Tips to Save Water Throughout Your Day

Water is one of our most precious resources, and it’s also one of the easiest to waste. Making a conscious effort to save water throughout your day helps to make sure there’s enough to go around, which is good for you and for our environment. These six simple tips will help you to save water throughout your day.

Six Simple Tips to Save Water

1. Take a Quick Shower: There’s nothing better than waking up to a hot shower… except for waking up to a hot shower that doesn’t waste water. Cut back on your shower time to reduce unnecessary water use. Even better, shower with a partner: one less shower per household per day can make a huge difference. Finally, test how much water your showerhead uses. See how long it takes for your shower to fill a one gallon bucket. If it takes less than 20 seconds, it’s time to switch to a more efficient showerhead.

2. Wait Until You Have a Full Load: Water efficient laundry machines and dishwashers can be much more efficient than doing chores by hand. However, this efficiency only comes into play when you’re doing a full load. Wait until your appliances are entirely full before using them to get the most out of every drop of water.

3. Skip the Garbage Disposal: Unlike your dishwasher, your garbage disposal is an incredibly inefficient way to get chores done. Every time you run it you’re wasting water. Fortunately, there are some more earth-friendly ways to get rid of unwanted food, including composting. Start a small composting bin for a natural way to nourish your plants with food you don’t need.

4. Don’t Over-water Your Lawn: Your lawn is a thirsty beast, and it’s easy to give it too much to drink. During the summer, limit your watering to once every 5-7 days. Take rain into account in your watering schedule – there’s no need to water right after a storm. Consider letting your lawn go dormant during the winter to save on several month’s worth of watering. When you water your lawn, do it in the morning. The lower temperatures will help reduce evaporation wastage. Finally, be thoughtful about where you place your sprinklers to make sure you’re not watering the sidewalk or the car.

5. Teach Your Kids to Save Water: Good habits start young, so make sure your kids know what they can do to save water. Teach them to turn the faucet off tightly after using it, and encourage them to turn the water off while brushing their teeth.

6. Check for Leaks: Leaky plumbing wastes tons of water and can easily run up your water bill. Use your water meter to check for leaks. Pick a time of day where no one needs to use any water. Read your meter before and after a one hour period. If the numbers are different, it’s likely you have a leak. If the problem is easy to spot and fix, like a leaky sink, do the repairs yourself. If the leak is less apparent, it’s time to call in a professional.

Saving water doesn’t have to be a chore. With a bit of creative thinking (and some help from the whole family), you can make a big difference.