Pugmire 1

Jacob Pugmire
Jennifer Courntey
English 2010
7-16-15
Our Fight for Water
Water. One of the fundamentals of life on earth. The earth is composed of
around 70% of it. Our bodies are also mostly water. We drink it daily, bathe in it, water
our gardens, wash our dishes and so on. Water plays a constant and very important
role in each and every day. With such a critical role that water plays, we do not pay
close enough attention to it and the
ways it is being used here in Utah. We
need to be more aware of the water
situation and of the role we play in
conserving this precious resource.
Living in the United States, we
are very fortunate. With the implication
of modern technology, it is likely that
wherever you live, there will be water
available each and every time you
walk over to the sink and turn on the
tap. Because of this comfort, it seems
that we are getting a bit lazy and
careless with our usage and
implication of water. Some would even
argue that water is a renewable
resource, so why conserve? It is going
to keep raining and we will always
have the water that we need. There is
no use expending time, money and
energy in conservation of something
will be provided by nature, right? Well,
Utah is considered a desert based on
how much precipitation is received on
a yearly basis. Utah uses the most
water per capita in the U.S., but we
receive the second lowest annual
rainfall! (Devision of Water Resources
Conservation Program: Why Conserve
Water?) Now in some cases this
Photo from pixabay.com
statistic does make sense. Because
Utah receives so little water, our
consumption increases to make up the difference in water needed. Unfortunately, this
water consumption process is the development of bad water usage habits that could
come back to hurt us in the future.

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In 2010 there were about 2.8 Million residents in Utah. It is projected that in 2040
there will be around 4.5 Million residents, and that amount will grow to about 5.9 Million
in 2060. Based on these projections, it is clear that water consumption will only
increase. In order to compensate for the projected growth, our water consumption per
capita needs to decrease. It was also shown in an article by Richard Taylor called
When Wells Run Dry that water usage throughout several large countries in the world
are facing similar circumstances. Mexico, United States, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Pakistan,
India, and China all contribute to 74% of water drawn from wells world wide. This
drawing from ground water is in turn lowering the water table and could have severe
consequences if something is not done to reduce the amount of water consumed per
person.
On average, about 240 gallons of water are used daily per person in Utah. It
sounds a little high but is also including water consumed for things such as farming,
industrial use, and so on. Now of the amount of water consumed daily, around 30% of
that is from residential and private use. Then, 60% of the water used residentially and
privately is used outside and 40% inside. Because so much water is being put to use
outside the home, this is where the current focus is as far as conserving water goes.
The water that is used outside our homes is the water that can be influenced the
most in order to achieve a lowered consumption status. One person who changes their
consumption habits is not able to make the needed change, but when members of
communities come together, a difference can be made in order to conserve water in
Utah. This goal goes back to the individual who choses to conserve. As a whole we
can make a change in water consumption habits beginning with each individual.
The Devision of Water Resources has set the goal of reducing water
consumption by 25% in the year 2025. (Devision of Water Resources Conservation
Program: Why Conserve Water?) This is a very reasonable goal but is something that
can only be achieved through working together as a community. They have focused
water conservation efforts primarily on residential water use with an emphasis on
outdoor landscapes because this category has the greatest potential for water
conservation.(Devision of Water Resources: Smart Controllers) There are so many
different things that each of us can do to help.
Among some of the many ways to conserve water is zero-scaping. This is a way
of making a landscape that requires little or no water maintenance. Drip Systems are
simple ways of watering directly on a plant and not the surrounding areas that dont
need water. Superfluous watering is one of the many reasons that more water is
consumed than is needed.
Water Harvesting is a great way to utilize water that otherwise goes right down
the drain. Anyone who has a roof or some sort of area that does not require
precipitation can potentially harvest that water and put it to use where it is needed on
lawns and other plants. There are some regulations on water harvesting to be
considered before actually doing it, but it is a very practical source of water. Tanks that
are used for harvesting that are above ground are limited to two 100 gallon reservoirs.
For reservoirs that are underground, up to 2500 gallons is permitted for harvesting.
Being smart about when you water plants and lawn is another way to be water
smart. An article that was published by HortScience called Water Conservation in
Urban Landscapes, authors Kjelgren, Rupp, and Kilgren talk about watering

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landscapes. Low distribution uniformity due to improper maintenance, such as
obstructed or improperly nozzled heads, or operation during windy periods, can be
improved through maintenance and different operation times. This statement shows
that there are some very simple actions that can be carried out in order to improve
water consumption with areas where there are dry climates. When the effort is taken to
repair and maintain watering systems, water will be conserved and we will be that much
closer to reaching our goal of reducing water consumption by 25%.
It is easy to think that you are not a contributing factor when it comes to the water
usage and conservation. Maybe you are under the impression that it isnt necessary to
be conservative with water because it is a renewable resource. Conserving water is an
issue that needs to be considered and addressed for the future in order to preserve the
comforts of water at the tips of your fingers. You are where it begins. Together with
others in the community, we can make the change in water usage habits that is needed
for the betterment of our future.

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Works Cited
Devision of Water Resources Conservation Program: Why Conserve Water?
Utah Division of Water Resources, Devision of Water Resources Conservation Program
http://conservewater.utah.gov/why.html
Devision of Water Resources: Smart Controllers
Utah Division of Water Resources, Devision of Water Resources Conservation Program
http://conservewater.utah.gov/pdf/Tips/SmartCwebpage.pdf
Kjelgren, R., Rupp, L., & Kilgren, D. (2000). Water Conservation in Urban Landscapes.
In HortScience (6th ed., pp. 1037-1040). Logan, Utah.
Pixabay, 2012
https://pixabay.com/en/sign-water-recycle-conserve-24130/
Taylor, R. (2014, December 11). When Wells Run Dry. Nature, 179-180.