Each day, the average United States household uses approximately 500 gallons of water, 200 gallons in the house and 300 gallons in the yard. This is a total of 180,000 gallons annually usually derived from public water supply, private wells or cisterns.
In addition to this domestic water supply, the house and yard receives huge amounts of rainwater. For example, an 8,000 square-foot property in Sarasota, Florida– rainfall 54 inches per year– receives an astounding 270,000 gallons or rain annually.
The ultimate green water goal is to maintain the natural balance of the watershed. Our homes and communities exist in the larger context of local and regional watersheds. Each year, water is becoming expensive and scarcer, especially in regional drought conditions. Moreover, rainfall runoff from homes and streets degrades water quality in lakes, streams, rivers and coastal bays.
When your house and yard uses water efficiently, absorbs rainfall, releases clean water, and contributes to regional biodiversity, you are promoting watershed balance. By using high efficiency appliances and fixtures, cisterns, gray water recycling, and modern landscape practices, homeowners can save money and implement a balanced water footprint.
The watershed balance goal also includes improving water quality. This involves the reduction of toxic chemicals and fertilizers poured down your drains or rain-washed off your yard into regional waterways.
The transition from a home which uses water wastefully, and pollutes its surroundings, to watershed balance requires three inter-linked strategies:
• House and Yard Efficiency
• Naturalize Yard
• Green Products
A Watershed Balance Makeover: A Florida Example
The example is a Sarasota, Florida house built in 1960. It has old plumbing and appliances and a water-hog 8,000 square foot (1/5 acre) yard with lots of lawn. Rainfall of 54 inches splashes the yard with 270,000 gallons of water, most of which runs off. Each year the household purchases 180,000 gallons from the local utility—72,000 gallons for interior use and 108,000 gallons in the yard; this is 200 gallons per day for the interior and 300 gallons per day for the yard.
The scenario is presented below in three steps, with a summary annul budget illustrating measurable the economic and ecological benefits. The scenario also includes 18 ways to make the transition: low flow plumbing and appliances (shower, faucet, toilet, dishwasher, laundry), gray water reuse, native plant, low water plant, mulch, compost, drip irrigation. trees and shrubs, cistern, porous paving, rain garden, natural pest controls, timed release fertilizer, and non toxic products.
Reduce Water Use in Home and Yard The first step is to reduce water use in house and yard.
Naturalize Yard The second step is to naturalize the yard to reduce rainfall runoff and to increase runoff water quality.
Improve Water Quality with Green Products The third step is to reduce the amount of toxic chemicals going into the septic tank and sewage system or in yard runoff; also to reduce fertilizer leaving in yard runoff.
A Florida Watershed Balance Makeover: By the Numbers This shows the dramatic benefits to the human and natural households of decrease in utility water demand, reduced waste-water volume, and less and higher quality rainfall runoff.
View the additional water categories on the left side tool bar or by clicking below
h2o: low impact design standards
h2o: yard conservation & efficiency
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