DENVER, Nov. 26, 2003 -- Following is a factoid from the American Water Works Association (AWWA):
As Americans prepare to celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday, many parts of this country are still facing water shortages and drought. Thanksgiving is a good time to practice indoor water conservation.
The Great Thanksgiving Flush
After Thanksgiving dinner, approximately 30 million Americans will watch football. At halftime, American toilets will flush 30 million times and use 108 million gallons of water - enough water to fill an entire football stadium! Water efficient toilets would save 62 million gallons of water.
Tips for Thanksgiving Day Water Conservation
-- Clean vegetables in a sink or pan partially filled with water rather than running water from the tap.
-- If you wash dishes by hand, rinse them in a sink partially filled with clean water instead of under running water.
-- Cut down on the amount of rinsing you do before loading the dishwasher. Most modern dishwashers do an excellent job of cleaning dishes, pots and pans all by themselves.
-- Thaw your turkey in the refrigerator instead of running it under tap water.
AWWA is the authoritative resource for knowledge, information and advocacy to improve the quality and supply of drinking water in North America and beyond. AWWA is the largest organization of water professionals in the world. AWWA advances public health, safety and welfare by uniting the efforts of the full spectrum of the drinking water community. Through our collective strength we become better stewards of water for the greatest good of the people and the environment.
http://www.awwa.org
