It's no secret that everyone uses the bathroom. But have you ever wondered what happens to the water after you flush the toilet? What about the water that goes down the drain after you wash the dishes, do the laundry or take a shower? Today I'm excited to tell you about the amazing journey water makes after it leaves your house, and to explain why this journey is so important to us and the world around us.
First, let's go back before the water reaches your tap. When it is just freshwater. Freshwater is any naturally occurring water that is not salty, which we might find in rivers, ponds, lakes or glaciers. Freshwater is a limited resource, meaning it is required for the survival of living things but can become unavailable due to natural disasters, environmental changes or human impact. Just to put this into perspective, what percent of all water on earth do you think is freshwater? Surprisingly, only 2.5% of global water is freshwater-- the rest is oceans! This means that water conservation and reuse is critical.
One of the most important ways we can reuse water is by treating wastewater at a treatment plant.
