Did you know that approximately 80% of the earth’s surface is covered with water?  You might have heard that fact before, but did you know that only 1% of this is fresh water that we can use?  The remaining water is 97% saltwater and 2% frozen in glaciers.

You remember the water cycle from elementary school with evaporation, condensation, and precipitation?  The water cycle is little more involved than that, but we know water moves in a never-ending cycle as nature recycles and reuses water.  We need to be good stewards of our fresh water to ensure we are not using water at a faster rate than it is being recharged.  From a global perspective, demands for fresh water will double every 20 years as the world population continues to grow. Saving water is the right thing to do for us and for future generations.

One way your family can be mindful about saving water is to join the 40 Gallon Challenge!  This challenge allows your family to compete against families all over the United States to adopt water saving practices.  Visit the 40 Gallon Challenge website, www.40gallonchallenge.org/ to make a pledge to adopt water saving practices.  The website has very simple tips for saving water, and it shows how much water you can save.  For example, repairing a leaky faucet will save 15 gallons per day.  Shortening your shower time can save eight gallons per day.  Will your family make the pledge to save 40 gallons per day?

Currently, Bosque County has two pledges for the 40 Gallon Challenge.  Let’s see if we can increase that number and start doing our part to save water!  For more information about water saving tips, contact the Bosque County Extension Office and watch our Facebook page for water saving ideas each week.