Water Usage and Environmental Responsibility

Although in the Pacific Northwest we appear to be blessed with an abundance of water, water remains a valuable and potentially scarce resource. In fact, in the twenty-first century, our region has witnessed an unprecedented level of drought as well as some protracted periods of drought. Currently, 86.7% of the Pacific Northwest is experiencing a drought, with 31.7% experiencing extreme or exceptional drought conditions, according to the National Integrated Drought Information System. Climate change, combined with the needs of a growing population and particularly the expansion of population in suburban areas, can exacerbate the problem and lead to water shortages. But even without droughts and shortages, clean water is necessary not only for the survival of human life, but of all life, both plant and animal, that God has created.

On July 15, 2021, the Washington Department of Ecology declared a drought emergency for all watersheds except those providing water to Seattle, Tacoma, and Everett.

As a culture that values consumption and waste (as one writer expressed it, “we treasure our trash”), our society simply takes water for granted and assumes plenty of water is always available. As followers of Christ, on the other hand, we should never take a gift from God for granted. And we should take measures like the following to ensure that we are not wasteful in consuming water:

• Check that toilets and faucets are not leaking, and if they are, repair them promptly. A running toilet or a leaking faucet can waste enormous amounts of water (and is also reflected in a significantly higher water bill).
• Determine how often you wash your car or cars with a view to washing them less frequently. A neighbor of ours, for example, washes each of his three cars twice a week; that’s simply an enormous waste of water.
• If you have a sprinkler system, determine whether you’re over-watering your lawn and garden. You can then reduce either the frequency or the duration of the sprinklers.
• If you have an irrigation system, check frequently for broken pipes or broken sprinkler heads.
• Don’t use the toilet for anything other than human waste. Each flush of the toilet consumes about 7 gallons of water.
• If you tend to take long showers, try reducing your shower time to under five minutes.

Along with not wasting water, we should also examine our water consumption and take whatever steps we can to limit it. The following are some suggestions:

• When brushing your teeth, turn off the water between rinses. Better yet, use a glass to hold the water you use to rinse.
• Turn off the water when you’re washing your hair and before you begin rinsing it.
• Use a broom instead of hose to clean patios, sidewalks, and driveways.
• Wash pets outdoors in areas where the lawn needs watering.
• Spread mulch around plants so that the soil better retains moisture.
• If you have an irrigation system, install a rain sensor so that the system is not activated when it is raining.
• If you have a pool or fountain, install a recirculating pump to recycle water.
• If your hot water heater has one, use its vacation setting when you’re away from home.
• Replace toilets or faucets with WaterSense toilets and faucets.
• Redirect water from rain gutters to plants and lawns.

Be sure to see Laundry and Environmental Responsibility and Dishwashing and Environmental Responsibility for some additional suggestions to reduce water consumption.