Though some areas of the US are receiving more than their fair share of summer rain, other portions are hopeful for any moisture they can get as drought conditions linger. Whether you are currently experiencing a lack of water or not, please remember, eventually we all get our turn in the empty rain barrel. What currently may be a practice of necessity, are nonetheless good habits to develop, come rain or shine.
Once someone develops the habit of conserving precious water, it all but becomes second nature. Here are a few ways we can all contribute, and as insignificant as some of these may appear, when magnified over time they consume more gallons than most of us are probably aware.
Check faucets for leaks – One tiny drip from a worn out washer can waste up to 20 gallons of water, every single day. It only stands to reason, the larger the drip, the more water wasted down the drain.
Careful what you flush – Toilets should serve one purpose only. Every time a small bit of tissue or trash is flush into oblivion, so are five to seven gallons of water. If your house receives its water from a well, electricity is also being wasted.
Check toilets for leaks – An easy way to check for this is by pouring a bit of food coloring into the toilets tank and waiting 30 minutes without flushing. If the food coloring shows up in the bowl, there is a leak. Toilets are very inexpensive to repair, easy to fix, and should be taken care of pronto!
Check home for leaks – Read the measurement on your home’s water meter and then do not use any water for a two-hour period. Read the meter again. If the measurement is the same, your home is leak free.
Use only water-saving shower heads – Shower heads are very inexpensive and are designed so that every homeowner can install them. A “Low-Flow” type head can save as much as 2 ½ gallons per minute. Showers should always be limited in length. Soap, scrub, rinse, exit.
Use a float buster – Filling a plastic bottle with sand roughly two inches deep with sand or small rocks, and placing it in your toilets tank, will save an estimated ten gallons of water per day.
Turn off that faucet! – While scrubbing those pearly white teeth to a brilliant luster, turn the faucet off. There is no need to keep it running except to rinse. When shaving (for men), fill the sink with a small amount of water for rinsing off your razor. Leaving the faucet running is excessive.
Dish and clothes washers – When washing clothes or dishes, wait until you have a full load. Both machines use a tremendous amount of water so limited their usage is imperative.
Washing vegetables – Rather than just allowing the faucet to run as you clean vegetables, wash them in a stoppered sink or a large pan of water.