Lesson
How much Water do we use?
Water is used in almost everything we do. From drinking to showering to washing your car, water is an essential resource. However in order to conserve the world’s water resources, we must be able to calculate how much we need, how much it costs, and how we can save more for the future.
Examine this sample water bill and answer the questions below:
Source: http://www.sydneywater.com.au/SW/accounts-billing/understanding-your-bill/about-your-bill/index.htm
- What is the total amount due?
- What was the amount due on the previous water bill?
- How much water was used in this quarter?
- What was the water usage charge?
- What was the water usage charge per kilolitre?
- How much water was used per day?
- The water usage charge rises by 10% next quarter. What is the new charge per litre?
- Use the Internet to find out how much water costs in at least 5 different countries around the world. Compare these with the cost found on this bill. What are some of the factors that might impact the cost of water?
The table below shows Natasha’s average water usage on a normal day:
Daily water usage in L/day
- How much water is Natasha using daily?
- How much water would Natasha use in a week?
- If Natasha only gardened once a week and used the washing machine once every 3 days, how much water would she use in a week?
- What percentage of Natasha’s overall water usage does the dishwasher take up?
- Construct a pie graph of her daily water usage
- Use the Internet to find out how much water the average person in NSW consumes per year.
- Use the Internet to find out how much water the average person consumers per year in Queensland, Victoria, the United States, Canada and England.
- Compare the usage between these countries and propose explanations for the variation.
*Cover photo adapted from http://benjaminkerensa.com/2012/09/12/occupy-drinking-water-portlands-battle-over-fluoride