There are options that many are unaware of in which water can be recycled in a clean and healthy manner.

AC UNITS

Running a drain hose from the AC Unit into a collection tank is one way. The average 3 Ton AC unit can produce approximately 5 gallons of water per day during peak seasons. This water can be filtered through a simple filtration process that we will discuss later. In turn, this water can be used for lawns, plants, washing your car, etc.

DeHumidifiers

These units are overlooked in the Southwest because it is believed that there is no humidity in the air. That is far from true. humidity rates in the southwest range from 20% up to 60% depending on location and time of day. The units can produce anywhere from 5 quarts up to several gallons of water within a 24-hour period. Best of all, this water is clean. Filtration is still advisable if used for drinking purposes.

Rain Harvesting

States along the Colorado River allow for rain harvesting. One may think that this process is not worth it due to the low amounts of rain produced each year, depending on the state. However, an extra 100 to 200 gallons per year (depending on your capture size), can add up. 

Conclusion

The simple point of all of this is this: Using alternative methods of water production will mean less water used from our natural reservoirs. Not only will it give our lakes a rest, but when you dump that used water, it will assist in refilling those resources.

Imagine if 1 million people dumped 200 gallons of filtered water into our lakes each year from alternate resources. We could be back to normal levels in 5 - 8 years.