It's Time to Test Your Water Sense!
I opened my Lowe's magazine today to find this quiz. Seems like even my favorite store wants to talk to me about wasting water. I must admit, I was quite surprised by some of the answers. Let me know how you do.
The average person unknowingly wastes up to 30 gallons of water every day. And since usable water is a limited resource, 36 states could be facing water shortage problems by 2013.
How well do you understand your own water usage? Do you know how to best save water in your home? Scroll down for answers.
1. The average family of four uses approximately __ gallons of water per day?
A. 50 B. 100 C. 250 D. 400
2. How much of the water on earth is available for people's everyday use?
A. More than 50% B. 28% C. Less than 1% D. 12%
3. How much water can you save per day by turning off the tap while brushing your teeth in the morning and at bedtime?
A. Up to 2 gallons B. Up to 4 gallons C. Up to 8 gallons D. Up to 6 gallons
4. Which of the following uses less water?
A. Taking a five minute shower B. Taking a bath
5. In the average household, which of the following wastes the MOST water per day?
A. Running the tap while washing dishes B. Using a garbage disposal C. A leaky toilet D. Long showers
6. How much water is saved per flush with a high-efficiency toilet?
A. 0.6 to 1.9 gallons B. 2.2 to 5.7 gallons C. More than 6 gallons
7. How much water used for irrigating lawns and gardens, on average, is wasted due to overwatering and evaporation?
A. 50% B. 25% C. 15% D. 10%
8. A water-efficient irrigation system may include which features?
A. Drip irrigation B. Moisture sensors C. Rain shut-off device D. All of the above
9. Which of the following uses less water?
A. Washing dishes under a running tap B. Washing dishes in a fully loaded automatic dishwasher without pre-rinsing
10. Between 1950 and 2000, the U.S. population grew by 89 percent; approximately how much has our water use grown in the same period?
A. 200% B. 50% C. 100% D. 25%
11. High-efficiency washing machines save about how much water per load compared to traditional models?
A. 2-5 gallons B. 7-10 gallons C. 11-13 gallons D. 14 gallons or more
12. Easily corrected household water leaks account for what percentage of the average water bill?
A. 2% B. 4% C. 6% D. 8%
Answer Key
1. D
It may seem hard to believe, but the average person uses 100 gallons of water each day—that's enough to fill 1,600 drinking glasses. This water use can easily be cut by as much as 30 percent if American households took a few simple steps to use water more efficiently.
2. C
About 75 percent of the earth's surface is covered by water, but less than 1 percent of this is available for people to use. The rest is salt water, locked in inaccessible locations underground, or is frozen in polar ice caps and glaciers.
3. C
The average bathroom faucet flows at a rate of 2 gallons per minute; by simply turning the tap off, you can save more than 100 gallons of water per person each month.
4. A
Taking a five minute shower uses 10 to 25 gallons of water, while a full tub requires about 70 gallons. If you take a bath, stopper the drain immediately and adjust the temperature as you fill the tub.
5. C
A leaky toilet can waste about 200 gallons of water every day! To tell if your toilet is leaking, place a drop of food coloring in the tank; if the color shows in the bowl without flushing, you have a leak.
6. B
If your toilet is from 1992 or earlier, you probably have an inefficient model that uses between 3.5 to 7 gallons per flush. New high-efficiency models use less than 1.3 gallons per flush—that's 60 to 80 percent less water than their less efficient counterparts.
7. A
Water-efficient irrigation systems help save water, potentially more than 11 billion gallons per year across the United States. This is equal to the amount of water used by 3,200 garden hoses flowing constantly for one year!
8. D
Inefficient or poorly maintained irrigation systems can waste water and money each month. Look for sprinklers that produce droplets—not mist. Systems with rain shutoff devices and moisture sensors reduce excess watering and runoff.
9. B
To waste the least amount of water in the kitchen, operate your automatic dishwasher only when it's fully loaded. Filling the sink or a bowl instead of running water can save an average of 25 gallons.
10. A
With demand outstripping supply, 36 states anticipate some degree of water shortage by 2013.
11. D
High-efficiency washing machines use less than 27 gallons of water per load, compared to traditional models that use an average of 41 gallons. To achieve even greater savings, adjust water levels in the washing machine to match the size of the load.
12. D
Leaky faucets that drip at the rate of one drip per second can waste up to 3,000 gallons of water each year. If you're unsure if you have a leak, read your water meter before and after a two-hour period when no water is being used. If the meter does not read exactly the same, you probably have a leak.
Edited to Add: I got 6 right. And I probably wouldn't have gotten that many right except, I had just researched the washers so I knew that answer. I have also looked into the dual flush toilets, so I know more about water usage by toilets than I normally would. I actually think those are cool. They flush by pushing the handle up or down. One way is a smaller flush of water, which you use if you just pee. Push the handle the other way if you need a bigger flush of water.
