Let’s Save Water One Drop at a Time

By Sania Mathakutha
Staff Writer

We drink, we bathe, we flush, we swim, we wash, we splash, and we cook. Imagine one day without running water.

Especially clean safe drinking water. Water is one of the most important nutrients in the body and since it has no calories it might possibly be a significant factor in loosing weight and being healthy. Cells in our bodies depend on water to function. Without water the body begins to get dehydrated, your mouth can become dry, your eyes stop producing tears, and you might experience muscle cramps. Water is also needed for respiration and converting food into energy. To meet our food demand, farmers need water to grow crops. Without sufficient water, food prices go higher.

“Economically, why are people spending money on water when you can get it for free? The first step is to use reusable water bottles and fill them up in school,” says Professor of Mathematics Marina Philips, who advices HCC’s Friends of the Environment club. “You could also reduce the amount of time you spend in the shower to save water.”

Our civilization uses water as though we have limitless amounts of it. We run the tap just to get the water to our desired temperature before we use it. We do not stop and consider all the water that goes down the drain for no purpose.

Justin Szygiel, a student at HCC says, “It’s sad but unavoidable” when he sees people opening faucets and letting them run for no purpose.

Because of the drought that Connecticut is experiencing, fire dangers are at a high because of insufficient water. According to an article in the Darien Times fromAugust, Governor Jodi Rell issued a drought advisory for Connecticut.

“We are not in an emergency situation, but it is important for people to take sensible steps to stretch our water supply,” Governor Rell was quoted as saying. “I am asking all Connecticut residents to use common sense and to avoid unnecessary water usage such as watering lawns, washing cars at home or running ornamental fountains. While current water supplies are adequate across much of the state. I urge all residents and businesses to please cooperate with your local water utilities and follow their recommendations.”

Saving water should not feel like a sacrifice; when you save water, you are conserving it for the future. Water covers a majority of the earth and provides it with the ability to support life. Organisms don’t have to be told twice about the importance of water for their survival, existence and reproduction. Amphibians lay their eggs in water so that they can reproduce. Even flies understand the importance of water because they lay their eggs in it. Without water, organisms would not exist.

Using reusable water bottles puts money back in your pockets and saves the environment at the same time. Most bottles are never recycled - they end up in landfills, oceans or on the side of the road. Bottled water is not healthier or tastier then tap water. However, if you feel like you need to filter your water before drinking it, you could either buy a water filter for your tap, or a filter pitcher.

According to Professor of Biology Sandra Barnes, students collected water from several fountains at the campus last year, which she tested for microbes.

“Because the water is chlorinated, the bacterial count was very low,” she says. “The water coming through the drinking fountains is very safe – possibly better than bottled water.”

Never take water for granted. In a survival situation, having or not having water can be a matter of life or death. The human body can survive weeks without food, but can not last that long without water.

The majority of diseases in the developing world are water related. Many are because of poor management of human excreta. Some countries in the developing world rely on water from rivers and steams that can be contaminated by septic tanks and municipal sewage. The most common disease is Diarrhea, which is caused by contaminated water. According to the World Health Organization, Diarrhea killed 2.2 million people in 1998. Water is our main source of hygiene. So if you have water to flush your toilet, count yourself as one of the most privileged people in the world.

People turn on the sink and let water run as if it’s nothing valuable, forgetting the intensive labor someone had to go through for that miracle to happen. The question is, where would you be without water?

Easy Ways to save Water

· Use reusable water bottles and refill them at school or at home.
· Turn the water off while washing hands, brushing teeth, shaving and washing dishes
· Take shorter showers
· Cut down your laundry load by doing laundry at least once a week once you have a full load.
· Replace dripping faucets and pipes because every drop counts.