National Individuals

There are things that could be done on a large, governmental scale, but more things can be done, accomplished and saved on an individual scale. Individuals can make the biggest difference. There are many ways that each of us can help our country conserve water. One is High-Efficient Toilets (HETs). Before 1980, toilets used 5 gallons of water. From 1980-1994, toilets used 3.5 gallons per flush. Now there are low flush toilets, which use 1.6 gallons, but HETs only use 1.3 gallons. Over a lifetime, the average American flushes the toilet almost 140,000 times. If every household installed a WaterSense toilet, every person could save 4,000 gallons of water a year. Since there are 300 million people in the United States, that equals to 1.2 TRILLION gallons of water a year. That water could help our country be more sustainable.

Our world revolves on water. our country relies on water. It is the essences of life for everything living and for our country. As citizens, we each need to conserve as much water as we can so our earth and our country do not collapse. The biggest water savers are the individuals of these United States. By saving and conserving water, we are ensuring our country’s future and sustainability. We can write emails to our U.S. President and/or state U.S. Senators expressing our thoughts and concerns for America's water situation and what sort of action we suggest they should take. We should let our government know our concerns and encourage them to make it a known issue and to try and get it resolved.

According to American Water and Energy Savers, if a faucet is left dripping for an entire day, it can waste 34 gallons, every little bit counts. From turning off the water while you brush your teeth or wash your hands or dishes to watering your lawns every other day, all of the little acts of conserving water adds up to huge amounts. Also, watering your lawn every other day or even only a few times a week makes your grass more environmentally efficient. By not being water daily, the grass roots are able to grow deeper into the earth and can then hold the soil better. Take showers instead of baths. Baths can use 15-20 gallons of water while a shower uses 10 gallons. And while in the shower, try to turn off the faucet while lathering. We can also invest in water efficient shower heads that use 1.5 gallons per minutes compared to the older versions, which used 2 gpm. Clean Water America took a poll and 54% of Americans said that clean water was a privilege not a right. We should all take care and be conscience of our privileges so that we do not run the risk of loosing them.


American Water also provides a service which estimates how much water each household uses currently and how much water would be saved and how much money could be saved by installing water efficient products.