Every day, we use water for drinking, washing, and cooking. We also use it to irrigate our fields and water our pets. Almost all of us depend on a clean source of fresh water to survive. While most people believe that the drinking water supply is limitless, this simply isn’t true. Pollution and contamination constantly threaten the natural resources that provide our drinking water.
A wide range of organizations has joined forces to work toward protecting and preserving America’s waterways through the creation of awareness campaigns and public policies aimed at safeguarding these precious resources. One such incident is the case of water contamination at Camp Lejeune. In the 1980s, those living or working at the U.S. Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune were likely exposed to drinking water contaminated with chemicals like industrial solvents, benzene, and more.
While industrial pollution is out of our control, there are things that we can do at a personal level to keep water resources in our area protected. Small things like switching to natural cleaners significantly impact the water health in your locality. Below are some key ways you can help make a difference by keeping chemicals out of your drinking water.
Limit Your Use of Chemicals
Avoid using harsh chemicals, such as those found in household cleaners. Instead of buying commercial products, consider making your own natural cleaning products from ingredients you have on hand. For example, one homemade cleaning solution is a combination of 1/2 cup vinegar and 2 quarts of water that you can use to clean windows and mirrors or any other surface that needs a streak-free shine.
Use biodegradable products whenever possible since they will break down faster than others and won’t pollute the environment as much when you throw them away. Always check the label to ensure there aren’t any unnecessary additives; many times, these are harmful to humans and animals.
Use Natural Cleaning Products
Using natural cleaning products is one of the best things you can do to protect your drinking water. Not only are they good for the environment, but they’re also less expensive, safer for pets and children, and won’t put harmful chemicals in your water supply.
Natural cleaning products are also better for the environment because they don’t contain chemicals that can pollute nearby lakes or rivers. Water contamination is one of the main reasons why people cannot trust their drinking water source anymore.
Recycle Rainwater
Rainwater harvesting is the practice of collecting and storing rainwater for use for non-potable purposes. It is done by harvesting rainwater from rooftops, land surfaces, or other impervious surfaces using gutters, downspouts, and rain barrels. You can also collect rainwater by creating artificial ponds that fill with water during wet periods. Rainwater is stored in tanks until it’s needed for irrigation, cleaning, and washing. Using high quality stormwater products and outlets is also essential for efficient rain water harvesting.
Rainwater harvesting has several benefits, like reducing your household’s demand on municipal supply lines (which otherwise have to deliver water across large distances) and helping to keep those lines healthy and intact over time. It also reduces stormwater runoff into lakes and rivers, thus decreasing erosion and improving local watershed health.
Have Your Septic Tank Inspected Regularly
If you have a septic tank in your home, it’s essential to have it inspected regularly. The frequency of these inspections varies depending on your system and how much water is used in your home. If you’re using well water, for example, there will be less wastewater that needs to be treated by your septic tank. In that case, an inspection every two years should be sufficient.
In general, septic tank service companies recommend inspecting your system every three to five years. It is especially true if you’ve noticed any problems with the tank’s performance or if you live in an area with a lot of rainfall or flooding. These events can cause damage to a poorly maintained system over time. If not maintained properly, the waste can leach into the ground, eventually ending up in the water source in your area.
Never Pour Gasoline, Paint, or Other Hazardous Household Waste Down the Drain
It is important to remember that gasoline, paint, and other hazardous household waste should never be poured down the drain or into storm drains. If you have these types of materials on hand, they can pose a severe threat to your drinking water supply.
When you pour these substances down the drain or storm drains, they seep into soil and groundwater supplies around your home. The chemicals in these substances will eventually get into bodies of water like rivers and lakes. It can lead to harmful effects for those who drink this water later on, like cancer.
Bottomline
It would help if you were always mindful of your environmental impact. With that in mind, protecting drinking water sources is essential. There are many ways to do this; your best bet is to take care of yourself and your surroundings to live in harmony with the world around you. It’s also important to remember that if we don’t protect our drinking water sources and let them get contaminated, they will not be able to provide us with clean water for drinking later on down the line.
Protecting drinking water sources is critical, as our existence depends on it. The steps we take today could have a massive impact on our future. It’s time to change the way we think about fresh water and learn how we can protect it by taking the necessary measures to reduce contamination.
