Saving Texas … One Drop at a Time

As a state that is estimated to double its population by the year 2060, it takes a lot of resources to keep the flow of life stable within the borders of Texas … and a lot of water to keep that flow, well, flowing. Unfortunately, the state of Texas has officially been under a state of drought since Governor Rick Perry issued the first Emergency Disaster Proclamation on July 5, 2011.

A recent article from AgriLife Today states that although we’ve received rain in recent months, the majority of Texas continues to be in some type of drought condition and 35 percent remains in exceptional drought conditions. In March 2014, three Texas lakes (Granbury, Nocona, and Ray Hubbard) reported record lows, and in total, Texas reservoirs lost more than 240 billion gallons of water over the past 12 months.

The typical family uses 60 to 80 gallons of water per person per day, and there are hundreds of ways to make a difference in the state’s condition by conserving water every day. Start the year off on the right foot by using these realistic ways to lower your water consumption.

1. Use your own bottle. You’ve probably heard this tip countless times but did you know that it takes nearly seven liters of water to produce one plastic water bottle? Save the extra liters for your own hydration by using a BPA-free reusable water bottle while on the go.
2. Swap your showerhead. Chances are you aren’t going to shut the water off while shampooing, so instead of changing your shower routine, change your showerhead to a low-flow unit that cuts water usage in half. The extra benefit is that you’ll also save on water heating costs.
3. Use recycled paper. It takes more than three gallons of water to make one sheet of paper. Swap reusable rags for paper towels in the kitchen and consider switching to recycled paper instead of virgin printer paper in your home office. Those simple changes could save 637 gallons of water over the course of one year.
4. Water by hand. Unless you own acres (in which case time is more of an issue than efficiency), watering with a hose as opposed to a sprinkler can be twice as efficient and can save you more than 12,500 gallons of water in a year.
5. Turn off the faucet. Simply playing it smart and turning off the faucet while it’s not in use can save you more than 2,880 gallons per year. Try it while washing dishes and while brushing your teeth for the biggest impacts.