Thursday, September 26, 2013

20 Ways To Conserve Water

By Justina Strebel


The world has lots of water. That said, less than 10 % is drinkable. With this number in mind, it is not surprising that ecologists want to conserve water. Here are 20 ways you can conserve water at home.

1. Examine pipelines and faucets for leaks. This is sometimes the easiest task you can do to save water in your house and save 10 or more gallons per day.

2. Your water meter is a great way to examine for leaks. Review your water meter and write down the number. Do not use any water for a minimum of two hours then go back to examine the meter again. If the readings have changed, you have a leak in the system.

3. Set up water saving toilets for your house. Each time you flush the toilet, it uses five to 7 gallons of water. However, a water saving toilet uses only one and a half gallons with each flush.



4. Turn the water off when brushing your teeth. Rinse with a cup of water.

5. Take quicker showers. Get wet, lather up and then turn the water on to wash.

6. Install low-flow shower heads that use less than 2.5 gallons of water per minute compared to the normal 5 to 10 gallons.

7. Add insulation around your water pipes. Water will warm quicker so you do not have to run the water as long for it to reach your desired temperature.

8. See to it your dishwasher and clothes washer are full prior to pressing start. This means you will need fewer loads.

9. Avoid the permanent press cycle when using the clothes washer. It will use an extra 5 gallons of water.

10. If you wash the dishes by hand, fill the sink with water as opposed to running the water as you wash them.

11. Soak pots and pans as opposed to running the water and scraping them before putting them in the dishwasher.

12. Put mulch around plants and trees to keep the soil from drying out. This means you will not have to water as frequently.

13. Irrigate your yard just when it needs to be fed, as opposed to putting a sprinkler on a timer.

14. Water your grass early in the day and let it soak into the lawn. This will permit the roots to obtain the water they require since the water will not vaporize as rapidly.

15. Rinse your vegetables and fruits in a bowl or pan of water instead of running the water. Afterwards, you can water houseplants with it.

16. If you have a fish tank, you can use the aquarium water to feed plants, also.

17. Find out where the master shut-off is for your home's water. This could be useful if there is a leak - both for protecting your house and for conserving water.

18. Avoid using water toys that need a continuous supply of water. A swimming pool that you fill once would be better for saving water.

19. Wrap any water pipe that is exposed to the air under your house to keep the pipes from freezing.

20. Start collecting rainwater from your roof. Install simple rain barrels to automatically collect water for you.

There are most likely 100 or more ways to save water in your home. However, if you follow these 20 tips, you ought to see a big change in your monthly water costs.




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