Did you know that we start a new “water year” on October 1? Water year is a term used by hydrologists, the scientists who study the water cycle (how water moves between rivers and lakes, groundwater, and the atmosphere). In the U.S., the annual water year starts in October because that is generally when the low flow period of late summer ends and autumn rains start to replenish rivers and lakes.
So why is the water cycle important? Water is the stuff of life on which we depend. Our bodies are 60% water and we quickly die without water. While the overall amount of water on the planet doesn’t change (we are drinking the same water the dinosaurs did), the amount of fresh water is quite limited. Of all the Earth’s water, 97% is salty and 2% is frozen, leaving only 1% available to us and the fish and aquatic life that also need fresh water to live. That’s not much water to take care of 7 billion people and all the critters!
The average American uses about 100 gallons of water a day in our homes – or 146,000 gallons per year for a family of four. Most of our household water goes to flush toilets and for baths and showers. But we use water in many other ways. About 40% of water use in the U.S. is for generating electricity (steam generation and cooling towers), and another 40% is used in agriculture. Your burger, fries and soft drink required about 1500 gallons of water to produce – enough water to fill a small swimming pool. The pair of jeans and shirt you bought took about 800 gallons of water.
In the U.S., we have an abundance of clean water, but much of the rest of the world is not so lucky. There are many water shortages and conflicts over water around the globe. In fact, the U.S. military has identified water conflicts and global climate change as two of the most significant threats to international security.
Norfolk’s water system treats about 72 million gallons a day and serves over 820,000 customers – including the Navy, businesses, and customers in Virginia Beach and Chesapeake. Our water comes from a number of lakes and wells in Isle of Wight County, Suffolk, Norfolk, and Virginia Beach. Some of our water is even piped from Lake Gaston and the Nottoway River, over 70 miles away.
Because fresh water is such a precious and limited resource, there are a number of things we can do to reduce our water use. Fixing plumbing leaks is important since 6% of the water in an average home is lost to leaks. When buying new appliances and faucets, look for the “Water Sense” label, which means they have been designed to use less water. In the shower, install a water reduction aerator and turn off the water while soaping up. Turning off the water while brushing your teeth will save 3 gallons a minute. Install a rain barrel to collect water from your roof to water outside plants. Better yet, reduce the size of your lawn so you don’t have to water so much. Less lawn also means less time mowing – and we all have better things to do than mow the lawn!
Blog post contributed by Karen Mayne. Karen is a biologist retired from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service who resides in Norfolk and enjoys writing about environmental issues.