Water and climate change

 

Water and climate change

Producing and transporting water uses a lot of power and materials — all of this can contribute to future climate change. If customers use less water, then this reduces the impact companies have on future climate change. How could water companies support you in reducing your water usage (information, gadgets, consultations, advertising, anything else)?

The on-street water meter is misted up half the time, making it difficult, sometimes impossible, to read. Moreover, it is located down a hole at a depth of about 500mm. I make the effort, every day, to read the water meter to see how much water we have used over the past 24 hours. I also check the water leak dial. If you wanted to help, you would put an electronic version of the water meter in a convenient place in my house so that I do not have to get on my hands and knees every morning. I have devised a spreadsheet on which I record the water meter readings, calculate the previous day’s water use, calculate a 7-day moving average and calculate the long-term average. I have worked out how much water we use for each of our activities (shower, bath, washing machine, dishwasher - as well as a baseload for drinks, toilet flushing, household cleaning and handwashing). I can now 'see' when extra water has been used, and investigate it. If you want people to save water, then give them the daily figure for actual use and also the 7-day moving average, and give them a spreadsheet on which to record this information. Even better, just give them the information daily in a spreadsheet. Only when people have the almost real-time information about their water use will they be able to change their behaviour meaningfully.

Second, provide me (and everyone who can use one) with a sizeable underground water storage tank to capture rainfall around my house. I do not have anything like the money required to buy and install such a storage tank, but I could use every drop of rain to good effect were I able to store it. The rain tends to fall in the winter, and the water tends to be required in the summer. My fruit and vegetables would prefer rainwater to chlorinated water. This would not be preventing the water from recharging the underlying chalk aquifer, merely delaying the recharge. (The downside for you is that you would not be able to charge me so much, as less the water would be passing through the water meter.)

Third, provide me with the opportunity to use grey water around the house. A toilet does not need to be flushed with potable water, nor floors mopped, nor cars washed.

Fourth, show people that you are serious about wanting to reduce water use: show people exactly how much money they will save by using less water, and show them ways to save it.