Droughts are extended periods of time where particular areas are especially dry. Water conservation is important for many reasons, but during periods of drought, it can be critical. Droughts do much more than simply affecting your day-to-day routines in relation to your water usage.
Many businesses and services rely on water to operate. If water is in short supply, these businesses might end up charging more to their customers to help make up the cost. Unfortunately, this isn’t something that cutting coupons will help.
You can do your part by being aware of your own water usage and making sure to take the necessary steps to conserve water as much as you can. Simple things like collecting water in rain barrels for watering your garden can make a big impact on your overall usage.
With energy-efficient appliances such as washing machines, there is no reason to use more water than is necessary for the task at hand. You can shut off your sink while washing dishes until you are ready to rinse, take shorter showers, and water your garden during cooler times of the day. When you are clipping coupons for groceries, consider buying bottled water if your area is suffering from drought.
It may seem obvious that farmers will have a significantly harder time producing their goods, which require fertile soil and plenty of water to develop properly if they aren’t getting enough. Did you consider that businesses that sell products to farmers might also take a hit during a drought period?
Because output for farmers is expected to be less during a drought, companies that sell fertilizers and machinery to farmers as well as companies that process the food they grow lose business during droughts. This can lead to a loss in profits and possibly even unemployment for some of the employees of those companies.
While not every form of tourism or recreation will be affected by a drought period, businesses that thrive on lake-based activities or that require extensive outdoor participation certainly can be.
For instance, fishing, hunting, and water sports will have to be scaled back significantly because of decreased water levels during a drought, which also leads to displaced or decreased amounts of wildlife in traditional locations.
