Down the drain: 27% water used for flushing, 2% for drinking

Down the drain: 27% water used for flushing, 2% for drinking
Deccan herald

Did you know that Bangalore uses more water for flushing toilets than for drinking or bathing? At least that’s what a study on water use pattern and consumption rate for different activities has found.

The study commissioned by the Centre for Sustainable Development on behalf of the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board found that the maximum use of water was for flushing, followed by bathing, washing, cooking and cleaning of utensils, gardening and washing of vehicles.

While 27 per cent of water was used for flushing, 24 per cent of it was used for bathing and a mere two per cent for drinking, the study found. A total of 1,200 households from different socio-economic strata and certain commercial establishments like hotels were covered in the study.

What is interesting, however, is that the highest water consumption was observed in the affluent or upper middle class at 232 litres per person per day, followed by the middle class at 206, lower middle class at 168 and slum dwellers 66 litres per person per day.

But the concept of water conservation appears to have percolated into the minds of the public to some extent for, about 20 per cent of the households had opted for flush regulation. “Though there is not enough awareness, we found that a significant number of people are willing to adopt water saving measures. For instance, nearly 48 per cent of the people were interested in tertiary treated water for secondary use and 71 per cent in flush regulation,” said Dr A Ravindra, Chairman, CSD.

Said to be the first of its kind, the study covered households in Sadashivnagar, Indiranagar, Chandra Layout, Rajajinagar, Moodalpalya, Nandini Layout, Austin Town, Siddapura, Sagayapuram, among others. The study along with a list of recommendations is presently with the BWSSB.

“The water position in Bangalore is fairly satisfactory at present as the BWSSB has been augmenting water supply through the Cauvery scheme, and there are the borewells.But beyond a point, it may become difficult to get water through any of these means,” Dr Ravindra said. As such water management will be a critical issue in the days to come, he added.

Think about it. Today, March 22, is World Water Day. There is a need to conserve water.

History

The decision to observe World Water Day was made at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) in 1992. In recognition of the freshwater goals agreed to in the conference the United Nations declared that March 22 should be observed as World Day for Water. The theme for World Water Day 2006 is ‘Water and Culture’. Various programmes including discussions, awareness campaigns and conservation programmes are common on World Water Day.

MEANS TO CONSERVE

*Regulate flushes by altering the ball in water closet flush system

*Put a bottle filled with 2 litres of water (Water dam method)

*Purchase partial water closet flush tanks

*Can save 23 per cent per flush in first two methods (84 million litres per day)

*More than 7 litres per flush in partial water closet flush system

*Retrofitting taps can save 195.3 million litres of water per day.