Our bodies need water to function properly. According to Water.org, humans can survive for weeks without food, but for only a few days without water. The plants and animals we eat also need water, so a water crisis could eventually develop into a food crisis. We also use water for cleaning our bodies and our homes, and for producing power such as in hydroelectric dams. The World Water Council reports that the human population of the planet is on track to grow 40 to 50 percent within the next 50 years, which means that we're not only going to be using more water in the future - we'll be needing it.
Recently in California's Central Valley, increased urbanization has resulted in the draining of aquifers and surface water supplies from rural farmland. Like in other areas of the nation, the Central Valley area is key for the state and nation's food crops, and increased water demand in urban areas has reduced the supply for the same food that these cities need, creating a vicious cycle. The United States Geological Survey reports that the Tulare Valley, the hottest and driest part of California's Central Valley, continues to show declines in groundwater levels and the related groundwater storage.
Here are some ways that you can save water in your daily life with little to no effort: