Growing up, many of our parents kept lecturing us to turn off the water when we weren’t using it. We thought that their concern was all about the money that was being wasted by keeping the water running and maybe it was. However, what we didn’t realize back then was that it was the earth’s water that was also being wasted. Not only that, but the things that we were putting down the toilets and sinks along with the water was ruining the outside environment too.
Although approximately 71 percent of the Earth's surface is covered by water, the oceans hold about 96.5 percent of this water. Because it is such a limited resource, we are taking extreme advantage of the water supply with our unlimited water usage. In fact, it has been reported that there are a number of ways that human water use has affected how much water is lost, with one of them being toilet flushing. That is right! Our toilet flushing accounts for 27 percent of the average human's daily indoor water consumption, which is more than washing machines at 22 percent and showers at 17 percent.
With every pull of the toilet's lever, 3.5 to 7 gallons of water is drained. In addition to overly flushing actions, it has also been found that people have been flushing objects that they shouldn’t down the toilet. This activity has unfortunately resulted in high amounts of money being spent to clean out our landfill in order to produce environmentally safe treated wastewater. Some of these items that you should avoid flushing down are as follows:
• Wipes
• Feminine Hygiene Products
• Diapers
• Q-tips
• Paper Towels
• Floss
• Pills
Sometimes, you may come across products that say that they can actually be flushed. In fact, a lot of people have actually started to use “flushable wipes” to replace their toilet paper needs. However, they don’t realize that just because it is on the label that you shouldn’t flush them still. That is because there have been many occasions where these wipes clog up pipes and there have even been lawsuits over this issue. If someone in your household has been using products that say that they are flushable, it would be in your best interest to have them stop that habit and then get a company like High Speed Plumbing Inc. to come and inspect your pipes so that you can be ensured that no damage has been done.
Because we all want a safe living environment for ourselves and our families, it is important that we maintain caution when it comes to our water resource. If it isn’t toilet paper, then it shouldn’t be flushed. Instead, we should throw those things in the trash or recycle them in some way as to not damage the environment any further.
Hannah Whittenly is a freelance writer and mother of two from Sacramento, CA. She enjoys reading reading books out on the lake while kayaking.