Photo from ONE DROP Honduras via flickr

It’s estimated that 2 and a half gallons of water a day is enough to survive, yet according to Treehugger, Americans use an more than 100 gallons per day. Dr. Peter Gleick, president of the Pacific Institute and blogger for the San Francisco Chronicle, recently reported that Americans actually consume nearly double that — 180 gallons per day, according to the US Geological Survey’s latest estimate.  And, he added, this number doesn’t include the water we use to grow the food we eat or our portion of water used for industrial mining, aquaculture or livestock.  A more accurate view is to consider all of the water used in the United States and divide it by the population of the United States,  which puts the average at 1,430 gallons per person, per day. Astounding.

Water is our most precious resource. As the world’s population grows and global climate change continues to effect supply in regions around the world, the need to face our incredible water consumption becomes more and more important. And that means more than just turning off the faucet while you’re brushing your teeth (although, saving water in any way is important, too). It means following all those tips and tricks for saving water and actively participating in talks about these issues — making sure our water is managed in the best ways possible.

One of the best ways to do this is to get involved with or at least follow the activities of the Advisory Committee on Water Information and their various programs. The ACWI is  part of the U.S.  Department of the Interior and the U.S. Geological Service.  Check out The American Heritage Rivers Initiative, designed to help river communities that seek federal assistance and other resources. One of the best online tools the Rivers Initiative features is the Surf Your Watershed web site, which allows you to type in your zip code or pick your local river and explore the health of the watershed, the counties and areas teh water serves, information about management and citizen groups that are actively working in your area. Another great tool the ACWI offers is the Science in Your Watershed web site. Its similar to Surf Your Watershed, except its devoted solely to offering access, analysis and maintenance of the status and health of the watershed near you.

But this is only where to begin.  Conserving water means paying attention to and limiting your personal, everyday water usage, but also paying attention and actively working to protect water resources. Seek out groups in your community, organize your own river cleanup, and talk to your neighbors about waterless car washing. These small efforts can make a world of difference.

By Amelia Harnish