Water is one of the most wasted natural resource available, and it isn’t free for all. Many people pay a monthly or quarterly bill, and in many cases, the majority of the bill goes to pay sewage fees. The water that goes down the drain must be treated, and the cost can quickly break the budget. Some bills can’t be reduced, but it is possible to save water in many ways. Not everyone can save the used water from their washing machine or bath, but there are many other practical and easy ways to save.
1. Check taps and pipes for leaks
A small drip from a worn faucet washer can waste 20 gallons of water per day. Larger leaks can waste hundreds of gallons.
2. Don’t use the toilet as a wastebasket
Every time you flush a facial tissue or other small bit of rubbish, five to seven gallons of water is wasted.
3. Check your toilets for leaks
Put a little food coloring in your toilet tank. If, without flushing, the color begins to appear in the bowl within 30 minutes, you have a leak that should be repaired immediately. Most replacement parts are inexpensive and easy to install.
4. Use your water meter to check for hidden water leaks
Read the house or business water meter before and after a two-hour period when no water is being used. If the meter does not read exactly the same, there is a leak.
5. Install water-saving shower heads and low-flow tap aerators
Inexpensive water-saving low-flow shower heads or restrictors are easy to install. Also, long, hot showers can use five to ten gallons every unneeded minute. Limit your showers to the time it takes to soap up, wash down and rinse off. “Low-flow” means it uses less than 2.5 gallons per minute.
You can easily install a water saving showerhead, or add a converter to existing showerheads, which automatically pauses a running shower once it gets warm.
Also, all taps should be fit with aerators. This single best and cheapest water conservation method.
6. Put plastic bottles or water brick in your toilet tank
To cut down on water waste, put an inch or two of sand or pebbles inside each of two plastic bottles to weigh them down. Fill the bottles with water, screw the lids on, and put them in your toilet tank, safely away from the operating mechanisms. Or, buy an inexpensive toilet hippo. This may save ten or more gallons of water per day.
Be sure at least 4 litres of water remain in the tank so it will flush properly. If there is not enough water to get a proper flush, users will hold the lever down too long or do multiple flushes to get rid of waste. Two flushings at 1.4 gallons is worse than a single 2.0 gallon flush. A better suggestion would be to buy an adjustable toilet flusher that allow for adjustment of their per flush use. Then the user can adjust the flush rate to the minimum per flush setting that achieves a single good flush each time.
For new installations, consider buying “low flush” toilets, which use 4 to 9 litres per flush instead of the usual 13 to 23 litres.
Replacing an 18 litre per flush toilet with an ultra-low volume (ULV) 6 litre flush model represents a 70% savings in water flushed and will cut indoor water use by about 30%.
7. Insulate your water pipes.
It’s easy and inexpensive to insulate your water pipes with pre-slit foam pipe insulation. You’ll get hot water faster plus avoid wasting water while it heats up.
8. Take shorter showers.
One way to cut down on water use is to turn off the shower after soaping up, then turn it back on to rinse. A four-minute shower uses approximately 100 to 200 litres of water. Time them with a shower timer so you know exactly how long you are in there for.
9. Turn off the water after you wet your toothbrush
There is no need to keep the water running while brushing your teeth. Just wet your brush and fill a glass for mouth rinsing.
10. Rinse your razor in the sink
Fill the sink with a few inches of warm water. This will rinse your razor just as well as running water, with much less waste of water.
11. Use your dishwasher and clothes washer for only full loads
Automatic dishwashers and clothes washers should be fully loaded for optimum water conservation. Most makers of dishwashing powders and tablets reccomend not pre-rinsing dishes which is good for water saving.
With Washing machines, avoid the permanent press cycle, which uses an added 20 litres for the extra rinse. Replace old clothes washers with New Energy Star or energy recommended rated washers, which use 35 – 50% less water and 50% less energy per load.
12. Minimize use of kitchen sink disposal units
In-sink ‘garburators’ require lots of water to operate properly, and also add considerably to the volume of solids in a septic tank which can lead to maintenance problems. Start a compost bin as an alternative method of disposing food waste.
13. When washing dishes by hand, don’t leave the water running for rinsing
If your have a double-basin, fill one with soapy water and one with rinse water. If you have a single-basin sink, gather washed dishes in a dish rack and rinse them with a spray device or a panful of hot water. If using a dishwasher, there is usually no need to pre-rinse the dishes.
14. Don’t let the tap run while you clean vegetables
Just rinse them in a stoppered sink or a pan of clean water.
15. Keep a bottle of drinking water in the fridge.
Running tap water to cool it off for drinking water is wasteful. Store drinking water in the fridge in a safe drinking bottle.
16. Plant drought-resistant lawns, shrubs and plants
If you are planting a new lawn, or overseeding an existing lawn, use drought-resistant grasses. Many beautiful shrubs and plants thrive with far less watering than other species. Plant slopes with plants that will retain water and help reduce runoff. Group plants according to their watering needs.
17. Put a layer of mulch or shredded bark around trees and plants
Mulch will slow evaporation of moisture while discouraging weed growth. Adding 2 – 4 inches of organic material such as compost or bark mulch will increase the ability of the soil to retain moisture.
18. Don’t water the pathway
Position your sprinklers so water lands on the lawn or garden, not on paved areas. Also, avoid watering on windy days.
19. Water your lawn only when it needs it
A good way to see if your lawn needs watering is to step on the grass. If it springs back up when you move, it doesn’t need water. If it stays flat, the lawn is ready for watering. Letting the grass grow taller (to 3″) will also promote water retention in the soil.
Most lawns only need about 1″ of water each week. During dry spells, you can stop watering altogether and the lawn will go brown and dormant. Once cooler weather arrives, the morning dew and rainfall will bring the lawn back to its usual vigor. This may result in a brown summer lawn, but it saves a lot of water.
20. Don’t run the hose while washing your car
Clean the car using a bucket of soapy water. Use the hose only for rinsing – this simple practice can save as much as 700 litres when washing a car. Use a spray nozzle when rinsing for more efficient use of water.
21. Use a broom, not a hose, to clean driveways and sidewalks
22. Check for leaks in pipes, hoses, taps and couplings
Leaks outside the house may not seem as bad since they’re not as visible. But they can be just as wasteful as leaks indoors. Check frequently to keep them drip-free.
Water conservation comes naturally when everyone in the family or business is aware of its importance, and parents take the time to teach children or employers to teach employees, some of the simple water-saving methods around the home or business which can make a big difference.
