| Both sides previous revision Previous revision Next revision | Previous revision |
| watr:water [2025/12/12 17:43] – Dave Darby | watr:water [2026/03/26 18:33] (current) – external edit 127.0.0.1 |
|---|
| # Low-impact water supply | This topic is part of [[gt:water|Water & sewage]]. |
| | ====== Low-impact water supply ====== |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| ## What is low-impact water supply? | ===== What is low-impact water supply? ===== |
| |
| Over 70% of the Earth's surface is covered with water. From space we are the Blue Planet. However, only 2.5% of this is fresh water, and two thirds of that is locked up in glaciers and ice caps. The remaining third (c. 0.8% of all water) is distributed between lakes, wetlands, groundwater, rivers, soil moisture and atmospheric water. That's too precious to be throwing away to pollution, habitat encroachment and climate change pressures. | Over 70% of the Earth's surface is covered with water. From space we are the Blue Planet. However, only 2.5% of this is fresh water, and two thirds of that is locked up in glaciers and ice caps. The remaining third (c. 0.8% of all water) is distributed between lakes, wetlands, groundwater, rivers, soil moisture and atmospheric water. That's too precious to be throwing away to pollution, habitat encroachment and climate change pressures. |
|  |  |
| <caption> | <caption> |
| Our home planet is a watery, blue one. | _Our home planet is a watery, blue one._ |
| </caption> | </caption> |
| </figure> | </figure> |
| |
| |
| ## What are the benefits of low-impact water supply? | ===== What are the benefits of low-impact water supply? ===== |
| |
| Availability of clean water is one of the essential requirements for a healthy life. We use it in our home for drinking, cooking and cleaning; in our farms for irrigation and for livestock; in our industry for cooling, cleaning and production processes. It's the lifeblood of our countryside and all of the habitats we know and love. | Availability of clean water is one of the essential requirements for a healthy life. We use it in our home for drinking, cooking and cleaning; in our farms for irrigation and for livestock; in our industry for cooling, cleaning and production processes. It's the lifeblood of our countryside and all of the habitats we know and love. |
|  |  |
| <caption> | <caption> |
| The bed of a stream seen through crystal clear water; clean water is essential for life. (Source: [FH Wetland Systems](http://www.wetlandsystems.ie)) | _The bed of a stream seen through crystal clear water; clean water is essential for life. (Source: [FH Wetland Systems](http://www.wetlandsystems.ie))_ |
| </caption> | </caption> |
| </figure> | </figure> |
|  |  |
| <caption> | <caption> |
| Wetlands and woodlands filter and store water within our river catchments. We need these areas to protect against flooding and droughts. (Source: [FH Wetland Systems](http://www.wetlandsystems.ie)) | _Wetlands and woodlands filter and store water within our river catchments. We need these areas to protect against flooding and droughts. (Source: [FH Wetland Systems](http://www.wetlandsystems.ie))_ |
| </caption> | </caption> |
| </figure> | </figure> |
| |
| |
| ## What can I do? | ===== What can I do? ===== |
| |
| There is plenty that we can do to help protect clean water, diversify our supplies, conserve water and to reduce our global water footprint. | There is plenty that we can do to help protect clean water, diversify our supplies, conserve water and to reduce our global water footprint. |
|  |  |
| <caption> | <caption> |
| Example of a small rain garden / SUDS system.(source: [Susdrain](http://www.susdrain.org)) | _Example of a small rain garden / SUDS system.(source: [Susdrain](http://www.susdrain.org))_ |
| </caption> | </caption> |
| </figure> | </figure> |
|  |  |
| <caption> | <caption> |
| Diversification of water supply sources. (Source: [FH Wetland Systems](http://www.wetlandsystems.ie)) | _Diversification of water supply sources. (Source: [FH Wetland Systems](http://www.wetlandsystems.ie))_ |
| </caption> | </caption> |
| </figure> | </figure> |
|  |  |
| <caption> | <caption> |
| Basic diagram of a biosand filter. | _Basic diagram of a biosand filter._ |
| </caption> | </caption> |
| </figure> | </figure> |
|  |  |
| <caption> | <caption> |
| Water sources that don’t need electricity to pump: hand-drawn groundwater abstraction; gravity-fed or hand-drawn surface water abstraction; rain. | _Water sources that don’t need electricity to pump: hand-drawn groundwater abstraction; gravity-fed or hand-drawn surface water abstraction; rain._ |
| </caption> | </caption> |
| </figure> | </figure> |
|  |  |
| <caption> | <caption> |
| Two types of pump that don’t need electricity: [wind pump](/wipm/wind_pumps) and [hydraulic ram pump](/hram/hydraulic_ram_pumps). | _Two types of pump that don’t need electricity: [wind pump](/wipm/wind_pumps) and [hydraulic ram pump](/hram/hydraulic_ram_pumps)._ |
| </caption> | </caption> |
| </figure> | </figure> |
| |
| |
| | ===== Forum ===== |
| |
| ## Further resources | This topic belongs to the section [[gt:water|Water & sewage]]. You can ask questions or add information on the corresponding [Forum section](https://forum.growingthecommons.org/t/water). |
| | |
| | ===== Further resources ===== |
| |
| - [ADSM](https://www.adsm.com/) - helping organisations save water | - [ADSM](https://www.adsm.com/) - helping organisations save water |
| - [Water Footprint Network](https://www.waterfootprint.org/) - fair & smart use of the world's fresh water | - [Water Footprint Network](https://www.waterfootprint.org/) - fair & smart use of the world's fresh water |
| - [The Rivers Trust](https://theriverstrust.org/) - working for wild, healthy, natural rivers | - [The Rivers Trust](https://theriverstrust.org/) - working for wild, healthy, natural rivers |
| - [The Hydrological Cycle](https://treeyopermacultureedu.com/chapter-7-water/hydrological-cycle-half-and-full/) | - [The Hydrological Cycle](https://treeyopermacultureedu.com/chapter-7-water/hydrological-cycle-half-and-full/) |
| - [Foundation for Water Research](https://fwr.org/) - developing science-based solutions to water challenges | - [Foundation for Water Research](https://fwr.org/) - developing science-based solutions to water challenges |
| - [CAWST](https://www.biosandfilters.info/) - biosand filters knowledge base | - [CAWST](https://www.biosandfilters.info/) - biosand filters knowledge base |
| |
| |
| ## Specialists | |
| | ===== Related topics ===== |
| | |
| | - [[hram:Hydraulic ram pumps]] |
| | - [[plum:Plumbing]] |
| | - [[rain:Rainwater harvesting]] |
| | - [[sewg:sewage|Low-impact sewage treatment]] |
| | - [[wlur:Waterless urinals]] |
| | - [[wipm:Wind pumps]] |
| | |
| | ===== Specialist curators of this topic ===== |
| |
| |