Household Water-Saving Technology
Will Chun ’25
Sydney Robinow ’25
Water. It is essential to our lives, and yet, we often neglect it. At Loomis, water comes out of faucets at the push of a button — so easily attainable that we take it for granted, so abundant that the thought of it running out is … unfathomable. However, we should be incredibly grateful for it, as over 30% of the world’s population — 2.1 billion humans — lack safe, potable water at home. Even worse, a child dies every 20 seconds because of poor water sanitation which could be prevented if we stopped wasting so much of our household water (Water4.org, 2023).
Although taking long showers and keeping the faucet on may seem harmless, the damage that these small habits can have on our environment stacks up. Firstly, filtering clean water requires an incredible amount of energy, time, and money. Wasting water corresponds to wasting energy generated from nonrenewable fossil fuels, contributing to the looming threat of global warming (Mohsenin, 2016). Additionally, water usage depletes our finite supply of freshwater, decreasing the available water for agricultural use, such as growing crops and nurturing livestock. In turn, food production becomes more expensive, worsening world hunger.
Luckily, numerous innovative household water-saving technologies have emerged recently, providing practical solutions to promote water sustainability. Have you ever thought that it was wasteful to use our limited, clean water to flush dirty toilets and water lawns? Rainwater harvesting systems solve this problem by collecting and storing rainwater, channeling it into a storage vessel. This water can then be repurposed through watering lawns, washing vehicles and pets, and refilling swimming pools, making the method cost-effective and low maintenance
Another example of groundbreaking technology that reduces the water flow of faucets while maintaining a steady stream is faucet aerators, which are small, $3 metal disks with mesh screens that can be screwed on almost any faucet head. By diluting the water stream with air, these aerators reduce the volume of water flowing from faucets significantly and decrease household water consumption (Danco, 2016). In fact, the EPA (United States Environmental Protection Agency) estimates that if every household across the nation used faucet aerators, nearly $1.3 billion in water and energy could be saved and 69 billion gallons of water could be preserved, which is equivalent to an annual household’s water need of more than 680,000 American homes (Bathroom Faucets | US EPA, 2016).
Water is the crux of our planet, and its accessibility in the US should not fool us into taking it for granted. Although households all around the globe waste billions of gallons of water a year, simple switches – such as implementing rainwater harvesting systems and faucet aerators – can be revolutionary in our fight against climate change and the global water crisis. Regardless, even if a faucet aerator sounds too tedious to install, or a rainwater harvesting system sounds too time-consuming, simply being aware of the scarce water situation on our planet can help. So, the next time you remember to turn off that faucet or take a shorter shower, you are positively impacting the world by mitigating the climate issue that future generations, and we, must resolve.
References
Danco. (2021, August 16). Faucet aerators: What are aerators and what do they do? Danco.
Problem. Water4. (2023, March 27). https://water4.org/problem/
gclid=CjwKCAjw6IiiBhAOEiwALNqncSq8LvM6KraaUqsDDnUqzYEj2OGs_x399yISPYYQgtJ88x4hUgAx-BoCHQ8QAvD_BwE
Contributor, Q. (2016, August 4). How is wasting water bad for the environment? Slate Magazine.
https://slate.com/human-interest/2016/08/how-is-wasting-water-bad-for-the-environment.html
Maxwell-Gaines, C. (2020, July 27). Rainwater harvesting 101: Your how-to collect rainwater guide. Innovative Water Solutions LLC.
Environmental Protection Agency. (n.d.). Bathroom Faucets. EPA.
