As I snuggle into the pillow, relishing a few stolen moments before my alarm rings, I listene to the rapid spit-spit-spit, followed by the consistent spray of the lawn sprinkler system starting. I switch off the alarm and shuffle to the bathroom, and then to kitchen to start the coffeepot. I reach for the water filter, letting the water run into the sink a minute before filling the pot to the eight-cup mark.

As the coffee brews, I wash up the few dishes in the sink. I’m convinced the dishwasher doesn’t do a very good job, so I always rinse everything first – despite the dishwasher detergent’s admonition to “skip the sink.” I wash out the dishrag, wringing it nearly dry, and wipe off the counter.

As I pour coffee into a mug, I call up the stairs to my son to get in the shower. My routine follows. I turn on the shower for a minute to let the water warm up. They say women spend more time in the shower than men; probably because it’s a mother’s only time alone! I start a quick load of laundry, hoping that by the time I finished drying my hair, dressing, and all the rest, I can throw the clothes in the dryer on my way out the door. After my shower, I brush my teeth, letting the water run into the sink for those quick couple of minutes.

Connor finishes breakfast, rinses out his bowl, and dashes back up to the bathroom to brush his teeth. I grab a bite of breakfast, swallow a handful of vitamins chased down with a glass of water from the dispenser in the fridge, pour more coffee into a thermal cup, grab a bottle of water for the office, start up the dishwasher, and head to the car. It is only an hour and 15 minutes into our day, and my household has already consumed close to 200 gallons of water.

Essence of life
Water. It covers two-thirds of our planet, makes up most of our body tissue, and is essential for life as we know it. It is the single most important resource in the world today – yet the availability of safe drinking water is of serious concern. Every eight seconds a child dies in the developing world from disease caused by unsafe drinking water. Nearly half the world’s population – 2.6 billion people – does not have access to adequate sanitation and a quarter does not have access to safe water. By 2025, it is estimated that two-thirds of the world’s population is likely to live in countries with moderate or severe water shortages.

Of all the water on the planet, less than three percent is freshwater. Of that, less than one percent is part of the water cycle. Rainfall is the only renewable source of freshwater – the rest is locked in polar icecaps, glaciers, and deep groundwater.

The volume of water on the planet hasn’t changed; humans have changed the natural water cycle. We’ve used it, we’ve abused it, we’ve changed it, we’ve taken it for granted.

And we’ve devoured it: In the United States, 450 billion gallons of water are withdrawn per day from ground and surface waters for a variety of uses. Of those 450 billion gallons, only 100 billion gallons are actually consumed. The remaining 350 billion gallons are withdrawn for non-consumptive industrial and agricultural uses. Industry is the largest withdrawer of water but not the largest consumer. Much of the water withdrawn for industry is returned to its source after being used for cooling or other purposes. Agriculture uses the most water, for irrigation. It takes more than one million gallons of water a year to irrigate one acre of farmland in arid conditions. Most of the water used by irrigation re-enters the hydrologic cycle through evapotranspiration. Although it has only 28 percent of the U.S. population, the arid West accounts for 80 percent of the average water consumed daily, due to extensive irrigation.

We’ve contaminated it: Industrial waste, urban waste, and pesticides and herbicides used in agriculture have tainted much of the water returned to the groundwater supply.

We’ve altered it: Changing the course of rivers and streams, damming natural water flows, converting wetlands, and changing land use in watersheds impacts the natural hydrological cycle. The Rio Grande is in danger of having its flows reduced by up to 75 percent; for the first time in recorded history, in 2001 the river ceased to flow into the Gulf of Mexico. As many as 80 million people around the world have been displaced by reservoirs. We’ve lost half the world’s wetlands during the 20th century, seriously impacting biodiversity, altering migratory patterns of fish species, and modifying coastal ecosystems.

We’re losing it: Urban development and expansion sends large quantities of water directly into rivers and oceans, thus limiting the ability of precipitation to percolate into the water table and underground aquifers. Groundwater levels have been dropping as we tap it to meet increasing demand. The Ogallala aquifer, which stretches 174,000 square miles from South Dakota to Texas, is being sucked dry as 15 million acre-feet of water per year are withdrawn for irrigation. One of Africa’s largest bodies of water, Lake Chad, is disappearing rapidly. The lake, which was approximately 25,000 square kilometers in 1963, is only 1,350 square kilometers today. Jaipur, India, a city of two million, is expected to run out of water by 2005.

Half a world away…
The sound of temple bells ringing and the call to prayers by the mullah of the local mosque distinguishes an Indian morning in New Delhi. It is 5 a.m., and Richie Ahuja is visiting his parents, as he does every year since he moved to the United States 10 years ago. Old habits from youth allow him to slip back into the warm blanket that is sleep, even as he hears his father, Swarn Lal, get up to make a cup of tea for his mother.

By 6 a.m. the house bell rings; the milkman has arrived. Richie hears Swarn Lal open the door. The men trade a courteous greeting, and the exchange of empty milk bottles for full is made. As the door closes, Richie knows the household activity will increase exponentially. This is when the municipal water runs through the taps. The water flows for just two hours in the morning and for two more in the late afternoon, depending on the seasons; in the height of summer the Ahujas are lucky to see water twice a day.

