World Water Day celebrates its 19th edition on March 22 and will be themed around water and food security.

At a time when drought, food and water scarcity are devastating parts of the world — particularly the developing areas — water advocates are pushing the notion of measuring your water footprint.

Aside from the water used for drinking, cooking, and washing, a major part of a consumer’s water footprint also involves the virtual or embedded water needed to produce a product.

For example, it takes about 1,500 liters of water to produce 1 kg of wheat, and about 10 times more to produce 1 kg of beef. That translates to 7,000 liters of water for steak dinner.

Check out how much water is needed to produce your meal in the list provided below by the United Nations for World Water Day:

Cereal, 1 cup = 130 liters
Orange Juice, 1 cup =170 L
Coffee, 1 cup = 140 L
Cheese, 1 portion = 250 L
Rice, 100 g = 140 L
Milk, 1 glass = 200 L
Tea, 1 cup = 35 L
Sugar, 1 piece = 10.5 L
Lettuce, 1 kg = 130 L
Apple/Pear, 1, 70= L
Chicken meat, 150 g = 615 L
Pork meat, 150 g, 690 L
Egg, 1, 135 L
Banana, 1, 70 L
Olives, 100 g = 250 L
Oats, 100g = 237 L
Onions, 100g = 17 L
Soybeans, 100g, = 275 L
Pineapple, 100g = 42 L
Chocolate, 100g = 2,400 L
Cucumber, 100 g = 24 L
Grapes, 100 g = 45.5 L
Lemon, 100 g = 34 L
Margarita Pizza = 1,216 L
Hamburger = 2,400 L

Save water: Take a pledge

n World Water Day, mDhil puts together some efficient ways of cutting down water usage. Adopt what suits you best, and play your part in conserving water.

Conservation of water is an essential practice today, whether or not you’re having water troubles at the moment. Simple changes can help save gallons of water a day. So make these changes and help conserve water.

• Washing veggies and fruits: Soak fruits and vegetables in a pot of water instead of putting them under running water to wash them.
• Water plants with water used to wash them: When you’re done with soaking your fruits and veggies, don’t throw the water down the drain, instead use it to water indoor plants.
• Don’t leave the tap open while brushing your teeth: Well, you’ve heard this one many times before. While brushing your teeth, wet the brush and turn off the tap. If you keep the tap running, you’re bound to waste litres of water in a week. Try and get your family to practice this too.
• Conserve water while washing dishes: When you wash your dishes put a stopper to the sink drain and fill it with water. When all the dishes have been scrubbed, rinse them of in that water.
• Get your toilet fixed: If you’re toilet is running, get it fixed. It’s most likely a part of the flapper that’s causing the leak, adjust it; if that doesn’t work, get a plumber.
• Get any other leakage fixed, too:The same applies to any leaking tap around the house… Make sure you get them fixed. All they might need is a new washer, and that isn’t too expensive. Also, look for any leaking pipes around the house.
• Soak pans before washing them: Soak pots and pans in water after use. This will save water while you’re trying to scrub off later on.
• Shorten your shower: Try and reduce your showering time. One way to cut down on your water usage, is to turn of the shower while soaping your body and shampooing your hair. Ask your family to adopt this practice, too. Better still, install water-saving shower-heads. They’ll save you loads of water.
• Defrost in the microwave: You don’t need to use running water to defrost frozen food. Instead stick it in the microwave for defrosting, or remove your frozen food and leave it out in advance.
• Use your washing machine only for full loads: If you use a washing machine, only wash full loads of laundry at a time. Also, if you’re shopping for a washing machine, experts are of the opinion that top-loading machines use more water than front-loading ones. So you might be better off buying the latter.
• Don’t use the toilet as an ashtray or wastebasket: Every time you flush a cigarette butt, tissue or any other piece of trash, you waster tonnes of water.
• Rinse your razor in a mug: To rinse off your razor, either fill the sink with a few inches of warm water or a mug. This will rinse your razor just as well as running water, with far less waste of water.
• Instead of running water, use a broom to clean your driveways and corridors. You can wash them with water every once in while though.
• Don’t run the hose to wash your car: To clean your car or bike, use a bucket of soapy water. After that’s done, dip a sponge in clean water and wipe off soap. This way you’ll save litres of water.