The most important element that is necessary for all living things is water. Life cannot exist without water, therefore finding a solution to the issue of water in deserts has become an international concern. Deserts receive water from manmade external sources, groundwater, precipitation, sand-absorbent, and atmospheric water. Limiting artificial foreign water and groundwater to the barest minimum is necessary to protect the ecological restoration cycle and mitigate the financial issues associated with water use. There is a need for more research to be done on water management strategies in desert cities, particularly about the development of novel material technologies.
5 ways to conserve water in Desert Cities
One of the most valuable commodities on earth is water, and arid areas are where people are most aware of its scarcity. The skill of water conservation becomes essential for those who live in desert regions, and there are numerous and diverse techniques to cut down on water waste and consumption in these parched places.
Establish a Dessert Garden
Desert USA claims that desert plants have evolved to withstand intense heat, dryness, and a lack of water in an arid environment. Planting a desert garden doesn’t have to contain prickles because not all desert plants are cacti; yet, using native plants will assist conserve water in a desert setting. According to Earth Easy, native species always require less water than species that are cultivated outside of their natural environments.
Install a deck
Installing a deck can save you from having to deal with parched, wilting grass because lawns require an excessive quantity of water to stay green and healthy. One benefit of having a well-designed deck is that it may be partially covered to help keep the area cool in the desert heat, and can be used day or night with lighting. Water usage is decreased when one installs a deck instead of grass or gardens.
Timer for the shower
Even if taking a lengthy shower might be soothing, everyone should view them as a luxury, desert dwellers especially. Shower timers are typically little hourglasses that attach to the shower recess, and are calibrated for one or two minutes. Another option to save water without sacrificing cleanliness is to spot-shower every other day. In many locations without running water, this is done as a common practice by utilizing a bucket and a towel to clean oneself with the water in the bucket rather than a running tap.
Reuse water for cleaning
The typical washing machine uses around 55 gallons (~210 liters) of water every wash, according to water figures from the City of Tampa. If you use bio-degradable detergent, you can simply utilize the water for washing cycles, vehicles, and garden watering. You can even recycle the grey water from your garden and use it inside your home for other domestic purposes such as flushing the toilet.
Dry cleaning or a bucket
It is ridiculous to use a hose to wash the car or the driveway in a desert climate. Whenever feasible, dry cleaning techniques like air pressure or sweeping should be used instead, as well as hand detailing the automobile with a cloth. If using water is inevitable, use the water caught from a washing cycle, and hand clean with a bucket.
Desert City Tucson
Driven by need, the least sustainable area in the United States of America, learned to manage its water resources. Other desert cities could use similar strategies as the temperature warms. Tucson is known for its strong water-saving culture. The community is the last in line to get the valuable water from the Colorado River since it is at the end of the Central Arizona Project. Additionally, compared to other American cities, it has a greater per capita number of environmental charities, and the University of Arizona is there, which supports conservation initiatives.
The Tucson Electric Company runs a tree planting program to promote vegetation and address the data displayed in the urban heat maps. Additionally, residents who install gutters, and cisterns to collect rainwater are eligible for water rebates for passive water harvesting, which also involves letting water collect, and soak into the ground. Homeowners can create a “sponge” on their property by using passive water harvesting, which is taught by a non-profit organization called Water Management Group. The technique is beneficial in both dry and flood zones. In a desert, homeowners can gather rainwater that falls on their land and utilize it for personal purposes. Water from roofs is either redirected into the ground or rain barrels.
Cities confronting water constraints outside of arid regions need to recognize the benefits of maintaining a diversified water portfolio. This entails assessing and balancing the availability of water from a variety of sources, including stormwater, surface water, recycled water, groundwater, and greywater, and then allocating it for planned applications while promoting conservation awareness. Tucson serves as an example of how a little, steady modification in the guiding principles may lead to a significant, quantifiable improvement.
Reference list:
Allen, L. (2017). Five Ways to Conserve Water in the Desert. [online] Sciencing. Available at: https://sciencing.com/five-ways-to-conserve-water-in-the-desert-13419964.html.
Wang, Zhiyong. “Research on Desert Water Management and Desert Control.” European Journal of Remote Sensing, 10 Mar. 2020, pp. 1–13, https://doi.org/10.1080/22797254.2020.1736953
Patel, Rudri. “What Desert Cities Can Teach Us about Water.” JSTOR Daily, 8 Oct. 2019, daily.jstor.org/what-desert-cities-can-teach-us-about-water/.
