Wednesday, February 27

Life Straws

Todays Water Tip: If ever in doubt "boil it"
If ever in doubt about a water source that you will be consuming from, the answer is simple, "boil it." It seems like a no brainer, but there are a lot of people who don't even think about it. If you have heard rumors, detect a bad taste, smell, or color that make you uncomfortable about the drinking water, boil it before you consume it. This will get rid of bacteria and microorganisms which could make you sick (certain contaminants can not be boiled away, like Nitrate which can have long term health effects if levels are high). Monthly water quality sampling is required in most states in this country, but you can never be completely sure of the source unless you actually read the reports yourself. Never drink or cook with stream, creek, river or lake water without boiling it first. Hotels and motels usually have microwaves which can be used to boil water, or you can simply use bottled water if it is available.

Life Straws
In my past life I was a beautician for 17 years.
I never really thought much about how dependent I was on water. God forbid that the water would be shut off while I was processing a perm or color. How happy would my client have been with fried hair? Not too tickled, I would suspect. There's not a lot that can be done in a situation like that (bottled water maybe, and lots of it), and ideally we would be warned in advance of such an event. That's the way it's supposed happen anyway.

My point is really more about our dependency on water. I know you may think I sound like a broken record, every week reminding you of things like this. I'm just hoping that along the way people will begin to think about how much water is wasted. And how much water is needed. What if we waste it all and have none? What if your on a private well and it runs dry. Now you have to cough up quite a bit of change to drill a new one, "if" the water is there, and "if" you have the money.

Do you ever see puddles in your yard. It's amazing how many people have leaks outside in the water pipes or sprinkler lines, and never seem to worry about it (many sprinkler systems are served by domestic drinking water sources). How about the people who irrigate with a hose and just let the water run down the street for several hours. We could serve a small community with water for months with what we waste in just one day.

There are people in the world that would give their eye teeth for a tiny bit of that clean wasted water. I was looking at a website the other day where children were drinking through something called "Life Straws" out of a body of murky surface water to get a drink. It made me shudder. It uses a process involving a pre-filter, an iodine layer and a granulated active carbon layer all wrapped up in a fat straw. Don't get me wrong, it's a blessing they have them, but can you imagine that being your main source of drinking water? I also saw that people in the states are ordering them for back woods use, but a caution was given in regards to Giardia lamblia infection (beaver fever) which is resistant to iodine.

Think about it folks. We could all be drinking with Life Straws in the local pond someday if we're not careful.

The wide spectrum of water uses, turn round and round, like a
water wheel.
I welcome your comments

Friday, February 22

A Day With No Water

Todays Water Tip:
Don't End Up High and "Dry"

While bottled water may not be the best thing for the environment due to the plastic bottles it comes in, it sure can be a life saver in an emergency. It does have a time and a place. You should always keep a stock of bottled water in your home. Individual bottles are convenient as you can use only what you need, although large jugs are also available. The bottles can also be refilled with tap water after opening for a more "green" approach, but make sure it is made of a safe plastic, and that they are washed thoroughly between uses with hot soapy water. A few bottles kept in your car can also be a big help in an emergency. Don't leave your self high and "dry". Be prepared.

A Day With No Water
Imagine you wake up in the morning as usual, your mouth feels like the Sahara Desert, you tiptoe into the bathroom, blindly grab a dixie cup, reach for the faucet and.....nothing. Not a drop.....what the heck? Nature calls so you sit down, after a few minutes you reach for the handle and....nada. Not a thing, it just jiggles. OK, whats going on here, I know I paid that water bill on time!?!

In the kitchen, same deal. 5:00 AM, who ya gonna call? So you shuffle to the fridge for some juice or milk or what ever is handy to wet the old palette, take a big gulp and head back to bed. Luckily sleep doesn't require water.

7:45 AM, the alarm rings. You shuffle back to the kitchen, grab the coffee pot, shove it under the faucet and.....oh yeah. No water. "OK, I think there is some bottled water in the garage." You find enough water to barely fill the coffee pot up half way. "Two scoops instead of four should do it." OK, so your on your way to wake up two sleeping cherubs for a day of learning and exploration, when you find the puppy looking extremely sheepish in the corner, and.....squish. "Oh man, this is all I need." You hop on one foot to the hallway bathroom and dig under the counter for some baby wipes that you stashed there yesterday. Good thing. You clean up your foot as best you can and drag your self into the twins room to wake them up for school, and you think, "what else could go wrong?"

After a cold cereal breakfast, baby wipe sponge baths, and hair do's done with the plant sprayer, you make the trek to school. Your husband luckily has the morning off, so hopefully he can figure out this "water thing."

Upon your return, you find out that hubby called the water company and discovered that there is a main line break a couple of blocks away, the water will be shut off for at least the rest of the day. Uggg! It's your day to volunteer at the school for a field trip and you desperately need a shower. Hubby on the other hand, throws on jeans, a shirt, and a baseball cap, and looks like he's ready for a day on the golf course. Oh man, this really sucks, thank God for baby wipes!

Get the picture? These things are only the beginning of the trials that will be encountered on this day without water. By the end of this day you will feel like you have been run down by a mac truck. It's like your on some forsaken waterless camp out where you were drug unwillingly by the hair. By the time the water is turned on the next morning you feel like you have never had such a wonderful luxury. Water.

