By Natilie Thomas, Fordham Environmental Law Review Journal Staff Member

Water is used within the home for numerous purposes, such as cooking, bathing, doing laundry, among others. Thus, the need for fresh water is important for human survival. But there are concerns for the sustainability of water supply given the current usage and the growing population. Water production and consumption growth rates in many regions are clearly unsustainable.

There has been an increase in the usage of water, with household water use growing to 600% since 1960. On average, the use of water in the home adds up to about 138 gallons per household per day. Uses in the home are often inefficient. For example, water is sometimes left running while is not being used. The misuse of water within the home is one of the cause of water scarcity.

Water scarcity has continued to be a growing problem across the world, leading to water conflicts among territories. While water covers 70% of our planet, only 3% of the world’s water is freshwater.  As a result, a total of 2.7 billion people worldwide find water scarce for at least one month of the year.  Water scarcity is also exacerbated by the growing human population, water pollution of rivers and lakes, inefficient agricultural use, and also climate change.

While we have a long way to eliminate water scarcity around the world, individuals can try to use water more efficiently in the home so as to help alleviate water scarcity. With technology, saving water can be easier than it was before.  There are water-efficient products that can help reduce water usage. These are referred to as WaterSense labeled products. WaterSense labeled products are backed by independent, third-party certification and meet EPA’s specifications for water efficiency and performance. WaterSense labeled products can be found on the EPA website.

Additionally, it is said that some of our water footprints come from the food we consume and the goods and services we purchase. The production of a pound of beef requires more than 50 times the amount of water that is needed for a pound of potatoes.  In addition to conserving water, eating less red meat can reduce water footprint.

Conflicts over water will increase if water continues to be scarce and the population continues to grow. Therefore, reducing the amount of water that is used in the home is important to reduce water stress. We should all do our part and use water more efficiently in order to help sustain the world’s water supply for future generations.