Water usage and conservation is a prime issue in engineering because it affects virtually every aspect of our lives and environment. A study of the water conservation issue in Germany will reveal in the broadest sense regarding general implication of water conservation. More so, in the specific sense, how the excessive water conservation in this highly developed country has affected the environment either positively or negatively.
The concept of water conservation has been inculcated into the mindset of every average German. Hence, whether voluntarily or involuntarily, Germans save water. Troianovski reported that Germans are known to flush toilets with used bath water and also bath in turns without refilling the tubs. Furthermore, to maximize their water saving goals, Germans have gone as far as reducing the quantity of water they use in flushing their toilets. In addition, since the early 1990s, the consumption of water in Germany has plummeted to about 16 percent. Figures from the German Federal Association for Energy and Water (BDEW) revealed that an average of 123 liters of water is used by an average German in a day. This consumption is very low compared to the 360 – 589 liters per capita per person in the United States (Chandavarkar).
No matter how wonderful it sounds, water conservation has a lot of downsides. Of course, some environmentalists argue that water conservation in Germany makes some environmental sense but largely it poses a drastic threat to the environment. Spiegel Online reported that water conservation in Germany can be harmful to the sewage system beneath the cities. This is because owing to the excessive water conservation; there is a shortage of water flowing through the canalization. Hence, feces, fats, and discarded foods will not be easily flushed out and consequently corrode the walls.
The situation is even worse in very flat cities like Cologne. Chandavarkar pointed out that since water has to flow long in Cologne to the treatment center, it already becomes stagnant when it gets to the treatment center. As a result of the stagnancy, heavy use of energy and chemicals is employed in order to disinfect the water. In the end of the day, this affects the ecological balance of the environment and ultimately harms the environment Chandavarkar).
Worst of all, the excessive water conservation in Germany is the major reason for the increase in the per-liter price of water. Of course, Germans save water so as to save money but this translates to an even more increase in the cost of water per liter that causes consumers to become more water conscious (Troianovski). More so, some environmentalists suggest that the problems caused by water conservation issue in Germany can be solved by civic authorities designing their technical systems in the most environmental friendly way. They argue that this can be obtained with pipe-in-pipe system. However, in order to achieve this feat the overall pipe network has to be overhauled which will cost billions of Euros, consume much energy and even go a long way in destroying the environment.
Conclusively, water conservation is a good personal virtue and social responsibility but excessiveness as in the case of Germany, it becomes a problem. The environment is greatly threatened by excessive water conservation. Spiegel Online pointed out that Germany is one of the top water-rich countries of the world. That means; it has the capability of consuming up to five times more water than it consumes. The only way to resolve the water problem in Germany is for consumers to start using more water.
Work Cited
Chandavarkar, Pia. 'German Water Conservation Impairs Sewage Treatment | Environment | DW.DE | 20.08.2009'. DW.DE. N.p., 2014. Web. 9 Dec. 2014. www.spiegel.de/international/germany/germany-s-eco-trap-is-environmentalism-really-working-a-751469-3.html.
Spiegel Online, Germany: “Germany’s Eco-Trap: Is Environmentalism Really Working? -. SPIEGEL ONLINE. N.p., 2011. Web. 9 Dec. 2014. www.dw.de/german-water-conservation-impairs-sewage-treatment/a-4582438
Troianovski, Anton. “Dry Humor: Too Much Water Doesn't Damp Germans' Thrifty Habits ?. Dow Jones & Company, Inc. N.p., 2014. Print
