Follow the Drop – Household Reuse
Household Reuse
All of the water on the earth is part of a cycle, and it will be used over and over again for millennia1. For example, did you know that Canmore withdraws Bow River water, treats it, uses it and then discharges treated wastewater back into the river where it flows downstream. Calgary repeats the processes done in Canmore, and is then followed by Medicine Hat and each of the other downstream communities.
Although Alberta does not currently have a government policy to allow water to be reused for a second purpose, it is easy to stop water from going down the drain at home and then use it for something else. For example, water used for washing can be subsequently used for flushing the toilet or for watering plants.
If household water is used for several activities, it has roughly the same water quality as other wastewater when it gets flushed down the drain to the water treatment plant.
Fun Fact
A cycle: All of the water on earth has been here since before life formed – there is no new water. Therefore every glass of water you drink was probably inside a dinosaur at some point! 1,2
Where next?
As such, this is your only option for your next move!
References and Further Reading
- Washington State University. (2018, November 27). Do we drink water from dinosaur days? | Ask Dr. Universe | Washington State University. Retrieved May 25, 2020, from https://askdruniverse.wsu.edu/2016/04/10/drink-water-dinosaur-days/
- Jha, A. (2015, May 19). Alien origin of Earth’s oceans. Retrieved May 25, 2020, from http://www.bbc.com/earth/story/20150526-alien-origin-of-earths-oceans