There are people in the world who would think of this as a typical day. But they don't have baby wipes or plant sprayers or bottled water to get them through. They carry water to their homes daily to cook, clean, bathe, irrigate, and water their animals. For many of us, endless water is a luxury. We wouldn't know how to function with out it. Lets get a clue. Lets treat our water wisely and protect our luxury.

The wide spectrum of water uses, turn round and round, like a
water wheel.
I welcome your comments

Tuesday, February 12

Treat Water Like Gold

Todays Water Tip:
Hot Water Troubles?.....
Three morning showers, and only enough hot water for one and a half. Does this sound familiar?
Many times people do not realize that inside their hot water tank is something called a dip tube. This tube is made of plastic and will break down over time. If your hot water begins to diminish too quickly, or if you are finding small pieces of plastic getting caught in the screens of your faucets, you may have dip tube trouble. We recently had this problem, my husband Bill replaced the dip tube, and now we have plenty of hot water, and it's twice as hot. The dip tube forces cold water to the bottom of the tank allowing the hot water to exit the top of the tank. Without a dip tube the cold water will mix with the hot water at the top of the tank greatly reducing the water temperature. An added bonus.....better pressure from your faucets after you remove the broken plastic pieces from the screens.

Treat water like Gold?
As I was doing my morning treadmill walk one day this week some words jumped out at me from the TV. I was watching the Today Show as I always do, and they were having a segment on the Georgia Aquarium. The words "we treat water like gold" caught my interest. The speaker who was being interviewed stated that water conservation is a very high priority at the aquarium. After visiting the Georgia Aquarium website, I found out that water conservation is the 2nd priority after taking care of the animals. I was impressed with what I read. Many measures ranging from water recycling, low flow faucets, waterless urinals, to low or no water landscaping, just to name a few things are being implemented at the facility. This place really knows it's stuff when it comes to conservation. If an establishment like this one, can put water conservation so high on it's list of priority's I think there is something here to be learned.

"Whats your point?" you ask. My point is that without water this aquarium would not even exist, all the animals would die. Whether a creature lives in the water or not, water is an essential element, just to stay alive. In a way, we are kind of like the creatures at the aquarium. We are all reliant upon water, and we are also reliant upon the fact that water users in our world take care of that water and treat it responsibly. We all have the responsibility to conserve and protect this resource that no one can live without. Our water is not an endless supply, in many parts of the world it is in scarcity. Most people in this country have the luxury of turning on a tap and water pours out. We can consume as much as we want or need. We all need to realize this is a "luxury", not just something to be taken for granted and wasted needlessly. Let's take a lesson from the Georgia Aquarium. Lets treat our water like gold.

The wide spectrum of water uses, turn round and round, like a
water wheel.
I welcome your comments

Tuesday, February 5

Protect yourself and your neighbors

Todays Water Tip:
Do you have any puddles in your yard that keep coming back, or never go away? It's hard to tell when there is snow on the ground, but beware, you could have a leak in a water line. Not only can a water leak cost you extra money, but it could be a cause of contamination to the water supply, especially in low pressure circumstances. Another problem is the waste of precious water. Water conservation is a must for our future welfare, believe it or not, we could run out!

Protect yourself and your neighbors
I know it's only February, but many of us are already planning our gardens. If it weren't for that darn groundhog seeing it's shadow, spring would be right around the corner. Hold on, I do respect the skiers and the snowmobile addicts, and all of the other snow maniacs. I have my own maniac at home. Snow is good. Good for our water supply, our environment and just for good clean fun, not to mention great driving adventures! I on the other hand yearn for spring, sunshine and flowers, I can't wait for the tulips to bloom.

Speaking of flowers, that brings to mind lawns and gardens, I have a question. How many of you have underground sprinkler systems? What a great invention. No more hose dragging, flooded gardens or muddy shoes. Do you ever have to fix a sprinkler line? Many times lines will break from age, improper care, or will be damaged when digging for various reasons. Any time there is a break in the line, contaminants from the soil can enter the water lines. "So what" you say, "its only a sprinkler line." Guess what, many of those lines are connected to the domestic drinking water lines. Whether you are in the city or the county, irrigation water from sprinkler lines can contaminate drinking water. If you live in the city, chances are that you will receive a letter addressing this issue. If you don't already, you can expect one in your near future. Cities are required to implement "Cross Connection Control Programs" to protect the public drinking water supply. This is both necessary and required. "Oh brother, what now?" you ask. Believe me, you should be grateful these rules are in place. There are many documented incidents of domestic water contamination coming from sprinkler systems, businesses and industries. Even an X ray machine or photo lab is a potential risk. What about an illegal drug lab? We're talking risk of illness or even possible death.

Homeowners and businesses are being required to install something called a state approved Backflow Assembly to protect the water supply. There are different types for the different degrees of hazard (so do your homework before you buy). Why is this necessary? Water can change it's direction of flow. If a main line breaks, a fire hydrant is opened, or a pump on a well breaks down, negative pressure can become present in the water lines. If there is no protection at a property that has a source of contamination present, that water can be literally siphoned in the wrong direction (many cities want all properties protected "just in case"). A hose submerged in pool water, chemicals, or a garden pond, can also be siphoned back through the hose to the water lines. How about a nice glass of pond water or fertilizer to quench your thirst. No thank you!
You see, these new rules are put in place to protect you, not to hurt you. If you buck the system to try to save a dollar, you are putting yourself and your neighbors at risk. I don't want that responsibility, do you?

Water is used for a spectrum of uses, turning round and round, like a water wheel.
I welcome your comments