Water is a precious substance that is oftentimes taken for granted. Did you know that there are about 1.2 billion people worldwide that do not have the ability to access clean water? The water that they are surrounded with is dirty and many people have to walk for miles and miles just to get that.
Freshwater is a precious commodity. It ought to be conserved to the best of our ability in order assure that there is an abundant supply worldwide for the future.
Here are 10 ways that you can conserve water at home.
- Check your toilets and faucets for leaks. If you have a small leak in your toilet or a faucet, you could be losing hundreds of gallons of water per day. Every so often do a thorough check for leaks and replace the inside parts of your toilet every year or two.
- Install low-flow faucets and shower heads. You can purchase low-flow faucets and shower heads for under $20 and this will save you a lot of money over time. Installing such an efficient gadget saves you 1 to 2 gallons of water per minute.
- Put a plastic water bottle in toilet tank. If you take a plastic bottle, put a few pebbles or rocks in it, fill it with water, and then place it in the back of your toilet, you can save up to 10 gallons of water per day. By placing the bottle in the toilet tank, less water is needed to fill the tank and therefore less water is being flushed. Experiment to see if a 1 or 2 liter bottle fits better and be sure it is not touching the working parts of the toilet.
- Insulate water pipes. If you wrap your water tank and insulate the connecting pipes you will be saving water in the long run. By insulating, you are keeping the hot water from losing heat so the hot water tank is not used as often, thus reducing energy consumption.
- Brush your teeth without the water on. You can save up to three gallons of water per day if you simply turn the water off as you brush your teeth.
- Shorten your showers. Many people take much longer showers than necessary. Shorten your showers and you will be able to save about 5 gallons per minute.
- Use garbage disposal sparingly. It takes water and energy to run the garbage disposal, so run it sparingly. Consider starting a compost pile with your organic scraps.
- Install low-volume toilets. There are super-efficient toilets made today that will save you 6 or 7 gallons per flush. Go ahead and purchase a low-volume toilet or consider putting in a composting toilet which requires no water at all.
- Only do full loads of laundry and dirty dishes. If you will wait until the washing machine and dishwasher is full before running them, you can save up to 20 gallons of water per wash.
- Toss your tissues in the wastebasket and not the toilet. If you have to use a tissue, don’t throw it in the toilet and flush it but instead toss it in the wastebasket. Each flush uses between 5 and 7 gallons of water, so you will be able to conserve much water.
It is not difficult to conserve water, but it does take a commitment and a bit of handy work around the home. If you are not that handy, ask a friend or family member to take care of your toilet, faucet, and pipes in order to make them energy efficient. Follow these tips and watch the amount of water you use on a monthly basis decrease and save you money!
Image found on Flickr