#6 Termination of Running Water while Brushing your Teeth

<http://www.hunterwater.com.au/images/

     Brushing_Your_Teeth(1).JPG>. 

    
    

        On a daily basis, people from all over the world are continuously consuming water. I have been tracking my own water consumption, essentially consuming 4159.5 liters of water weekly. This is a large amount of water being consumed over a course of one week and for only tracking one person. Now if you multiply that number by the amount of family members you have, in my case 4, then you can roughly estimate the amount of water being consumed in just one household. For example my household would roughly consume 16,638 liters in one week alone. Not to mention, this tracking sheet outlines the essential water needs to get through the week. There are many alternative ways to keep your water usage low, it’s just a matter of finding them in order to make that happen.

            

       For lowering my own water consumption I have decided to take baby steps and simply turn off the tap in between brushing my teeth. We all know that brushing your teeth is very important to one’s hygiene. Yet what some people do not know is the amount of water that is wasted by constant tap running.

            

       It is such a straightforward concept that is not acknowledged as it should be. This is the ultimate reason as to why I am stepping forward to help myself save any excess water from being wasted in this important process of the day.

            

       The research that I have found indicates some positive tips in order to help save wasted water along with some neat facts that will make you want to watch your own water consumption. This website states that a faucet without an aerator can use up to 6 gallons of water each minute. Turning off the tap while brushing your teeth can save as much as 3000 gallons of water per person for one year, according to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

            

       In the same website I gathered the most important tips to encourage people to help out our environment. Small things such as turning your tap to half blast or low pressure to wet the brush, and replacing the running tap with a glass of water, to then rinse your mouth and sink with. Surprisingly this saves a lot of water. This problem is something that all people must be aware of because even though water is a renewable resource it is disappearing fast. This becomes a very negative problem resulting in water shortages and drought. Drought and shortages result to the lowering of after tables and rivers that have or are drying up; all of which have occurred in our area.

            

       Another article I have read, states that many countries are pumping water from aquifers much more then they are supposed to. When aquifers begin to deplete, harvesting cutbacks begin to occur and food production is effected. There are many demands to balance the water consumption. Around the world tables are beginning to deplete, rivers are becoming dry and soon wetlands will disappear.

     <http://shareforus.com/20-ways-to-save-water>. 

       Here is a video I decided to include to show people how much water is wasted down the drain when you do not turn off the tap while you are brushing your teeth. It also reminds people how much money can be saved if you brush wisely.