I recently moved to Joppa MD about five months ago from the Washington DC metro area. Nevertheless, I still work in DC as well as spend most of my non-work time in there. Up until recently, I had been living in the Washington DC area for over 15 years hence it feels more like my hometown. As a result, for this post I focused on the DC public water system.  The main source of water for my hometown is provided by the District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority and comes from the Potomac River. DC Water provides water for the DC metro area including Northern Virginia and Maryland suburbs. The water comes from the Great Falls and Little Falls on the Potomac river north of the District. After collecting the water, Washington Aqueduct a division of US Army Corps of Engineers treat the water, which DC Water purchases and pumps the water into the taps of millions of homes and businesses. When we consume the tap water thorough daily tasks like drinking water, showering, washing our hands, while using the facilities, as well as cleaning food and clothing, the waste goes down the drain into the DC public water sewer system. The sewer system transports the waste water to Blue Plains Wastewater Treatment Plant, which is one of the largest advance waste water treatment systems in the world. This sewage water is treated and filtered before it goes back into the Potomac River.

My water usage picture

In the experiment of living on 2 gallons of water consumption per day, I used the water primarily for drinking, cooking and minimal personal cleaning. The water consumption breakdown consisted of about half a gallon focused in cleaning in the morning. This entailed 2 ounces of water to brush my teeth and the remainder of the half gallon was strategically used to clean core areas. The remaining gallon and a half of water usage itemization was half a gallon for drinking and the remaining gallon was used in meal preparation. Furthermore, I tried to preserve as much water as possible from one daily task to another. I used cleansing wipes and hand sanitizer throughout the day. Unfortunately, the experiment failed mainly because of flushing water during the bathroom trips. When compared to my daily use of water this experiment and exercise really opened up my eyes on how much water is wasted in a given day. Since this awareness I have made conscious efforts in using the least amount of water where possible. In addition, I’m using hand sanitizers and wipes more frequently since the experiment. Also, I’m encouraging my roommates to minimize their water usage where there are opportunities. Geography does matter because you learn how to prioritize and the amenities cater for the minimal water available. Being predisposed at a young age to carefully consume water resources if your geography dictates proves that your surroundings do matter.