In my town, Westfield, New Jersey, our water is provided by New Jersey American Water.  Sanitary treatment in Westfield is done by the Rahway Valley Sewage Authority.  Upon reading through the New Jersey American Water website, I found a water report for my area.  The report indicated that my water comes from the Raritan River, Millstone River, the Delaware Canal, and the Raritan Canal.  I found that the pH of my water is 6.5-8.5.  In addition, I found that lead in my water was 5ug/L, when the action level was only 15ug/L, and that the copper in my water was at 0.5mg/L, when the limit for action was 1.3mg/L.  It was also reassuring that there was no levels of arsenic in my water.  But, it was interesting to find that State and Federal regulations allow for 10mg/L of arsenic in water before that act.  The Rahway Valley Sewage Authority treats waste-water from municipalities in Central New Jersey, including the Town of Westfield.  They own and operate the sanitary waste conveyance infrastructure and a 40 million-gallon per day wastewater treatment facility in Rahway, New Jersey.  The treatment plant serves 300,000 residents and 3,500 industrial and commercial customers within a 48.85 square-mile area.

Total: 60.5 gallons

When I attempted to live on only 2 gallons of water in one day, I found it very difficult.   Drinking water was one of the most important uses.  I could not do laundry on that day because the washers used more than ten-times of my allowed amount.  To cut down on my water use, the frequency of washing my face, showering, and flushing of the toilet were decreased as much as I could in a dorm environment. Simple hygiene could not be completed to normal statuses.  I took what I known as a “military shower” where you shut off the water as you soap yourself to try to save some water.  Compared to part 1-b, I found myself being much more conscious over leaving the faucet on when I brushed my teeth or when I drank more than a glass of water.  Geography greatly affects water use.  Many countries do not have access to clean water like we do.  As a result, they cannot afford to take a ten-minute shower or wash their face whenever they find it convenient.  They stretch their use of water for only necessities, such as drinking and eating.  Everything else is not as important.