Unless you live in an arid region or where drought occasionally strikes, water conservation is probably not a daily priority. It is easy to forget that while water endlessly cycles in aquifers, bubbles up springs, flows down rivers to the sea, evaporates and then falls as rain, usable water is a finite resource. How and where we use it affects you each day, whether you know it or not.
Consider the opulent trappings of Las Vegas, Nevada or Dubai, UAE. Each is built in a water scarce desert environment, but one would hardly know it. Transporting water to these regions requires diverting river and groundwater, with consequent modifications to all ecosystems along its otherwise natural path. Add to this the costly systems to deliver and dispose of it, and one can see far reaching affects aside from simply water conservation.
Another example is bottled water. Many of us drink it for taste, style and in some cases because of hygienic concerns with our tap water. In the U.S., bottled water is only regulated for safety by the FDA if the water passes over state lines. By comparison, all municipal sources are regulated by the EPA.
Americans throw out 60 million plastic water bottles each day, even though they are all recyclable. Water bottles are produced from petroleum, and diesel and gas driven trucks bring it to us over long distances, while many local water resources are left to disrepair.
What can we all do each day to practice water conservation and save ourselves money, both in the short term and in the long term?
Build your own
water filtration system
for under $80 that will treat 6,000 gallons before it needs replenishing.
If you're not a DIY person, buy an under the counter, faucet mounted or pitcher style water filter system. You will recoup any initial expense rather quickly, as compared to buying bottled water (the average American spends $216/year on environmentally destructive disposable bottled water) or for a home 5 gallon dispenser system (the #7 plastic from which is unsafe). Practice environmental, financial and water conservation all at once!
If your municipal water supply is safe, buy a stainless steel water bottle rather than pre-packaged bottled water.
Place a bottle or pitcher of water in your fridge instead of running water until it becomes the cold. Use a glass or ceramic pitcher if you can. If you use plastic, a polypropylene plastic pitcher ( recycle code #5) is best as it does not leach into your water.
Repair leaky plumbing. A 1 drop/second drip = 2,700 gal./year. To see if you have leaks of which you are not aware, look at your water meter before you go to bed. If it doesn’t read the same when you get up, there is a leak. Faucet leaks you can see. For your toilet, put some dye or food coloring in the tank. If you later see it in the bowl, you have a leak.
Place a plastic container filled with sand into your toilet tank to reduce flush volume. Do not use a brick, as the particles can cause leaks.
Install low flow shower heads for about $15. They reduce water flow by 2 gallons per minute (gpm).
Fit all faucets with an aerator for about $4 each. This will cut water use at least in half.
Take a shorter shower and do not turn the water on as high. Use your hands to help rinse away soap rather than relying on high water pressure.
When shaving, only use water when you rinse the razor.
Use the dishwasher and make sure it is full before you start it, and wash as few items by hand as possible. Rather than pre-rinsing (5 minutes=~25 gallons), run a pre-wash/rinse only cycle on the dishwasher (~1 gallon).
Replace your clothes washer with a front load model, which uses 40% less water and handles 30% more clothes per load.
Only water your lawn in the early morning to decrease evaporation, and keep your grass at 3” to retain moisture. If the lawn springs back after you walk on it, it does not need water. When you do water, it only helps the lawn develop a healthy deep root system if you water it thoroughly, so decide whether you want that expense before doing it at all.
Mulching around trees and shrubs and in your garden will encourage water conservation while inhibiting weed growth.
Use a broom, not a hose to clean your driveway or sidewalk.
Only use your hose when wetting and rinsing your car. This will save you ~150 gallons per wash.
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