THE summer season has finally arrived, and this only means one thing — we have to endure the scorching heat of the sun. While a lot of people look forward to this dry season to enjoy their much awaited vacation and family trips, this also ushers in one of the pressing environmental concerns that is confronting us now and that is the looming drought and shortage of water supply.

As of March 10, alarming reports show that the water level in La Mesa Dam, a major source of water for Metro Manila, was recorded at 69.02 meters in the morning, close to its critical level of 69. At 4 p.m., the level dropped to 68.93.

Thus, all of us need to do our part and join an urgent consolidated effort to conserve water. Here are some tips on how we can help save water:

Avoid taking long showers.

As much as possible, we can take a bath once a day, and make sure that we can help conserve water by using pail and dipper instead of using the shower. At the same time, we can also consider using organic shampoo and soap to be more environment-friendly.

Reuse water from washing clothes.

After every laundry session, water used for washing clothes can be used for several other purposes such as washing cars, watering plants, and cleaning other outdoor equipment. In the same manner, lessening the use of harmful detergents and fabric conditioners can also contribute to the advocacy of water conservation.

Turn off faucet while brushing your teeth.

Use a glass of water when brushing your teeth. Make sure to avoid making water continuously flowing by turning it off properly.

Avoid using running water hose when watering plants.

When watering plants, it is ideal to use pail of water instead of water hoses. You can also water plants every other day instead of doing it every day.

Fix leaks.

Always check your monthly water consumption. If you notice a big increase in your water bill, then there are possibilities that there are some leaks that need to be fixed.

Water is one of our basic needs, and the lack of it will definitely affect our health and day-to-day activities. It is certainly our responsibility to make sure that we use it properly and diligently. At the same time, we should teach our kids how to contribute to water conservation as early as possible. We have to start them young, and now is indeed the perfect time to do that.