RALEIGH - CHINESE WATER TORTURE GRIPS THE AREA!
Raleigh, North Carolina. A rainstorm … one drop at a time! Chinese water torture is where a person in tied down and driven mad by dropping water in the same place on his/her forehead - one slow drop at a time. At my house we played a version of that game Wednesday evening. To say that we need rain in like saying the Grand Canyon is a big hole in the ground. The heat during the day was a blistering 105 degrees! During the afternoon the TV stations warned of a line of thunderstorms that were going to come through the area at about supper time with high winds, tremendous lightning and frog strangling rain. They were right! The lightning was unbelieveable, the winds were incredible, the rain fell in torents - - - in some places. At our home we heard the thunder, saw the lightning, experienced the winds and - - - our deck didn’t get wet. If the Chinese had wanted to drive us mad they would have had to bring their own water! Come to think of it, “Chinese, if you want to bring water to my house - y’all come!!!”
Yesterday I talked about saving water in the kitchen. Today, let’s talk about saving water in the bathroom. We don’t want you getting stinky but shortening your shower by one or two minutes can save up to 700 gallons per month. Attention SiFi fans. The Triffids will march on your home for that much water! I know we love those pizza pan size shower heads but come on! While you are at this business of saving water, install flow restricting shower heads. My wife uses a soap that makes her so slippery that if I grabbed her when she was latered up she would bounce around the bathroom like air coming out of a balloon. With that kind of soap you may need more water. Incidentally, water restricting shower heads can save another 500 to 800 gallons per month.
Now, you are standing in the tub stark naked. The water is pouring out of the faucet and you are gingerly flicking your big toe in and out of the stream waiting for it to get warm before turning on the shower. No, I am not suggesting that you get in the shower and play soldier. Your screams would be heard a block away and probably get someone in your house arrested. I am suggesting that capturing that water in a bucket or two would save 200 to 300 gallons a month all of which could be used on your lawn or plants without getting the authorities on your case. As to nosey neighbors, that’s something else again. I know it sounds like a lot of bother but we are supposed to be adults and responsible citizens and from time to time we need to act like it. Turn off the water rather than letting it run while you wash your teeth. That saves another 3 gallons a day. If you wouldn’t get a saving from that either way your breath is probably not kissing sweet. Now, about your toilet (how’s that for a bridge). Bill Cosby does a routine about toilet bowls when one is tipsy that will leave you gasping for breath - - and not from the aroma. But, I digress. Fill a plastic bottle with pebbles and water a put it in the tank. You use less water with each flush and this, depending on how many times a day you trot to the pot, will save 10 or more gallons a day and 500 or more gallons per month. When you need to replace a toilet or if you are building a new home, I would suggest you get information about the water saving types of toilets. We installed three in our home about three years ago and they work very well. Let me put that another way. The parts work as well as any other toilet which isn’t saying all that much. The mechanics of toilets hasn’t changed much since they were invented - but that’s a post for another time and if you have a toilet you know what I am talking about.
A couple of other ways to save goodly amounts of water are: (1) Wash your car with a bucket or two of water and give it a quick hose rinse. That can save up to 150 gallons per wash. (2) Run only full loads in your washing machine and dishwasher. That can save from 300 to 800 gallons per month.
How does the joke go about government spending? “If you save a billion here and a billion there, after awhile it amounts to real money!” If you add up all the water saving that is possible in from the above mentioned items, it amounts to a rather staggering amount for your home. If you multiply that by your block, your subdivision, your city, your county on a daily, weekly, monthly basis - it’s a bunch!! In those part of the U.S. where water conservation is GREATLY needed it isn’t hard to see what a difference this could make. Is everyone going to do it? No! But if even a few do it will help. I hope I haven’t been whistling in the wind.
John Fish (919) 696-3474 Email: Marvmax@mindspring.com Website: wwwJohnFish.com
