Recent United Nations research predicts that if present water consumption rates continue, by 2025 two out of three people on the planet will be living with serious water shortages, and not just those in developing countries.
The battle to save water begins just outside your home. Water consumption in the developed world in summertime increases by up to 40%. Consuming hundreds of gallons of water this summer on your outdoor environment may make your garden look greener, but does it really mean it will be greener?
Your lawn is a battlefield
In the developed world the average person consumes around 63 gallons (238 liter) a day of water indoors. In the summer this same person may consume an extra 85 gallons (321 liter) a day on outdoor activities: washing the car, sprinkling the lawn, watering the plants. In these hot months it is our gardens, lawns, cars and yards that are the thirstiest part of our households. The battle to conserve water in the summer begins just outside our homes. So how can consumers help win that battle?
Save water and keep your lawn green
Mowing: Set your mower an inch higher than it presently is. Longer grass allows less evaporation. When you mow, leave the clippings on the lawn: grass clippings help keep in moisture.Watering: Water only during the cooler hours of the day, early morning or during the evenings. Watering in the afternoon during summer can lose up to half of your water to evaporation. Don't water often but water deeply when you do. Make sure your hose has a shut-off nozzle.
Aerating: When watering you can improve water penetration by aerating your lawn.
Seeding: Reseed in fall. Come fall, overseed any thin areas to bring back a lush lawn. Aerate, over seed, top dress with compost, and use a fall fertilizer to restore any areas that weathered the summer drought. Fertilizing is more effective in the autumn as rain improves penetration.
Water conservation and your garden
- Improve your soil. Add compost throughout your planting areas. Compost prevents evaporation. Soils improved with compost, both absorb and hold water more efficiently.
- Water your plants efficiently. Use soaker hoses. Don't water often, but deeply. Avoid frequent, light watering that discourages healthy root development.
- Mulch, mulch and mulch again. Cover earth in flower beds with chipped tree bark, mulch (or specialist water-retaining fabric). Mulch reduces evaporation and erosion, keeps soil rich, cool and moist and stops weeds.
- Choose low-water plants. When you buy plants, choose varieties that require less water.
- Group plants with similar water needs together. Avoid mixing plants that need regular water with those that need little to no water.
- Efficient irrigation systems. Well-planned sprinkler systems may cost in the short term but in the long term save time, money and water. Adding a moisture sensor can save even more money. Adjust the timer on your sprinkler system to compensate for changing weather conditions.
- Store rainwater. Rainwater stored in an open-topped water tank can be used for watering. To catch and store rainwater, divert rainwater down from the roof into the tank using cheap plastic guttering.
- Crazy paving, colorful chippings, mulch and alternative coverings. Gardens don't have to be dominated by thirsty, high-water-consuming grass in order to be colorful, comfortable and interesting. Pleasant outdoor environments can also be made from less water-demanding materials: mulches, rocks, wooden decking and concrete can all create interesting, environmentally patio and garden landscapes.
As global temperatures rise, the supply of water fit for human consumption is reducing - both in the developed and the developing world. Particularly in parts of the US, water shortages now regularly create national emergencies.
