Save each drop to make it count!

Imagine having to spend a few hours without fresh, clean, running tap water in the house. Worse still, imagine having to get through without it for days on end. Sounds unfamiliar… unimaginable…unbearable? Well, as unreal as such a predicament would seem for most coming from this part of the world, for some people water scarcity is a part of their everyday reality.
According to a report published by the Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council in 2004, it has been estimated that in parts of the developing world, women travel at least 6 kilometers to collect water everyday.
By the year 2050, 9.3 billion people will need to be fed and quenched. The water crisis scare is furthered heightened by the fact that only 3 percent of fresh water on earth is billed fit for human consumption.
With the population expected to further burgeon into 41 million by the year 2025 in Saudi Arabia, of which 80 percent will constitute the urban population, sustainability of the already scarce non-renewable resource in the Saudi desert must play a key role in ensuring safe water supply for the coming generations.
While the accelerating population growth rate has perpetuated increased demands for safe drinking water, large investments in desalination projects create the added burden of high energy costs, increased CO2 emissions and water pollution, which is not translating into effective environment-friendly strategies either.
“It is a duty and obligation upon us to save water. This is a gift from God and we must treat it preciously. Don’t be selfish by using and abusing it, but save it for our future generations,” said Basil Al-Ghalayini, chairman of BMG Foundation. The charity has organized the nation-wide awareness campaign “Our Water, Our Life,” propagating economical, water-saving practices for individuals and households, with support from the Ministry of Water and Electricity.

Why should we conserve water?
“We made from water every living thing. Will they not then believe?” (The Holy Qur’an, chapter 21, verse 30)
Water is a vital building block of the earth’s entire creation; from single-celled to multi-cellular organisms, from stones to paper; water is the lifeblood of existence itself.
Disputes have risen in the past between provinces, states and countries over this precious but now dwindling resource by virtue of its significance for the sustenance of future civilizations; access to safe water for survival is a basic human right in itself.

What can we do?
A lot! Regardless of who we are or where we are, each of us can and should contribute individually toward water conservation. The first major step is to cut short on unnecessary wastage and blind extravagance.
“O ye who believe! Make not unlawful the good things which Allah hath made lawful for you, but commit no excess: For Allah loveth not those given to excess.” (The Holy Qur’an, chapter 5, verse 87)
Let’s take a quick read below to see how each one of us can adopt conscious, water-saving habits at home.

Tips on saving water in the kitchen
• Close the tap while soaping the dishes and reduce the stream of water while rinsing.
• Wash fruits and vegetables in a large bowl of salted water instead of running water, and re-use it for watering houseplants.
• When boiling vegetables, use a minimum amount of water to immerse them completely and cover with a saucepan lid. This will also conserve nutrients.
• Purchase dishwashers that have a high-star rating on water efficiency, and run the dishes only on full load.
• While waiting for the water to warm up, collect the cold water and use it for other purposes instead of letting it run.

Tips on saving water in the bathroom
• Close the faucet while brushing teeth and you’ll save 4,000 liters of water a year. A running tap wastes around 16 liters of water per minute.
• Reduce the stream of flowing water while making wudhu. Just use enough to wet the parts intended for purification. Authentic hadiths (sayings of Prophet Mouhammed, PBUH) indicate the discouragement of using excess water while making ablution. According to one Hadith, the amount of water the Prophet used while making wudhu did not exceed the amount held in the cupped hands of an adult.
• Shorten your showers by a minute or two and you’ll save 567 liters per month.
• Insulate your water pipes. It prevents wastage of water while waiting for it to get warmer or colder.
• Install a dual flush toilet that will allow you to choose the amount of water used to flush out the waste.
• Use less water while showering children. Pet showers should be done in areas in need of water, like your garden or lawn.
• If you want to take a bath instead of a shower, fill it up to half a tub and save 35-60 liters each time.

Additional tips on saving water at home
• While cleaning out fish tanks, reuse the nitrogen and phosphorus rich water for houseplants. They can serve as effective fertilizers.
• Match the water in the washing machines to the amount of laundry and run a full loaded machine. You will save 3,000 liters per month.
• While letting out soapy water, collect it in a bucket to clean the floors.
• Repair dripping taps. It can save around 12,000 liters of water a year.
Encourage family members and friends to be part of a water-conscious community. Educate yourself and become a part of the solution, not the problem. Save water. The future depends on it.