We Can't Take Our Water Supply For Granted

Harrisonburg's Water Treatment Plant on Grandview Drive
(photo by Daniel Lin, Daily News-Record)

While much of the earth's surface is covered with water, 97.5% of it is saline, and just 1 percent of that 2.5% of fresh water is readily accessible to meet the needs of the earth's 8.2 billion people, according to a 2023 article in the National Geographic magazine. 

Citing a United Nations report, the article states that "water use has grown at more than twice the rate of population increase in the last century. By 2025, an estimated 1.8 billion people will live in areas plagued by water scarcity, with two-thirds of the world's population living in water-stressed regions as a result of use, growth, and climate change."

Neighboring Mexico City, with a population of 23 million, is already facing the prospect of having its reservoirs depleted this summer, and having to rely on a shrinking and finite amount of available underground reserves. Multiple other major cities, many in the global south, are facing similar grim prospects. 

The area served by the Harrisonburg Department of Public Utilities has for many years been blessed with a good supply of water from the Switzer Reservoir, the Dry River and the North River. Now there are plans to extract water from the Shenandoah River to the east as well, due to growing water use that has reached a total of 7 to 8 million gallons a day. That amount will increase significantly when JMU and EMU students return this fall.

Meanwhile, our area is projected to experience ongoing drought conditions throughout the summer, and we are already being encouraged to conserve water in light of increased demand and reduced supply.

As someone who grew up on a dairy and poultry farm, I'm especially aware of the effects of drought on crops and of the significant and constant need for tons of water for agriculture production. The prospect of lower water levels and shrinking streams and creeks in Rockingham and surrounding counties is a source of constant concern for farmers who rely on weather patterns that are increasingly less predictable on anever warmer planet.

Here are some suggested ways of conserving water from the Ecolife Conservation website:

1. Wash your fruits and vegetables in a pot of water.

2. Designate one glass or water bottle to drink water out of so you don’t have to continue washing new cups throughout the day

3. Compost vegetables and fruits instead of using the garbage disposal. It will power up your plants and save water.

4. If you accidentally drop ice, don’t throw it in the sink – put it in a house plant. If there’s any ice left over from a drink do the same thing.

5. Try to use fewer pots and pans when cooking, you’ll have less to wash.

6. Leave a tub in the shower to get the excess water while it warms up. You can use this water for your plants!

7. Take a shower right after someone gets out so you don’t have to wait for it to warm up.

8. Shorten your shower by a minute or two and you’ll save 100+ gallons a month!

9. While washing your hands or brushing your teeth, turn off the sink when you’re not using the water.

10. Plug the sink while shaving to save water when rinsing your razor

11. Use a tub of water to shave instead of letting the shower run

12. When washing clothes make sure you’re washing a large load instead of half a load

13. Only wash your clothes after a few uses

14. Harvest rainwater to save water and have it for later use. 

15. Use a broom instead of a hose to clean patios, sidewalks, and driveways

16. When giving your pets a fresh bowl of water, use the leftovers to water plants and trees around the house or yard.

17. Only order water at a restaurant if you’re going to drink it.

Here are some random tips from other sites:

18. Flush urine waste from commodes intermittently rather than after each use.

19. Water garden plants and flowers at their base rather than using a sprinkler to cover an entire area.

20. Irrigate in the evening or early morning (and not when windy) in order to reduce evaporation.

21. Keep a supply of drinking water in the refrigerator instead of letting water run until it is cool.

22. Make sure to repair leaking faucets.

23. Mulch your garden with newspaper, leaves, and/or grass clippings to help preserve moisture.

24. Don't pour water down the drain that could be used for watering plants, etc.

25. Reduce purchases of food and clothing that require excessive amounts of water to produce. According to the National Geographic article cited above, "The average hamburger takes 2,400 liters, or 630 gallons, of water to produce, and many water-intensive crops, such as cotton, are grown in arid regions."