Conservation and technology can help us beat the drought

FRIDAY, MAY 4: Ever since the arrival of Bermuda’s first residents in the early 17th century, finding freshwater has been a challenge.

Before long it was apparent that Bermudians relied mainly on rainwater for our supply of freshwater.

Over the years, we have been quite inventive in obtaining freshwater and have been praised for the way in which we collect, store and use water.

Indeed, in recent years, Turks and Caicos and Barbados have adopted the Bermudian practice of collecting rainwater on the roof and storing it in tanks below homes.

This ingenuity helped Bermuda to be as successful as it is today. However, yesterday’s innovations have been surpassed by our appetite for conveniences and modernisation. Somehow we have become less connected with the land and our fragile existence on this island.

For several years in a row, we are experiencing drought conditions. Ironically, the drought is not the primary issue.

Even when our island is not suffering from a drought we consume more water than is harvested from sustainable sources. What can be done? While we have no control over how much or how often it will rain, we do have control over the way in which we use the water we have.

Our parents were conservationists before it was fashionable and their water philosophy was simple: use less. Are we turning off the water while we brush our teeth? Not washing our cars with hoses? Are we reusing water? Most of us probably are not doing all we can to consume less water. These practices are not sustainable.

Reverse osmosis is one way water is produced to supplement supply, but this comes at a cost. Removing salt from seawater and converting it into freshwater is very inefficient. It is energy expensive and it increases our carbon footprint.

Water meter

Other costs include having pipes laid, installing a water meter and the monthly cost of the water itself. Unfortunately, we are becoming more dependent on this service rather than looking at other more sustainable ways of meeting our own needs.

Any sustainable solution needs to deal with both supply and use.

Residents should be educated to use water more wisely and supply could be met through innovation.

Years ago households made do with tanks as small as 1000 gallons. How did we make do with so little water?

One way was to remain conscious of our connection with the environment and the origin of water. Sadly today, less thought is given to where water actually comes from, like the lenses or ultimately rain and their limitations. These lenses are large pockets of underground water containing an estimated billion gallons of water and are the main source for water trucks.

A billion gallons may sound like a lot, but it really is not. In fact, Government was forced to implement reduced hours of operation for the lenses to ensure their sustainability as rainwater can take two years to reach a lens. The volume removed is regulated to ensure the lenses remain.

Again, the conservation motto our parents lived by out of necessity was simple: not to waste and to recycle water whenever possible. They took shorter and less frequent showers; dish water was reused to water the gardens; toilets were not flushed as often.

Though these practices may not be as practical today given our modern demands, residents can do their part utilizing sustainable alternatives, such as the installation of a home greywater recycling system. Wastewater is reused from sinks and tubs, otherwise known as greywater, to flush toilets or water gardens.

Estimates suggest that such a system could save 30-40 per cent of water used.

A consistent, sustainable approach is required to meet or surpass demand.

Our island’s water issues are not insurmountable, nor are they uniquely Bermudian. With a small investment in innovation and continuing education we are capable of adapting and meeting our demand.

• Taaj Jamal is a member of the Sustainable Development Roundtable (SDRT). The SDRT is an advisory body to the Government of Bermuda that makes constructive recommendations through the Sustainable Development Department (SDD) to Minister Marc Bean and Cabinet on specific policies and actions to enable sustainable development for Bermuda and her people.