AP Environmental Science Name______
Date______Period____
Home Water Survey
We must work together to preserve water. Water may be one of the most under appreciated natural resources we have because it is always there when we want it. However, water will be our next big concern after oil. Only approximately 5% of the water on earth is freshwater that can be used for drinking. That is why we seriously need to begin conserving our water supply. Conservation is easy. Remember this statistic: more than 70 % of indoor use occurs in the bathroom, and more than 20 % of it occurs in the kitchen and laundry room.
Activity / Normal Use / Conservation UseShower / 5 gal/min / 2 gal/min (low-flow device)
3-5 gallons (wet down, soap up,
rinse)
Tub Bath / 36 gal (full) / 18 gallons (half-full)
10-12 gallons (low level)
Toilet / 5-7 gal (normal) / 1.6 gallons (~3, regular with tank
displacement devices)
Brushing Teeth / 3 gal (running water) / 1/8 gal
(wet brush, rinse briefly)
Hand Washing / 5 gal (running water) / 1 gallon
(fill basin, rinse briefly)
Shaving / 3-5 gal (running water) / 1 gallon
(fill basin, rinse briefly)
Dishwashing by Hand / 20 gal (running water) / 5 gallons
(fill basin, rinse briefly)
Dishwasher / 15 gal/use / Use only when full
Washing Machine / 55 gal/use / Use only when full
HOME WATER USE SURVEY
Showers:
How many showers does your family take a day? ____A
How long is each one (# of minutes)? (Put 6.3 if unsure) ____B
How many baths does your family take a day? ____C
Toilets:
How many times does your family usually flush the toilet each day? (Put 4 if you are unsure) ____D
Brushing Teeth:
How many family members are in your household? ____E
How many times per day does each person brush their teeth? ____F
Hand Dishwashing:
How many times a day does your family wash dishes? ____G
How long does the water run each time? ____H
Dishwasher:
How many times per week does your family run the dishwasher? ____I
Laundry:
How many loads of laundry does your family wash each week? ____J
Outside Watering :
How many times a week does your family water the lawn? ____K
For how many minutes each time? ____L
How many times a week do you wash cars/boats/driveway? ____M
For how many minutes each time? ____N
Other Uses:
Your family also uses water in other ways. LIST HERE:
______
______
______
______
______
What is the average daily amount of gallons of water used in these activities? ____O
WATER SURVEY RESULTS
Water Activity Average usage Total: day Total: month
Showers 2 or 5 gal/min A x B x (2 or 5) = ______x 30 =______
Baths 12 or 18 gal/use C x (12 or 18) = ______x 30 =______
Toilet flushes 7, 5, 3, or 1.6 gal/flush D x (#) = ______x 30 =______
Teeth brushing 3 gal/min, or 1/8 E x F x (#) = ______x 30 =______
Hand dishwashing 5 gal/min, or 1 G x H x (#) = ______x 30 =______
Dishwasher 15 gallons/use (I / 7) x 15 = ______x 30 =______
Laundry 55 gallons/use (J / 7) x 55 = ______x 30 =______
Lawn watering 10 gal/min K x L x 10 = ______x 30 =______
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Car/Boat/Driveway 10 gal/min M x N x 10 = ______x 30 =______
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Other usage 10 gal/min O x 10 = ______x 30 =______
Total gallons of water used each day ______P
(The average American uses 110 gallons of water a day.)
Total gallons of water used each month P x 30 Q
Gallons of Water Used in ONE YEAR Q x 12 ______R
Questions
1. How does your daily water use compare to the average? Why do you think that there is a difference?
2. Were you surprised by the results of this survey? After completing this survey do you think you will be more conscious about how you use water in the future?
3. Can you think of some small changes that you personally can make to reduce the amount of water you use each day?
4. The average person needs only 2.5 quarts of water a day to live a healthy life. Do you think that you would ever be able to reduce your water use to that number (there are 4 quarts in a gallon)? Why or why not?
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