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THE
rainy season should have started two months ago, but
what we have now is a long summer.
Sure, it
rained a couple of days ago, but it was in trickles when
it should be pouring in.
It is
not only the
Philippines
that is experiencing this freakish weather. Europe is
reeling from a heat wave that is scorching the
continent, except for England, whose woes were the
unexpected flooding.
Back to
the Philippines, the island of Luzon is still a summer
destination. The bright side is visiting American and
European tourists can still enjoy the sunny weather, but
the downside is the supply of potable water is
decreasing at a rapid rate.
Last
week it was reported that Angat Dam, which supplies the
commodity to Metro Manila, was 6 meters below the
critical level recently.
We need
rain; can we do a rain dance, quickly?
In olden
times when freakish weather comes, like an El Niño
spell, an appeal is made by faithful inhabitants to
their gods to send them rain. Other cultures would make
human sacrifices by offering female virgins to appease
the anger of their gods. It’s such a waste of beauty
back then.
But gone
are the days of human oblation and the blood-drenching
experiences because science has unraveled the mystery of
the heavens.
While
science has advanced and explained the behavior of the
atmosphere, while man has learned to cultivate the power
of water, and while nations have learned to seed clouds,
still when the rains have not come, governments still
call for a sacrifice. It’s a different kind of sacrifice
but a scientific one, too.
During
dry spell, the government advised its citizens to
conserve water. “Be disciplined in the use of water!”
Here are
some easy and practical tips to conserve water:
§
Fix
leaky faucets and plumbing joints. A leaky faucet
consumes 20 gallons per day.
§
Shorten
your showers. A one or two-minute reduction can save up
to 700 gallons per month. Also, install water-saving showerheads or flow restrictors,
which will save you another 500 to
800 gallons
per month
§
When you
wash your hands don’t take too long and don’t leave
faucets running.
§
Use
buckets, instead of hoses in washing cars. This saves
150 gallons each time and for a two-car family that’s up to
1,200
gallons a month. When you wash your car synchronize it with cleaning your
driveway.
§
Use a
broom, instead of a hose, to clean driveways and
sidewalks. Saves 150 gallons or more each time. At once a week,
600
gallons a month is saved.
§
Water
your lawn only when needed. To check, step on the grass
and if your foot springs back, it doesn’t need watering.
Set your sprinklers for more days in between watering,
this saves 750 to 1,500 gallons monthly. During dry spell use a hose instead of a sprinkler system.
§
Run only
full loads in the washing machine, this saves 300 to 800
gallons per month. If you are buying a new washing machine, economize by
choosing a water-saving model. Avoid using extra
cycles.
§
When
washing dishes don’t pre-rinse. Soak pots and pans
before in a wash basin before washing. Instead of
running water continuously, fill wash and rinse basins
with water. Use minimum amount of detergent.
 These
are just but a few of a hundred ways of doing water
conservation. All it takes is some common sense and a
large amount of sacrifice.
Science
fails us at times when water is an issue. But we don’t
have to go back to human sacrifice when the rains don’t
come.
Rather,
we humans have to sacrifice the wasteful use of water so
that there will be enough for the coming days.
This
looming water crisis is a reminder that we should be
wise stewards of the resources given to us. Nature has a
way of making us know. |
