Thinking Outside the House: Draught-proof Gardens Household uses
of water account for only 1 to 8 percent of the fresh water
consumed in the United States, but unlike commercial and
agricultural use, you can directly control how much water you
use in your home. Inside your house, you can fix leaks, install
water efficient appliances, and modify your personal habits to
save water. But because three-fourths of the water used in homes
goes to lawns and gardens, your greatest opportunities to save
water may be outside your house. Thoughtful management outdoors
can also help protect water quality and alleviate pressure on
municipal wastewater systems. When it rains, water rushes off
roofs, paved driveways, and sidewalks. In urban and suburban
areas, it flows into storm water drains where it is carried
directly into nearby bodies of water or into treatment
facilities that can be overwhelmed by the sudden inundation.
Such runoff carries with it a host of chemicals that pollute
local waterways. Finding ways to hold w