Why save water?
Wherever we look, we are surrounded by some kind of wet element. Brooks, rivers, lakes, seas, rain and snow. Considering all these vast water masses, some people simply cannot understand why it is necessary to be sparse with water and why drinkable water is becoming increasingly expensive. Unfortunately, only small parts of the apparently inexhaustible water reserves on this planet are apt for the efficient production of drinking water.
97% of the water reserves on earth are composed of nondrinkable seawater. The majority of the remaining 36 cubic kilometres of fresh water are made up of solid ice and can be found in glaciers and the polar caps on the planet. This means that only approximately 0,5%, of the total water reserves are apt for the exploitation of drinking water.
Surely you will think that as none of these circumstances have changed for the last forty years, how come drinking water has become increasingly expensive?
To put it bluntly, two reasons can be given:
The demand for drinking water has risen over the last 40 years as a consequence of the population increase and the considerable increase of home consumption per capita, between 90 and 136 litres daily. At the same time the offer of ground water or raw water in optimum conditions has dropped drastically. Since, even though we still refer to it as the "raw water cycle", the regeneration of ground water is in great danger owing to the ever increasing pollution of this water caused by nitrates, pesticides and other chemical substances, apart from the intensified waterproofing of the soil and the extensive exploitation. At present, German water supplying companies have to spend approximately 2 milliard Euros on an annual basis, in order to be able to produce a high enough quantity of water in accordance with the required quality as established by law.
Experts reckon that the technical display for the production of drinking water and its consequent expenses will increase considerably in a near future.
Is it worth while to save water from an economical point of view?
Up to 40 years ago water costs were negligible. Nowadays, each home has to spend approximately 1% of its net income on paying the water bill.
Saving Water means saving ENERGY!
The less drinking water one consumes, the more energy one saves at the same time. Since nearly one third of consumed water at home is heated for having showers or baths. Did you know that the warm water production represents approximately a fifth part of the overall electricity consumption at home and therefore requires twice as much electricity as lighting does?
Help to save water! It pays off immediately both your bank account and the environment.
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