Clean water is a privilege we often take for granted. However, with many areas struggling with droughts, conserving water is becoming increasingly important these days. Moreover, the rapid increase in the world’s population is expected to more than double our demand for fresh water. A large portion of our water consumption is taken up by agriculture and businesses. However, residential use plays a crucial role too. Minimizing your water consumption will not only help the environment but will also help you to save money in the process. So how can you conserve water? Here are 10 ways to save water at home.
10 Ways You Can Save Water At Home
- Turn off faucets.
An average kitchen and bathroom faucet produces 2.5 gallons of water per minute. So don’t let all that water run needlessly. By leaving the faucet running while you brush your teeth, will result in wasting 5 gallons of water. Also, don’t forget to turn off the tap when shaving, washing your hair, hands or face.
- Learn to repurpose the water.
Collect in a colander the water you use to wash fruits and veggies. This water can be used for water plants in the garden. You can also collect water while you wait for it becomes hot.
- Fix all the leaks.
Check all your faucets, shower heads and toilets for any drips. A constantly leaking faucet is not just an annoyance, but also a considerable waste of water. A leaking faucet can waste up to 3,000 gallons in a year. So hire a plumber or if you’re an expert at DIY, you can fix the leak yourself.
- Opt for low.
Installing water conserving fixtures is a great way to save water and money. All the shower heads on the market today have to comply with regulations and so they limit the water flow to 2.5 GPM. However, you can look for low flow shower heads, which usually deliver about 1.6 GPM. They use a special aerator, so while getting the same pressure, you’re using less water.
You can also install a water saving toilet. Old toilets can use as much as 6 gallons per flush. However, if you’ll install a toilet that is WaterSense certified, it’ll be using only about 1.6 gallons per flush. Also, there’s also a dual flush toilet option.
Consider installing also other water-efficient appliances and fixtures, such as faucets, dishwasher and washing machine.
- Take shorter showers.
Try to aim for 5 minutes or less. And turn off the shower water while put on shampoo and soap and turn it back on when it’s time to rinse.
Also, consider opting for showers instead of taking a bath. While for a bath you need about 70 gallons of water, a shower uses only about 20-25 gallons.
You can also take a bucket to the shower and collect cold water while waiting for it to warm up. Later you can use this water for flushing the toilet or watering plants.
- Wash only a full load.
Run your dishwasher and machine only when you have a full load. If it takes a long time for you to fully fill up the washer, consider buying a smaller, more efficient unit. This way you’ll be able to save water, energy and detergent. Also, you don’t rinse the dishes before loading. Scraping off is enough.
- Water outdoor plants later in the morning.
The best time to water your outdoor plants is in the early morning. Cooling temperatures at this time of the day result in less water evaporation. You can also water your garden in the evening since temperatures are also quite cool at this time. However, the only concern of evening watering is that it promotes mold growth.
- Collect rainwater.
You can install a barrel or some other system to collect and store rainwater, which can subsequently be used in the garden.
- Compost instead of using the garbage disposal.
Built into the sink garbage disposals requires a lot of water for their operation. Instead, just create a compost bin and keeps your food scraps there.
Wrap Up
On average, a person living in North America uses about 50-70 gallons a day. During summer that number doubles, as people need to water lawns and gardens. Keep in mind that a third of the household’s indoor water usage happens in the bathroom. So by following at least some of these water saving tips, you can significantly reduce your water waste.
