Water Conservation Initiative

Mini waterfall at the Hiroshima Memorial in Botanical Gardens, Wellington, New Zealand.

Water is precious, yet it is being wasted or poorly managed. You can help promote water conservation by sending on this meme.

If you do, simply follow these rules:
1. Create a blog entry entitled "Water Conservation Initiative".
2. Post the Water Initiative Network's Water Facts in your post.
3. List 3 things YOU will do to save water.
4. Add in the photo above, or any photo you have taken of a waterfall, river or lake.
5. End with the line: "Find out more about water conservation and good governance by joining the Water Initiative Network on Facebook! Visit us here at: Water Initiative Network!

Tag 5 or more blog/FB friends. Be sure to copy the rules, okay?

WATER FACTS
1. Of every 100 drops of water on earth, 97 are too salty to drink, 2 are locked in ice and snow, and 1 is fresh water.
2. The daily requirement for sanitation, bathing, and cooking needs, as well as for assuring survival, is about 50 litres per person.
3. Reducing shower time from 20 mins to 8 mins saves up to 360 litres of water per shower.
4. A small drip from a faucet can waste as much as 75 litres of water a day.
5. Two thirds of the water used in a home is used in the bathroom. To flush a toilet, we use up to 9 litres of water.
6. Water-efficient toilets and washing machines are good ways to save water.
7. A low-tech way to save water is to form the habit of turning on the tap to low flow and turning it off when the water is not needed.
8. Non-revenue water (i.e. stolen or wasted water) constitutes 36% of water 'used' in Selangor, Malaysia, and this raises the cost of water for everyone.
9. Water supply infrastructure cost billions of ringgit. This money could be spent in more useful ways.
10. Large areas of forests are cleared to make way for water supply dams to accommodate our soaring demand for water. These forests and their wildlife represent our natural heritage.

3 THINGS I WILL DO TO SAVE WATER
1. I will tell Dad and Mama not to bathe us too often. (we prefer dry cleaning, thank you.)
2. I will tell Dad and Mama to use the steam mop instead of the traditional mop and bucket to clean the floor.
3. I will remind Dad and Mama to use the correct flushing button at the bidet, left for wee-wee and right for poo-poo. (phew! Thank God our "toilet" uses dry cat litter, not water.)

I AM TAGGING:
1. Yummy Mummy
2. Cheqna
3. Aunty Naz
4. Aunty Kay
5. Aunty Yatt
6. Aunty Ahan
7. Aunty Sherry
8. Aunty Paula

Tidbits from Sydney
This is what we have to live with in Sydney - water restriction because of the drought we've had for years (longer than this cat's lifetime).

The Water Wise Rules are:
· Watering, including with sprinklers and irrigation systems, is allowed any day before 10 am and after 4 pm to avoid the heat of the day.
· All hand held hoses must have a trigger nozzle.
· No hosing of hard surfaces such as paths and driveways. Washing vehicles is allowed.
· Fire hoses may be used for fire fighting activities only.

The Water Wise Rules are simple, common sense actions that apply to all Sydney Water customers in Sydney, the Illawarra and the Blue Mountains. This includes residents, businesses, local councils and government agencies.
Sydney Water encourages the community to use their common sense when applying the Water Wise Rules. For example;
· Wash your car on the lawn wherever possible. This will not only water and fertilise your lawn but will also avoid stormwater pollution.
· Avoid any form of outdoor hosing between 10 am and 4 pm to avoid the heat of the day, when evaporation is high.
· Use a broom to clean up leaves, grass clippings, dirt, dust or general litter on paths or driveways instead of hosing.

Being water wise makes good sense. Water efficiency, together with with more recycling projects and desalination coming on line, means greater Sydney is in a stronger position to secure water for life.

Exclusions
Recycled water, bore water and water used for testing fire systems, fire fighting and related activities are exempt from the Water Wise Rules. Water from rainwater tanks is also exempt if it is not topped up from Sydney Water’s supply.
Some government restrictions do apply to bore water and water extracted from rivers, so always check with your local council and the Department of Water & Energy.

Fines apply
A fine of $220 applies for all breaches of water saving rules by individuals. Businesses face a fine of $550 for each breach. Fines for water theft are $2,200. Authorised Sydney Water staff will carry out random checks to ensure compliance with the Water Wise Rules.

