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INTRODUCTION TO WATER EFFICIENCY SECTION

The thorny devil or Moloch lives in the Australian desert. It is a large, ferocious-looking lizard although it is actually quite harmless, unless you happen to be an ant! It lives in an environment where there is nothing to drink, but it doesn’t die. Every night the hot desert air cools and its tiny load of moisture condenses (G1). It condenses on the dry ground and is lost; it condenses on the dry skin of the Moloch and a thousand minute tubular scales transfer the precious cargo to its mouth – and the Moloch drinks and lives. The Moloch is very water efficient!

Every type of ecosystem (G1) on Earth has its supply of water; it is essential to life. It’s easy for us to take water for granted and to forget how much we depend on a pure and plentiful supply in practically every aspect of our lives.

In this country we each use about 130 litres in the home each day. We use even more in our industries and for agriculture, yet we expect the source of our water supply in the South West – the rivers and streams, lakes and reservoirs – to be clean and healthy, fit for our recreation and to please us with their variety and appearance. We should remember though that humans are part of a cycle that involves many living and non-living things, which help maintain our water supply.

Roadford Reservoir January  2003
Roadford Reservoir January 2003

South West Water web site - www.southwestwater.co.uk

 

Water Efficiency Section Contents:

The Water Challenge (E02)

Agriculture, Rivers & Water Efficiency (E03)
Farm Water Challenge sheet (E03a)

Homes, Rivers & Water Efficiency (E04)
Homes Water Challenge Sheet (E04a)
Schools Water Challenge Sheet (E04b)

Industry, Rivers & Water Efficiency (E05)
Factory Challenge Sheet (E05a)
Office Challenge Sheet (E05b)

Death of a river (E06)
Water Efficiency Summary (E06a)

Water and the Future (E07)

Exercises (E08)
Water Diary (E08a)
Water Detectives Exercise (E08b)
Using Rainwater (E08c)
Water Data (E08c2)
Home Water Audit Intro (E08d)
Home Water Audit (E08d2)
Water Saving Reminders Pt 1 (E08ePt1)
Water Saving Reminders P2 (E08ePt2)

  produced by the WESTCOUNTRY RIVERS TRUST as part of the CORNWALL RIVERS PROJECT  
 

www.wrt.org.uk
www.cornwallriversproject.org.uk