This year, UGA Extension in Cobb County is beginning active promotion of the 40-Gallon Challenge, a water-saving program that encourages specific, easy changes to save as much as 1000 gallons of water per household per month, for participating households.
The program is designed to deliver a couple of key benefits as outcomes: "Reducing water usage at home not only saves this precious resource, it also helps homeowners keep more money in their wallets."
In the 40-Gallon Challenge, households are asked to pledge to make changes that will save water. The top three most-chosen changes to date are "reduce irrigation station run times by 2 minutes," "use a broom instead of a hose to clean driveways and sidewalks," and "fix a leaky toilet." If the changes in water use add up to savings of 40 gallons each day, then the total monthly savings will be about 1000 gallons, and that large a savings is going to have a much-appreciated, lowering effect on a monthly water bill.
The list of specific water-saving changes and how much water each change saves is posted HERE.
This announcement for the 40-Gallon Challenge is being posted today, because tomorrow, Saturday, March 22, is World Water Day. The goals for the special day this year include highlighting the relationship between water and energy, working to bring clean water to the many, many people who currently don't have access, and working toward sustainable water use.
One implication of World Water Day is that other parts of the world are focusing on water use, too. Area citizens who decide to join the challenge will have a lot of company in their quest to use water more efficiently, and not just in the state of Georgia!
