Water is a limited resource and it costs a great deal in energy and money to pump, move, and purify. Water consumption can be significantly reduced in the home without giving up comfort and convenience. By understanding what you expect water to do for each use in your home, you can reduce the amount you need while still doing the best job possible.

A common household water-waster is leaks. A faucet leaking one drop per second wastes 2,400 gallons per year, enough to run 160 full cycles on an automatic dishwasher. To detect leaks throughout your home, specialists suggest turning off everything in the house that uses water, check the meter reading, and then check it again in an hour. If the meter reading has changed, check hose connections, toilets and faucets for leaks. To check the toilet, put a few drops of food coloring in the tank. If the color shows up in the bowl after 15 to 30 minutes without flushing, then there is a leak that needs repair.

Other ways to save water include:

• Bathing and personal care
  • Don't let the water run when you brush your teeth or shave.
  • Turn faucets off completely to avoid drips and slow leaks.
  • Take short showers, not baths. Limit showers to 5 minutes or less.
  • Install flow restrictors on shower heads and faucets.
  • Turn the valves under the sink to reduce the rate of water flow.
  • As you wait for shower water to heat up, collect the cold water in a bucket for watering plants.
  • Place a one gallon plastic container full of water in the toilet tank to displace one gallon of water.
  
  

  

• Laundry
  • Wash clothes when they are dirty, not just to remove wrinkles.
  • Launder full loads.
  • If the washing machine has a water-level control, adjust the load size appropriately.
  • Turn the washer's water supply off when not in use and regularly check for leaks.
  
  

  

• Cooking and drinking water
  • Use tight fitting lids on pans to keep water from boiling away.
  • Cook food in as little water as possible. This also prevents loss of nutrients.
  • Select the proper size pans for cooking.
  • Keep a covered bottle of water in the refrigerator for drinking so you won't have to let the water run to get cold.
  • Use a small pan of water to wash, peel, or clean vegetables rather than letting the water run over them continuously.
  • Wait and use the garbage disposal only once rather than several times.
  • Wash only full loads in the dishwasher.
  • Scrape/wipe dishes rather than rinsing if they are to be washed immediately in the dishwasher.
  • When hand washing dishes, use a pan of soapy water for washing and one of hot water for rinsing.
  • While waiting for faucet water to warm, catch it and use it for other purposes.
  
  

  

• Household cleaning
  • Clean driveway, patio, sidewalks and garage floor with a broom rather than a hose.
  • When washing the car, consider using a mild detergent and parking the car on the grass so the water will also be used to water the grass.
  • Clean the filter and maintain the swimming pool, spa, and jacuzzi properly so you won't have to replace water as often.
  
  

• Garden and lawn
  
  • When planting a garden, group vegetables needing more water together so you can apply water more efficiently.
  • Mulch shrubs and small trees to retain moisture in the soil for a longer time
  • Pull out weeds to eliminate competition for water.
  • When building or remodeling, plan your landscape and garden to minimize water needs.
  • Water thoroughly but less frequently to promote a deeper root system that is better able to withstand dry weather.
  • Use "trickle" or "drip" irrigation techniques.
  • Water the lawn or garden early in the morning or at night.
  • Check hoses and faucets periodically for leaks or malfunctions.
  • Avoid fertilizing the lawn in the summer because this increases its demand for water.
  • Cut grass to a length of three inches.

  

• Other
  • Insulate hot water lines.
  • Select water saving appliances.
  
  

Return to What You Can Do

© Copyright