15 Ways to Save Water in the Home
Droughts are nothing new but more areas are struggling with water issues. Water conservation has become more important than ever before, even in areas where water seemed abundant previously.
Water conservation has many benefits most notably lowering your water bill, preventing water pollution in nearby lakes, rivers, and local watersheds. Whether you’re ready to reduce your shower time or replace your toilets, there are lots of ways to conserve water.
We have compiled 15 ways you can conserve water within your home and cut down your water bill. It can be a daunting task to conserve water but there’s no need to get overwhelmed. Simply make a few changes and you can end up saving up to a few hundreds of gallons of water each year.
15 Water Saving Tips
If it’s yellow, let it mellow. Sure this may not be for everyone, but toilets use the most water in the household. Save water by not flushing all the time! If it’s yellow let it sit. If it is solid waste flush it down.
Address Those Pesky Leaks. Whether you go DIY or hire a plumber, be proactive and fix those leaky faucets and rake in those water savings.
Don’t Use The Toilet as a Wastebasket. Sure, we all do it from time to time but don’t flush trash, tissue or paper down the toilet. You can waste up to five to seven gallons of water per flush.
Rinse your Razor in the Sink. First, fill the sink with a few inches of warm water. This will rinse your razor just as well as running water and cut down on water waste.
Don’t Let The Faucet Run While You Clean Vegetables. Fill your sink up or a pan with clean water and clean off your veggies.
Don’t Run the Hose While Washing Your Car. Only use the hose for rinsing your car. This simple tactic can save as much as 150 gallons when washing your car. For extra benefits, use a spray nozzle when rinsing your car for more efficient use of water.
Use a Broom, Not a Hose. When cleaning driveways and sidewalks use a broom instead of a water hose to clean your driveway.
Invest In A Watering Can. Rather than using a hosepipe which can waste up to 264 gallons per hour. Also, mulching your plants and watering in the early morning and late afternoon will reduce evaporation and save water.
Collect Your Shower Water. While you sit and wait for your water to heat up collect the cold water in a bucket and repurpose it.
Turn Off The Water. Turn off the water while you’re washing your hair. This alone can save you up to 150 gallons per month.
Plug The Bathtub. Before you even turn the water on, plug the bathtub before turning on the water.
Report Broken Pipes. If you notice broken pipes or leaky fire hydrants report it to your local water provider.
Join A Community Pool. Instead of building a private pool, join a community pool.
Compost Regularly. Use the garbage disposal sparingly. Instead, compost vegetable food waste and save gallons every time.
Use Minimal Water While Cooking. When you are cooking food try to use as little water as possible. This also helps your food retain more nutrients.
Water Stress Conditions
Did you know that in 1990, 30 states in the U.S. reported ‘water-stress’ conditions. In 2000, the number of states reporting water-stress rose to 40 states. In 2009, the number rose to 45 states. There is a growing trend of water related shortages nationwide. By taking measures at home to conserve water not only saves you money, it benefits the greater community at large.
Water conservation at home doesn’t require you to incur any significant costs. You can take advantage of the tips above to reduce your water usage.
