Great Acts for Great Lakes

Water Background  - Water Use and Consumption

Water is a basic necessity of life, for people and for every type of plant and animal as well.  Water is essential not only for survival but also for how it contributes to the quality of our lives.  Water is used to produce power and to manufacture things.  It provides transportation routes and many sources of recreation.  It is essential for personal hygiene and helps flush away our waste products.  Some people think it makes no difference how much water we use or how we use it.  But it does.  Water is a finite resource and most uses degrade its quality.  There is no such thing as “new” water, so what we have today is our water future.

Not only do we need to worry about the amount of water we consume but also what gets into our sources of water that ends up causing pollution. Water pollution is a serious problem in our lakes, rivers and oceans. Most people think water pollution comes directly from a factory or other source that is recognizable.  This is called "point source pollution." Today, the biggest source of pollution is us - you and me and what we do every day. This type of pollution is called "nonpoint source pollution" because it can't be traced to one single source.  It's impossible to tell how much pollution is coming from where. Some examples of nonpoint pollution that ultimately end up in our waterways: used oil poured into storm drains; soil washed from construction sites; grease from restaurants and cafeterias poured down the drain; paint brushes cleaned in the street; unwanted chemicals poured in the ground; and fertilizer and pesticides washed off farm fields and city lawns.  Sound familiar?  That's why it is so important for all of us to clean up our act and learn how to prevent such pollution.

Where is water consumed at school?

Washrooms/Gymnasium locker rooms: toilets, sinks, showers

Cafeteria: washing dishes, preparing food, drinking fountains

School Grounds: watering plants, irrigating lawns

Taking Action at School

It's important to watch out for activities that might pollute the water and reduce water use whenever possible. 

Some ideas for reducing water use or pollution at your school include:

· Install low flow faucet aerators and showerheads to reduce amount of water used.

· Conduct a water audit to determine where water is used in the school.

· Report water leaks to maintenance or janitorial staff immediately.

· Fix leaks in toilets, faucets, pipes immediately.

· Only run the dishwasher when it is full.

· Presoak dishes and utensils instead of running a water rinse.

· Collect rain water for irrigating or other non-potable uses.

· Ensure sprinklers are aimed at grassy areas of the school ground not the pavement when watering.

· Insulate hot water pipes.

· Purchase energy efficient dishwashers.

·Don’t “sweep” walks and decks with water. Use a broom or rake instead.

The following Web sites have interesting information and exciting opportunities to learn about water and how to protect our drinking water and keep our water sources clean.