Water Conservation Tips

If you missed the fireside last week, check out these few tips on Water Conservation.

WATER CONSERVATION
Careful use of water during an emergency is very important if it is going to last for two weeks.  We are not accustomed to rationing.  Here are a few ideas that will help
Use water carefully—don’t waste.
Know your tank systems and the requirements for obtaining water from your tanks.  Have the proper tools to accomplish this.
Pour stored water back and forth from one container to another several times to aerate and improve the taste.
Purchase and study a good book or pamphlet on home storage or water storage.
Learn some new skills in procuring water such as collecting rain water or making a solar still.
Whenever possible, recycle water.
DRINKING WATER
1. Label a quart size beverage bottle with each family members name.  Fill it with water from storage and set it on the counter.  This is an excellent way to control spread of disease, monitor the amount of water consumed by each family member to prevent dehydration, and conserve water use.
2. The other three quarts of water allotment per person per day is used for cleaning and sanitation.  A two weeks supply of paper goods, foods that require minimal cooking, and smaller food portions to eliminate leftovers are essential in an emergency situation.
3. The water from drinking bottles should be used for needed liquid in cooking and brushing teeth.
4. The cleaning water supply should be recycled to maximize its use.
DISH WASHING
1. Place a flat bucket in each side of the kitchen sink.  Heat one gallon of water as hot as you can stand to touch.  Pour two quarts in one bucket for washing and two quarts in other bucket for rinsing.  Add a few drops of soap to dish water.  Place dish rack or towel on counter for air drying.  Do not dry dishes unless absolutely necessary as dishtowels will add to the amount of laundry you will have to do.
2. After washing dishes, strain dishwater by pouring is through a kitchen towel into another bucket to use for pre-washing dishes.  Be sure dishes are scraped as clean as possible before pre-washing.  Shake food particles off dishtowel and hang to dry or fold over pre-wash bucket until needed.
3. Strain rinse water through a dishrag into a bucket or teakettle for heating. Save dish rag for washing dishes. Two teakettles  (one labeled dishwater and one labeled rinse water) are excellent for heating water.  Because of their construction they heat water quickly and hold approximately two quarts of liquid.
4. Pre-rinse water could then be used for flushing the toilet, watering plants or disposing of wastes.
5. In order to conserve as much water as possible, dishes for breakfast and lunch should be pre-rinsed only and stacked.  The day’s dishes would be washed after dinner.
6. For a family of four, one quart of water per person would be used the first day for dishes, and one pint per person on subsequent days.
HAND WASHING
1. It is extremely important during an emergency that proper sanitation procedures are followed in order to reduce the spread of disease.  Therefore, washing hands before meals is a must.
2. Place a bucket in the bathroom basin to catch water.  Heat a third tea-kettle and place it on a hot pad on the counter.  Use a liquid soap container instead of bar soap for washing.
3. Pour about one cup of water in bucket for moistening hands.  Wash hands for 20 seconds with a drop of soap and rinse by pouring a cup of water over hands.
4. Let water in bucket accumulate or pour into a labeled five-gallon container to use later for bath water.  
5. Each family member should have one bath towel to use for bathing and drying hands.  Have designated places for each member to hang their towels.  No more than one towel per person should be used each week.
BATHING
1. In order to conserve water, bathing should be kept to a minimum.  Once a week is enough to refresh, and cleanse the body unless very dirty work is being performed during the day.
2. Sponge bathing uses the least amount of water.  Use one bucket of heated hand rinse water from the five-gallon container for washing. This water will contain sufficient soap to wash the body.  Additional soap will be needed for washing hair. Do not use safe drinking water for rinsing unless no other water is available. A pitcher or teakettle works well for rinsing the hair and pouring additionally needed water into the rinse bucket.
3. Sit in a plugged, dry bathtub.  Lean over wash bucket while washing hair.  Use as little shampoo as possible so that the water from rinsing the hair can be used to rinse the body.  Any water that splashes into the tub will be caught in the plugged tub.
4. All family members should bath during the same time period. The cleanest family members should bath first so that those following can use their water.
5. If water left standing in the tub is dirty it should be siphoned off into a container for flushing the toilet the toilet or watering plants.  If it is clean enough to reuse for bathing, siphon it into a 5-gallon container marked “Used bath water”.