Have you ever had a staggering utility bill?
Even if you are not in a drought-stricken area, you must do your part in knowing how to save water and conserving this precious resource.
Here are twenty water conservation tips for you that you can implement in your home right away.
1. As you’re waiting for your shower to heat up, place a bucket under the faucet so water accumulates in the bucket instead of pouring down the drain. This can come in handy when you flush the toilet or water the plants.
2. If you leave your faucet on when brushing, you are wasting 2.5 gallons of water per minute. Make sure to turn it off after wetting your toothbrush and don’t turn it back on until you need to rinse.
3. Just like brushing your teeth, you can turn off the faucet while rubbing your hands and put it back on when once you’re ready to rinse.
4. The toilet is a fixture in your home that often consumes the most water. If there is no need to flush, then don’t!
5. A leaky faucet is a water waster. Get a plumber or go for DIY to fix the leaks in your home.
6. Your pasta water can be healthy for your plants! Instead of pouring it all out in the drain, let it cool and sprinkle your plants with it.
7. Save water by taking your car to the car wash. They recycle water thus you do not need to use your hose and use up so much fresh water for your car. Alternately, use a waterless car wash solution.
8. With every minute you spend in the shower, you are actually wasting about 5 gallons of water. Take quick showers to conserve not only water, but also your time.
9. Invest in water efficient fixtures such as low-flow toilets, efficient shower heads, and faucets. Also opt for a dishwasher and a washing machine that is Water Sense-rated.
10. Revamp your lawn. Shrink or lose it completely. Go for a landscape design that requires little to no irrigation or maintenance. If not, choose water efficient ground cover, succulents, and other greenery that don’t need much water.
11. Since half-loads in the dishwasher or the washing machine add up to gallons of wasted water, you should not run it until they are full.
12. If your water bill suspiciously spikes up, chances are that you might have leaks in your home. Hire a plumber so they can check your pipes and save you from wasting water and money.
13. A rain barrel is good for harvesting rainwater and using it later to hydrate your plants without using the sprinklers or hose. Keep it covered to avoid increasing the local mosquito population.
14. You can decrease your toilet water usage by sinking a half gallon jug of sand or water in the toilet tank.
15. It is wiser to water your plants in the morning since early morning temperature lessens the loss of water due to evaporation. Watering in the evening, however, can promote the growth of mold.
16. Before you wash the dishes, fill your sink with water instead of letting the water run as you scrub.
17. Saving electricity indirectly saves water too, as power plants utilize thousands of gallons of water to cool down their equipment.
18. If you need to clean your pet, do it outside. You’re hitting two birds with one stone as you clean your pup and water the lawn at the same time. Be sure to check if the soap you use for your pet is not harmful to your plants.
19. You may want cut back on the daily showers. Skipping a shower once a week could greatly save a big amount of water.
20. Re-route the runoff from your clothes washer and use it to flush your toilet with a greywater system. Just make sure it is legal where you live.
Of course, there are many more ways to save water in addition to these 20, but we hope these will get you started.
Have any suggestions? Tweet us @greenerideal!
