COLLEGE STATION — One of the driest winters on record for Texas may be setting the stage for a dry summer, making drinking water supplies even more precious during Drinking Water Week, May 5-12.
“We’ve seen a decrease in the amount of recharge, or the amount of water that’s percolating back down through the soil from rain or snow events back into underground aquifers, and we’ve seen an increase of the amount of water that’s withdrawn from the aquifers for drinking water usage,” said Monty Dozier, Extension associate- water quality, Texas Agricultural Extension Service.
“When you have less coming in and more going out, you have a decline,” he said. He estimated that aquifer levels across the state have dropped two or three feet on the average over the last two or three years.
Additionally, those Texans drawing their drinking water from surface supplies are not much better off. “We haven’t had a recharge in those areas because the rainfall hasn’t come,” he said.
Most of the drinking water east of Interstate 35 is drawn from surface water supplies, and most west of the interstate are drawn from underground aquifers, Dozier added.
Drinking Water Week is sponsored annually by the Blue Thumb Project, a part of the American Water Works Association.
Texans consumed 163 gallons of water per day for municipal uses in 1993, the latest year for which figures are available, according to the Texas Water Development Board. That includes household and lawn consumption.
Homeowners can have a tremendous impact on water supplies, Dozier said. Properly watering lawns is one example; typically, 50 percent to 70 percent of household water is used on lawns and gardens.
We find that most people overwater their lawns, particularly during the early part of the summer. Then in August, the bills catch up with them and they understand that they have been overwatering, he said.
Dozier suggested that homeowners contact their county Extension agents for recommendations on how much and proper times to water lawns.
Additional suggestions include:
Turning off the tap while brushing your teeth or shaving. Letting water run wastes five gallons per minute.
Repairing leaky faucets and replacing water-guzzling fixtures and appliances with water-efficient counterparts. A leaky faucet can waste up to 2,000 gallons of water per year.
Installing a more water-efficient toilet. While an old-fashioned toilet uses between 3.5 and 7 gallons, the newer water-efficient models use as little as 1.5 gallons for each flush.
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