The pressure of the water in the pipes is not strong enough to carry it up four floors to the roof of the apartment building where the family has installed a PVC tank for collecting this precious resource. Richie’s mother, Komal, flips a switch in the kitchen to start the water pump, which will elevate the municipal water to the higher levels.

Richie heads to the bathroom to use the toilet. Rather than flushing it, he takes a quart jar of water from a nearby bucket and pours it in. He rinses his toothbrush under the tap for a moment – glad to see that the water, in fact, made it to the tap – and turns off the flow to brush his teeth. After a quick rinse of the mouth and a splash of water on his face, Richie goes out to wish his parents a good morning.

Swarn Lal is reading the morning paper at the table, while Komal is in the kitchen making Richie’s morning chai. While Richie’s tea is steeping, his mother pours some boiling water into a mug. Richie takes it to the bathroom, adds some cold water to temper the heat, and uses it to shave. Richie returns to the kitchen to find the maid has arrived. She is washing the previous day’s dishes that have been soaking overnight in a sink of soapy water. It is a quick job – just five minutes – to wash away the Indian spices and any grease.

Komal heads for a shower, telling Richie that there are three buckets of water should he want to have a wash. Richie knows the three buckets are his mother’s way of pampering him; she and his father never use more than one. But American showers have spoiled Richie, and he admits one bucket generally does not suffice; he must take a few mugs from another to pour over his body in a final rinse. On her way to the bathroom, Komal also ensures that there is enough water for the maid to wash the clothes.

This morning, Richie decides his shower can wait. First, he will walk to the markets with his father to purchase the day’s fruit and vegetables. Richie and Swarm Lal, bags in hand, head out the door.

The Ahuja family of four has consumed but a fraction of the water my family used on the very same day, half a world away.

Answers in the balance
Richie Ahuja works with Environmental Defense in their Austin office. While he does not see the U.S. facing such severe water shortages as they have in India, he does say the answers lie in the balance. One must ask first, he suggests, where he or she stands on the water issue and why. One’s perspective will influence one’s view; the ability to question it is the first step to a solution.

Americans are no strangers to water shortages, even in this land of seeming abundance. Daily efforts to be mindful of water use are vital: Repair water leaks; use water-conserving faucets; buy local, organically grown produce; wash with biodegradable soaps; implement water-harvesting techniques in the garden; above all, use common sense to preserve water.

That night at the dinner table, my family discussed water and the struggle for it in the world. We cannot imagine a place where the entire day is focused on finding enough water. We were also shocked to learn that 73 percent of the water used in the home is either flushed down the toilet or washed down the shower drain. We talked about ways to reduce our water consumption. We agreed to try a week of water mindfulness, like the Turn-Off-the-TV week they used to have in grade school. I started researching more ways to save water. (See sidebar.) I begrudgingly acquiesced to giving up the beloved bath I enjoy now and then – my garden tub is BIG! We all agreed to take quicker showers and to turn off the faucet as we brushed our teeth. We’d pool our laundry to save on loads.

It’s for a week. It’s not long. But it’s a start, even if it’s just a drop in that proverbial bucket.

Sidebar
Keep more drops in the bucket

• Indoors, toilets can use the most water in a busy household – as much as 20 gallons per person per day. Make sure you have low-flush toilets, check for leaks by putting a few drops of food coloring in the tank, and repair any leaks promptly. Avoid flushing the toilet unnecessarily.
• At five to 10 gallons a minute, a 10-minute shower can use as much as 100 gallons of water. Take shorter showers and install a low-flow showerhead (PDF) (one that dispenses less than 3 gallons per minute).
• Turn the water off when brushing your teeth or shaving.
• The second largest user of water inside the home is the clothes washer, using 30 to 40 gallons of water per load. Wash only full loads. If you only have a few items, use the smaller load setting on your washer. When it is time to replace your washing machine, consider a low-water-use clothes washer.
• Repair leaking faucets. A slow drip can waste over 7,000 gallons per year. Often those drips can be stopped by simply replacing a washer.
• Install faucet aerators. Aerators are inexpensive and can reduce the amount of water used by 50 percent. It is estimated that faucets use 10 gallons per person per day, so an aerator could save 1,825 gallons per year per person.
• Never pour grease or oil down a drain. You will clog your drain or waste a great deal of water trying to get the grease down your pipes.
• Rinse dishes in a pan; don't rinse under running water.
• If you use a dishwasher, wash only full loads. Dishwashers use about 15 gallons of water each time per use.
• Keep a jug of water in the refrigerator to avoid running the tap until the water runs cool.
• Do not use running water to thaw meat or other frozen foods. Defrost food overnight in the refrigerator or by using the defrost setting on your microwave.
• Kitchen sink disposals require lots of water to operate properly. Start a compost pile as an alternate method of disposing food waste instead of using a garbage disposal.
• Consider installing instant water heaters so you don't have to let the water run while it heats up.