Entrepreneurs taught importance of water conservation
JACQUELINE CAMERON, project manager of the Water Project at the JN Foundation, has urged small-business entrepreneurs to practise better water conservation to save money and play their part in guaranteeing water security for future generations.
Cameron was one of the presenters at a JN Small Business Loans (JNSBL) Financial Empowerment Workshop held at the JN Conference Centre on Duke Street, downtown Kingston, recently.
“Fresh, clean water is a limited resource. Hence, we need to practise conservation. Although the earth has vast bodies of water, most of it is salt water. Therefore, fresh-water conservation is critical to water security and will result in cost savings for all of us,” Cameron said.
The Water Project manager advised that water conservation should start in the home, pointing out that the average Jamaican uses some 40 to 50 gallons of water per day and that a 10-minute shower could result in the use of approximately 38 gallons of water.
“A running toilet can waste up to 200 gallons daily. Therefore, if each Jamaican used some 40 to 50 gallons per day, the amount of water being wasted would amount to the quantity to be used by four or five persons, and that equals waste,” she said.
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She stated that to conserve water, persons should invest in technology, such as low-flow shower heads, which use approximately 23 gallons for a 10-minute shower. Low-flow shower heads are modified, or adapted, to use less water.
“Investing in a low-flow shower head will also result in savings on householders’ water bills by as much as 10 to 20 per cent over the course of a year. In addition, one should also ensure that one doesn’t leave the toilet running and also check around one’s home regularly to identify water leaks,” Cameron said.
“It is also important, to use ‘grey water’ for gardening, which is water used to wash dishes and rinse laundry, and, when purchasing home fixtures such as shower heads, bathroom