Cut Your Water Usage in Half!

With the heat of the summer fast approaching and many regions currently under drought, it is important to the environment (and your wallet) to educate yourself on water conservation. The average person uses around 80-100 gallons of water/day. That’s 29,200-36,500 gallons/year! Arming yourself with useful water conservation knowledge can make a significant difference. Here are a few tips and products that will help you to become a more responsible water consumer.

Tips for Conserving Water

1. Turn the Water Off- It may seem like common sense, but many people keep the water on while doing tasks around the bathroom or kitchen. Take an extra 2 seconds out of brushing your teeth or shaving to turn the faucet off while not in use.
2. Check for Leaks- Make sure your house has no leaks. A single dripping faucet that drips around 30 times/minute adds up to 2 gallons of water/day. That’s 1,041 gallons of water/year being wasted.
   To check for leaks in your house, record the information of your water meter and then check the meter again after not using your water for two hours. If there is a change, you most likely have a leak somewhere in the house.
3. Install Flow Restrictors- Replacing all faucet and shower head aerators with flow-restricting aerators, can cut water usage significantly.
4. Fill a Sink or Bowel to Hand-wash Dishes- Fill a large bowel or the sink with water instead of leaving the water on while hand-washing dishes. This will cut the amount of water used by 50%.
5. Defrost Food in the Refrigerator- Instead of defrosting frozen food in water, place it in the fridge and let it defrost overnight.
6. Consider a Compost Pile- Instead of washing all of your food waste down the garbage disposal, consider creating a compost pile to throw your discarded food in.
7. Take Shorter Showers- Consider setting a timer for before getting in the shower to insure you don’t use any necessary water.
8. Take Showers Instead of Baths- If you have the choice, opt for a shower instead of a bath. Taking a bath uses around 70 gallons of water, where as a five minute shower only uses 10-25 gallons.
9. Upgrade to High Efficiency Appliance- High efficiency appliances like toilets and washing machines are designed to use significantly less water to operate than normal appliances. The federal government even offers a tax credit incentive for purchasing energy saving appliances.
10. Cut Back on Watering Your Lawn- The average homeowner waters their lawn twice as much than they actually need to. To conserve water while still keeping your lawn in pristine health, water your lawn early in the morning to cut back on evaporation. The average lawn only requires 1-1.5″ of water per week, so use a rain gauge to help you determine whether you even need to water your lawn.
11. Purchase a Rain Barrel- A rain barrel captures rain water from your home’s gutters and can provide you with enough H2O to water your garden or landscaping.
12. Landscape With the Right Plants- Do a little research about what plants thrive in the climate you live in. If you live in a drought-prone area, plan ahead and landscape your yard with drought-resistant and low water grass, trees, plants, and shrubs.

Products that Help to Conserve Water

 High Efficiency Toilets

High efficiency toilets come in a few different options. For instance a single-flush high efficiency toilet like the Dazne toilet pictured to the left uses only around 1.28 gallons per flush (GPF), where as the typical non high efficiency toilet uses approximately 3.5 gpf.

There are also high efficiency toilets called dual-flush toilets. These toilets let you choose between two different flushing options depending on whether you are flushing solids or liquids. When flushing solids the toilet uses 1.6 gpf and when flushing liquids only, the toilet only uses 0.8 gpf. Upgrading to a high efficiency toilet will drastically cut down on your toilet’s water consumption by 55%-400%!

Dual Flush Converters

If you don’t have the time or money it takes to rip out your old toilet and replace it with a new one, you’re in luck! There are dual-flush converters like the Brondell Dual Flush Retrofit Kit which allow you to turn your toilet into a water conserving machine. Not only is it inexpensive, but installation is easy as well. Now anyone can start conserving their toilet’s water consumption!

Delta Touch2O Faucets

Washing dishes by hand is sometimes a necessary evil and realistically, the average person isn’t going to turn off the water while not in use while cleaning dishes. It’s just not very convenient and can sometimes prove difficult if your hands are occupied with plates.That’s where Delta Touch2o technology comes in. These faucets, as the name suggests, turn off and on by a simple touch. So whether you are in the bathroom brushing your teeth or the kitchen washing dishes, you can turn off the water between uses even if your hands are full and conserve water.

High Efficiency Washing Machines

Like high efficiency toilets, high efficiency washing machines use less water to operate than conventional washers. In fact HE washers use anywhere from 44%-88% less water than the non HE washer. Plus they also conserve a great deal of electricity since there is less water to heat and your clothes stay newer longer. Long-term, the financial savings and environmental benefits are significant.

Energy Star Dishwashers

Chances are, if your dishwasher was created before 1994, you are paying extra money on your utility bills. Do yourself and the environment a favor and update your dishwasher to an Energy Star qualified model. The average Energy Star dishwasher will save an average 1,300 gallons of water during its lifespan.

Water Barrels

Water barrels are a great way to provide yourself with free water to irrigate your lawn and garden. Most barrels are placed on the side of the house and receive water from your house’s gutter when it rains. Each barrel usually has a  a water spigot connected to them, making it easy for you to hook up a hose and water away!