, like fly fishing and kayaking, may also be at risk.
If too much is drawn from groundwater:
·The flow to springs, streams and rivers can be reduced.
·Neighbouring wells can be affected.
·Levels can decline over the long term, reducing the availability of water for future generations.
For coastal aquifers, over-extracting from them increases the risk of saltwater being drawn into the fresh water reserves. This can make them permanently unsuitable for drinking and many other uses.
There are lots of simple things we can do around home to conserve water. Listen for SmartWaterUse tips on the radio. Check out the SmartWaterUse page on the Council website. And watch for local events and activities in the coming months.
Those small efforts around home – and at work – to conserve water all add up. If we all do our part, it makes a difference." -SmartWaterUse
See the PDF file below to see how much water you can lose through even a small leak. For example, a hole the size of a small nail can lose 14,000 litres a day!
