Community, Featured

Reviving a Hill Country Tradition

Water means everything to us.

We drink it, cook with it, bathe in it and take it for granted.

According to several water conservation websites, since 1990, water stress conditions are increasing in the U.S. That means that our duties to take good care of our precious water supply must begin now.

As we search for ways to maintain our water needs, look no further than your bathroom sink, or kitchen sink or the roof of your house. Some enterprising and forward thinking people here are reviving a Hill Country tradition: conservation and rationing.

Our ancestors knew the value of a thing. If we had to carry the amount of water that we use per day from our well to our home, (statistics claim that we each can use up to 80 gallons), you can bet there would be an overhaul of our current water wasteful habits.

Our ancestors used drip irrigation, cisterns, and thoughtful planning of watering schedules.

Their challenging times produced meaningful changes, changes which we can revive.

• Think about cutting your consumption in half.
• Think about what 80 gallons looks and feels like.
• Turn off the water while you brush your teeth or wash your dishes, shave or perform any home exercise which you previously did before you became aware of how many gallons you were wasting.
• Reuse washing machine water by employing a gray water system.
• Collect water from your roof for yard maintenance.
• Have a family meeting and create ways to conserve within your own home.

Start today.

© Pamela Prescott Capps

Technorati Tags: Bathroom Sink, Capps, Challenging Times, Cisterns, Conservation Websites, Country Tradition, Drip Irrigation, Family Meeting, Gray Water, Home Exercise, Home Statistics, Meaningful Changes, Pamela Prescott, Precious Water, Start Today, Stress Conditions, Water Conservation, Water Needs, Water Stress, Yard Maintenance