The following are still permitted at any time:
· Using a bucket or watering can to wash and rinse vehicles or water lawns and gardens.
· Filling a pool or topping up an existing swimming pool.
· Using water from a rainwater tank, as long as it is not connected to or topped up with drinking water.
· Using water to cool people or animals.
· Using a hose with a trigger nozzle or high pressure cleaning device to clean boat bilges and boat trailer brakes and wheels.
· Using a hose to flush boat engines.
· Cleaning garbage bins using a hose fitted with a trigger nozzle. This should, wherever possible, be done within an official bin wash area or on grass.

Customers who need to establish a new lawn may use sprinklers or watering systems at any time of the day for 14 days from the date of installation. After the first 14 days, sprinklers and watering systems may only be used before 10 am and after 4 pm daily.Customers may not hose a path, driveway, concrete or paved surface at any time where a broom can be used. Examples include cleaning up leaves, grass clippings, dirt, dust or general litter.

People may be permitted to hose a path, driveway, concrete or other paved surface for reasons of health, safety, emergency, construction activity or surface discolouration. The reason must be readily identifiable to an authorised officer. Examples include:

Safety
· To remove a build up of mould or moss

Health
· To clean the BBQ or outdoor food preparation areas
· To clean food or drink spillages
· To clean up after accidents
· To clean animal droppings
· To clean areas affected by sewer overflows

Construction
· To prepare a surface for painting or resealing
· To clean surfaces prior to the sale or lease of a property
· To rinse surfaces after construction activity provided that the area is initially cleaned using a shovel and broom

Surface Discolouration
· To remove graffiti
· To remove oil stains
· To remove a build up of rust

Quick tips for the home
Every day, there are many simple little things we can do around the house to save water, money and help the environment. Take a look through the tips below for some clever shortcuts to savings.
· Checking for leaks in taps, pipes and dishwasher hoses is an easy way to reduce water wastage. Remember, one leaking tap can waste more than 2,000 litres a month.
· The most water efficient methods for cooking vegetables are microwaving, steaming or using a pressure cooker. You can also cut down on water loss by using tight lids on pots and simmering instead of boiling rapidly.
· Installing water efficient taps or tap aerators is a great, inexpensive way to cut your water usage without you even noticing.
· Put the plug in the sink when washing your hands instead of holding them under running water. · Thaw frozen foods before you need them or use the microwave instead of placing them under running water.
· Prevent taps from leaking by turning taps off lightly and replace washers as soon as they begin to leak.
· Automatic dishwashers can use up to 40 litres of water per load. By using a dishwasher with at least a 3 star/AAA rating1, you can get this figure down to 18 litres per load and still get the kind of sparkling clean dishes you're used to.
· It's best to wait until you have a full load in your dishwasher before using it. This saves water and energy, and reduces the amount of detergent entering the sewerage system.
· Keep a container of water in the fridge so that you won't need to run the water down the sink until it's cool enough to drink.
· Washing fruit and vegies in a half-filled sink instead of under running water is a great way to cut back on water wastage.
· Rinsing your dishes in a plugged sink rather than under a running tap saves water and is just as easy and effective.
· Use a sink strainer.
· Try to use phosphate-free, eco-friendly detergents and cleaning products - there's a great range to choose from these days and they're much better for our environment.
· Remember to regularly clean the lint filter on your washing machine.
· Most washing machines have a load adjustment button or dial, so try to set this to match the amount of washing you're doing. If your machine doesn't have a load adjustment function, try to wait until you have enough washing for a full load.
· Installing one of the latest 3 star/AAA rating showerheads can give you a great shower and save you around 10 litres of water a minute. They also save you energy costs, as you'll use less hot water.
· To rinse your razor, run a little water into a plugged sink. Rinsing your razor under a running tap wastes lots of water.
· There's no need to leave the tap running while you brush your teeth. Simply wet your toothbrush before you begin and use a glass of water to rinse your mouth.

Find out more about water conservation and good governance by joining the Water Initiative Network on Facebook! Visit us here at:http://www.facebook.com/#!/group.php?gid=282587736385&ref=nf