INTRODUCTION
Water is one of our most vital and valuable natural resources. It is the basis of life and its abundance or scarcity determines our quality of life.
It is easy to take water for granted. An ample supply of safe and inexpensive water has always been ours with the turn of a tap. We play in and on the hundreds of miles of streams and thousands of acres of lakes in South Carolina. We accept the non-essential use of water as aesthetic features- reflecting pools, fountains and waterfalls- as readily as the essential use of water for agriculture, industry and power generation, on which life and our economy depend.
Such easy access to, and liberal use of, water has conditioned us to believe water is a limitless resource. But hot, dry summers, the severe drought of 1986, and reports of water shortages and/or water rationing in South Carolina and in other parts of the country serve to remind us how limited our water resources really are.
If we want our water resources to continue to be sufficient for everyone's actual needs, we must begin conserving our water now. This booklet tells you why water conservation is important and what you can do to conserve water and reduce water waste in your home.