Water shortages are becoming a reality throughout the world, and that includes the United States. As reported in the National Journal, the demand for fresh water in the United States will exceed the supply by 2030, according to a 2012 State Department report. The Environmental Protection Agency already has noted that at least 36 states are faced with local or regional water shortages.
Here are some of the best ways to reduce water use and ensure a supply of clean water for your home.
Safe drinking water
You may say there are over 60,000 reasons to consider a water filtration system for your home. That’s the number of chemicals used in the United States today.
And what is more alarming is the fact that the 35-year-old Safe Drinking Water Act is far from current with its testing of these chemicals: only 91 are on its list of contaminants. Are we to assume that the other 59,909 are safe in the event they enter our drinking water? Hardly.
But the concern over contaminants is not solely at the water source. There are actually three sources of water contaminants: the water source, treatment facility and delivery system. Each has the potential to introduce your family to a host of unhealthy pollutants and impurities.
Whether you have a well of your own or are connected to a municipal water treatment facility there is concern. Municipal water treatment plants treat the water by injecting chlorine gas to disinfect the water. The idea is to shock the water so it will be safe upon reaching your faucet. But contaminants found in homes as a result of impurities introduced to the water through the delivery system now require added measures.
A home water testing kits can help you determine the condition of your water. There are over-the-counter retail options but for the best results use a comprehensive kit from a water filter company such as Aquasana. From the test results you will be able to select from a wide range of water filtration options, including whole water filtration systems that can include water softening, to simple point-of-use options.
It is important for homeowners to understand that water filters are not all the same, and that no one filter removes all of the home’s drinking water contaminants. Some filters are made to remove chlorine, while others may be designed to remove heavy metals. It's important to have your water tested to know what you want a filter to do for your family.
Comfort and convenience of hot water now!
One of the most common residential plumbing system problems is the wait for hot water. Each year the average home wastes thousand of gallons of water down the drain, waiting for hot water to reach the kitchen or bathroom faucets. Running water also wastes lots of energy used to heat and transport that water. It's a bad deal all around.
But there's a way to stop all that waste. And make the morning shower routine a pleasure.
By installing an ACT, Inc. D'MAND Kontrol® hot water distribution system in your home, you can greatly reduce the wait time for hot water and the water wasted down the drain.
Depending on your home plumbing layout, the ACT, Inc. D'MAND Kontrol® hot water distribution system will either be installed under the furthest fixture or at the end of the dedicated return line.
Water saving tips for your toilet
Older toilets could use up to 5 gallons a flush, and a more modern fixture might use 3.5 gpf. Since 1994, the federal government has mandated that manufacturers sell only toilets that meet a 1.6 gpf standard. But even those newer toilets waste water because they call on the same amount of water to flush away liquid and solid waste.
Fluidmaster’s Duo Flush ™ converter kit takes into account that about 80 percent of the flushes only need to dispose of liquid waste. So instead of flushing 1.6 gpf every flush, only 1.1 gallons or less are used for the majority of flushes. In this way, the potential water conservation is greater than even buying a whole new commode.
