Saving water at home is easier than you may think! Here are 15 simple ways to save water at home.
Saving water at home is not only easy, but can save you hundreds of dollars a year on your water bill. By being conscious of how you use water indoors and outdoors, the water savings will start to add up.
Save Water Indoors
- Install faucet aerators. Faucet aerators are cheap and easy to install, and can quickly improve the water efficiency of your faucet. Faucet aerators come in flows rates as low as 1 gallon per minute, versus the standard 2.5 gallons per minute, which cuts your water use by more than 50% while still providing a good water stream. Here is a step by step guide on how to install them.
- Check for leaky faucets and toilets. Leaky faucets and toilets are big water wasters, yet they can be very easy to fix. If you are not sure if your toilet is leaking, add food coloring or a dye tablet into the water in the back tank. After waiting for 15 or so minutes, check to see if you see any of the dye color in the toilet bowl. If you do, it means your toilet flapper is leaking, wasting thousands of gallons a year. *Note: Does your toilet only leak at night? Many toilets really do run only at night; that’s because people use much less water during these hours and in many municipal water systems, the water pressure rises considerably during this time. It is not uncommon for system water pressure to rise by 15 to 20 pounds per square inch (psi), and by as much as 30 psi in some situations. This rise in pressure could cause “water creep” inside your gravity-fed tank by 1/2 inch or more.Quick fix: Adjust the float in your toilet tank so that the water level is lower. This will prevent the added water pressure from causing water overflow into the bowl.
- If you have an old toilet that you don't want to replace, which uses 3 gallons per flush or more, install a toilet bag. Toilet bags, like the Toilet Tummy, offset water inside the tank, reducing the amount of water used per flush.
- Shorten your showers by using a shower timer. Even a one or two minute reduction can save up to 700 gallons per month.
- Don't defrost food using running water. Defrost foods overnight in the refrigerator or use the microwave.
- Run the dishwasher only when full (2-4.5 gallons per load)
- Run only full loads of laundry (15-50 gallons per load)
Save Water Outdoors
- Water only before 6 a.m. and after 8 p.m. to reduce evaporation and water loss from wind.
- Plat regional or drought-resistant plants. Whether you are putting in a new landscape or slowly changing the current landscaping at your home, select plants that are appropriate for your local climate conditions. Having a yard with 100% lawn or turf area in a dry desert climate uses significant amounts of water. It takes 55 inches of water per year to keep grass green, yet in drier southwestern US climates, the average annual rainfall is 10 inches or less.
- Use a broom instead of a hose to clean driveways. Saves 150 gallons each time.
- Don't leave the hose running while washing your car. Use an automatic shut-off nozzle. Saves 150 gallons each time.
- Reduce irrigation time by 1-3 minutes, or eliminate one irrigation cycle per week. Watering every day is usually not necessary. Step on your grass. If it springs back when you lift your foot, it doesn't need water. Saves 750-1,500 gallons per month!
- Have a pools and/or a spa? Use an insulated cover to cut down on evaporation. Covers on spas also keep the heat in, reducing the energy cost of re-heating the water to a toast 102 degrees.
- Use mulch in your flowerbeds and exposed ground. There are many different types of mulch, from wood chips, to rock, to other types of organic materials. It can be purchased cheaply and sometimes can be obtained for free. Mulch reduces water evaporation from the soil, keeping it moist for your plants and flowers, allowing you to water less frequently.
- Be vigilant about adjusting your sprinklers so that you are watering your grass or landscape, NOT the sidewalk. Saves 500 gallons per month.
The copyright of the article Water Conservation Tips in Water Conservation is owned by Ryan Arroyo. Permission to republish Water Conservation Tips in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
 |
