Water Conservation

Water is everywhere. In fact, two-thirds of the Earth’s surface is covered with water. Only a tiny percentage of it—one hundredth of one percent—is available as clean, fresh water in lakes and rivers. We use that up faster than it can be restored through the natural water cycle. To make up the difference, we manufacture clean water at treatment plants, which burns a lot of energy and money. (Photo: Benjamin Earwicker)

Water Use at the Zoo

By fixing old water main leaks, upgrading water filtration systems, and using water conservatively, the Zoo is significantly reducing water usage.

Go Green Challenge: Reduce Your Use

The average person uses 80 gallons of water a day. For example, a single bath uses up to 20 gallons of water. Brushing your teeth twice a day uses about 4 gallons of water. Each person flushes about 25 gallons of water down the toilet in a single day. Drinking eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day equals about ½ gallon.

Here are just a few ways we can reduce our use of water:

Affix water-saving aerators to your faucets.
Take short showers and turn off the faucet while shaving or brushing your teeth.
Place a brick in your toilet tank to cut back on the amount of water that gets flushed.
Only run the dishwasher and washing machine for a full load.
Landscape with plants that require little watering, and when you do water the plants, do it early in the morning.
Use a broom, not a hose, to clear off driveways and sidewalks.
When replacing water in pet bowls and fish tanks, give the old water to your plants.
Wash your car at a commercial car wash that recycles its water.
Newer dishwashers can clean dishes without pre-rinsing.

Recycle the Rain

Household water use skyrockets in the summer as we water our gardens and lawns. Instead of using water from the hose, capture rain water from your roof in a rain barrel to use for irrigation, which is better for your plants than chemically-treated water. This also cuts down on the amount of rain that washes into streams, rivers, and sewers. Using a rain barrel can save more than 1,000 gallons of water over a single summer. (Photo: Shasta Bray)

Make your own rain barrel