Are you a waster? World Water Day is held on 22nd March of each year and is tasked with addressing water scarcity around the world by promoting water conservation.
World Water Day was first observed on 22nd March 1993 and has been observed every year since. Championing one cause each year, the World Water Day 2015 theme was ‘water and sustainable development’. The 2016 theme was ‘water and jobs’ and the 2018 theme will be ‘nature based solutions for water’. This year the theme is ‘wastewater’ and its associated campaign ‘Why waste water?’ is aimed at reducing and reusing wastewater in our homes and businesses.
World Water Day was first observed on 22nd March 1993 and has been observed every year since. Championing one cause each year, the World Water Day 2015 theme was ‘water and sustainable development’. The 2016 theme was ‘water and jobs’ and the 2018 theme will be ‘nature based solutions for water’. This year the theme is ‘wastewater’ and its associated campaign ‘Why waste water?’ is aimed at reducing and reusing wastewater in our homes and businesses.
A significant population around world lack access to clean, fresh and safe drinking water or water for utilities. 663 million people that is! Worse still, 1.8 billion people use a source of drinking water which is contaminated, exposing them to waterborne diseases like cholera, dysentery, typhoid and polio. According to the World Health Organisation, unsafe drinking water, poor sanitation and hygiene result in approximately 842,000 deaths each year.
This is in sharp contrast to other parts of the world where wastage of huge amounts of freshwater is commonplace. In fact, globally, over 80% of the wastewater produced by society flows straight into our ecosystems without being reused. In Western Australia, we each generate approximately 200 litres of wastewater a day! For most of us here our fresh drinking water is used not only for drinking, but also for showers, washing clothes, and watering our gardens. This fresh water is used only once and then goes straight down the drain and into the sewer.
We can recycle this quality water by installing a greywater reuse system. Greywater reuse systems collect the wastewater from your shower, bath, and washing machine. The waste water is then run through an environmentally friendly filtration system and stored for reuse. You can do your part to help save drinking water by watering your garden with greywater.
Water is a finite resource and demand for water increases every year. Perth is doing its part to combat this and expansion of the Woodman Point Wastewater Treatment Plan is scheduled to be completed in 2019 (WWTP). Right now the WWTP treats an impressive 140 million litres of wastewater a day providing treated water for more than 650,000 people living in the Perth metro area as well as those south of the river.
If installing a greywater reuse system is not feasible for you don’t worry, there are many other ways you can reduce water wastage for example:
World Water Day highlights the past, raises issues of the present, and warns of future dangers if we don’t act. It is the responsibility of everyone to do their bit and to contribute to water conservation. Water scarcity will be a worry of the past if we all work together and stay waterwise.
To find out more about World Water Day go to http://www.worldwaterday.org or download this helpful factsheet.
This is in sharp contrast to other parts of the world where wastage of huge amounts of freshwater is commonplace. In fact, globally, over 80% of the wastewater produced by society flows straight into our ecosystems without being reused. In Western Australia, we each generate approximately 200 litres of wastewater a day! For most of us here our fresh drinking water is used not only for drinking, but also for showers, washing clothes, and watering our gardens. This fresh water is used only once and then goes straight down the drain and into the sewer.
We can recycle this quality water by installing a greywater reuse system. Greywater reuse systems collect the wastewater from your shower, bath, and washing machine. The waste water is then run through an environmentally friendly filtration system and stored for reuse. You can do your part to help save drinking water by watering your garden with greywater.
Water is a finite resource and demand for water increases every year. Perth is doing its part to combat this and expansion of the Woodman Point Wastewater Treatment Plan is scheduled to be completed in 2019 (WWTP). Right now the WWTP treats an impressive 140 million litres of wastewater a day providing treated water for more than 650,000 people living in the Perth metro area as well as those south of the river.
If installing a greywater reuse system is not feasible for you don’t worry, there are many other ways you can reduce water wastage for example:
- Regularly check your property for water leaks Rockingham.
- Installing a dual flush toilet.
- Switching to a WELS 3* or more rated efficient showerhead.
- Upgrade to WELS rated taps or fit flow controlled tap aerators to reduce water wastage.
- Reduce your sprinkler times by 2 minutes at each station.
- Turn the tap off when brushing your teeth.
- Reducing your shower times.
- Installing a greywater reuse system
- Plumbing in a rainwater tank.
World Water Day highlights the past, raises issues of the present, and warns of future dangers if we don’t act. It is the responsibility of everyone to do their bit and to contribute to water conservation. Water scarcity will be a worry of the past if we all work together and stay waterwise.
To find out more about World Water Day go to http://www.worldwaterday.org or download this helpful factsheet.