Water Recycling and Its Benefits to Humans and Our Environment

Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle are the famous three “r” words to express nearly all things environment. However, the terms not only refer to items that should be placed into specific bins, but they can also refer to the water we make use of and conserve every day of our lives. Recycling water used for purposes such as toilet flushing, agriculture motives, industrial processes and landscape irrigation offers resourceful and financial savings. That being said, not only is the process beneficial, but recycled water has yet to be reported as harmful to human health since its upcoming.

While most water in the process is recycled and reused onsite, there is another type of recycled water, called “greywater.” Greywater, much like other forms of recycling, is reusable wastewater deriving from residential, commercial, or industrial facilities such as a kitchen sink, bathtub drain, and washing machinery.

Altogether, the benefits of water recycling have the power to satisfy most current water demands; just as long as the processes involved in the practice are sufficiently treated to ensure appropriate water quality for the United States.

Unfortunately, the broad practice of water recycling is restricted around the world due to lack of funds provided from the government. While the government provides plenty assistance locally, the overall doing is costly and not making a large enough difference. Although the funding issue will not easily be resolved by the government’s help alone, with possible fundraising amongst interest groups, there can be a positive influence on the world. On a federal level, the idea of planting more reservoirs should be cut to save money; consequently, more funds should be saved up to provide for small or thriving non-governmental organizations involved in water recycling.

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Current Laws and Regulations Most states are required to have a system of government regulations for water quality designated for water recycling of reclaimed water from the centralized treatment facilities.

However, only 30 out of 50 states have taken this into consideration as a detrimental practice amongst their communities and local cities. One reason for this unfortunate dismissive behavior may be due to individuals no longer wanting to go through the government to be involved. Another reason may be the funding issues that many environmental groups run into while pushing for change in the system. While the government is the predominant resource for regulation and security, the assistance received is not the only way the practices thrive.

National Primary Drinking Water Regulations (NPDWR) are legally enforceable primary standards and treatment techniques that apply to public water systems. These techniques are set to protect public health by limiting the levels of contaminates in our drinking water. In many ways this sets a great example of ground rules as to what is expected when it comes to regulating our water systems. The federal government will do what it can to regulate and adjust laws to our liking, but it is never likely for everything to go in our favor – we must learn to regulate ourselves.

Governmental Contribution The Democratic party shows strong recognition for protecting our public lands and waters. Democrats believe in the sole heritage of conservation and collaboration of our public lands of which make America’s great outdoors priceless. Democrats will work to establish funding opportunities for local, state-wide, and nationally; they are committed to doubling the size of the outdoor economy to provide better access for Americans to get involved and provide job opportunities. Democrats are set on establishing a wildly diverse workforce within their agencies involved in managing public lands, water, and cultural sites. The Republican party show the same amount of concern as the democrats, yet their focus lies more on the economic standing on energy and environment of the United States. Republicans have shed light on what appears to be billions of dollars wasted over the decades for excessive government regulation and lobbying.

Republicans believe that there are also many unreasonable restrictions on American energy production; if there would be less of these regulations, opportunities for reviving the economy would open up. By approving the construction of American pipelines, Republicans took a major step towards achieving energy independence for the country. While this may all look good written on paper, it is the actions of these statements that make a difference in this world. One of primary issues that stunts the growth of water recycling practices is funding. Over the decades, Congress has authorized several programs to assist in spreading the word of water supply issues and how we should plan on reducing them. In order for these programs to be heard and make a louder statement than other world crises, funding must be presented in a large enough way so that words may turn into work. For years, the government’s federal contribution has only made the process costlier. Their most effective way of helping has been building new reservoirs, which has only made more expenses and demanded more regulation.

Non-Governmental Success While the government does their part in the role of governing and regulating practices of water recycling, there has been plenty success without their assistance. Interest groups such as the Texas Conservation Alliance has made beneficial progress in recycling water by turning the practice into an overall business. With the populations increasing by the billions every decade the demand for water along with increasing drought is only going to grow stronger, and the TCA does a great job of making that a known fact. By reaching thousands of people with briefings, programs, videos, and exhibits describing the cost-effectiveness and importance of recycling water; Texas Conservation Alliance has created a heap of encouragement that the world is lacking in other areas. TCA works hard to make changes with an open mind of ideas that the federal government does not make the time for. They have to fight immensely against the building of unnecessary reservoirs of which force citizens off of their land and require unneeded funds that overall go to waste by the end of their project. As this set the tone for what is to be expected in Texas water recycling programs, there has also been an uprising in places such as Ontario, Canada.

Through the International Water Management Institute, the development of standard methodology for testing field performance of residential greywater reuse systems is in positive effect. Case studies report that at least twenty-two homes in the southern Ontario, Canada area have had greywater reuse systems installed. As opposed to the building of expensive, federal regulated reservoirs, these greywater reuse systems intended for single family residential facilities have recently become commercially available in the year 2017.

By reusing shower water waste to flush toilets and make use of other household utilities using water, the potable water demand for residential buildings has reduced the pressure on existing water supply. As these tactics become successful in residential homes, it is only a matter of time before they are installed in big brand companies and hotel facilities across the globe.

The profit is worth the work that is needed to be put into the process – no matter what the cost of funding for these off the shelf greywater systems may be; they will never become such a havoc as the reservoirs.

Future Happenings. Water recycling from today’s standing point seems to have an estimated bright future ahead of us. The process has not only proven to continue to be cost effective, but also successful in creating new and reliable water supply without conceding public health. Reusing water is seen as acceptable and positive for our homes and public facilities in the long run. Without the nonpotable reuse systems we have made use of, concerns would continue for the originally expensive methods that centralized facilities were adapting. In future generations, the demand for water energy and environmental needs will grow. Yet thankfully, water recycling will pay off any dues that shall come our way as a society and as citizens. Communities as well as businesses will from now on meet the needs of water renouncement and rehabilitate for a healthier, more improved economic revolution.

Single family residential facilities, including duplex units shall all include piping systems that allow for grey-water reuse systems to perform their magic in reviving and reusing for direct irrigation. Along with these installments, residential units will include building drains for showers and bathtubs that are separated from other plumbing fixtures. Consequently, this will allow for future installation of distributed grey-water systems.

Conclusion. Realistically, the idea of conserving water has never truly been supported like it is now. However, the issues are only commonly known due to the increase water demand that we face each generation as a society. Expecting our government to pick up all of the pieces when things fall apart can be a risky thing to do when we, this current generation, has all the tools we need to make a difference. Being the change we’d like to see in the world will be the only solution to problems such as these, especially when the problems hit close to come. Water is not just an item on the shelf, it is our past, present, and future. Above all else, Water is a privilege, and it is up to the future generations to put forth the effort in making a change. This pertains to more than conserving our earth’s water – we are conserving our lives.