How To Save Water | Water Conservation

There are countless ways that you can save water and conserving water doesn't have to be an inconvenience either. Listed below are simple ways that you can save water in and around your home or business.

• Number one on my list of ways to save water is: Pee in the woods. Now I know this may sound rude to some, but think of the benefits. Not only do you save a flush, but you also fertilize some thankful tree or plant.



• Repair any toilet leaks. Leaking toilets can cause a considerable waste of water, but are usually very cheap to fix



• The average shower time is 8 minutes. Most people can shorten their shower time by several minutes, thus conserving several gallons of water per shower.



• When boiling vegetables or eggs, let the water cool down and then use it to water your plants.



• Install insulation on your hot water pipes. When you have a large home it can take a gallon or more of water before hot water reaches the faucet.



• When brushing your teeth, don't leave the water running the whole time. There's no reason for water to be running while you're brushing.



• Install a shutoff valve behind your shower head and turn off the water while lathering up. This alone can save several hundred gallons per year. Multiply this by our average national household and you will understand what a difference it could make in water conservation.



• Only wash laundry with a full load and try not to use hot water as much as possible.



• If you have to use a dishwasher, try to use it only when full. Otherwise, try to wash dishes by hand.



• Don't just flush trash down the toilet.



• Don't flush fruit and vegetable scraps down through the trash compactor. Instead, start a compost pile and add the scraps to it.



• Even though it's a common thing to do, don't defrost your food under running water. Try to plan ahead and let your food defrost in the fridge or if you're in a hurry use the defrost cycle on your microwave.



• If you take a bath, try to fill the tub with as little water as needed. When I was growing up, we used to have to take a bath in bath water that had already been used by another bather. I'm sure it's still done to this day, but I didn't like it then and I wouldn't even ask that someone else do it now.



• If you absolutely must water your lawn, try to do it early in the morning hours to prevent evaporation.



• Apply mulch around your garden plants. This helps prevent the soil from losing moisture, stabilizes soil temperature and provides a suitable environment for the roots of your plants as well as beneficial soil organisms.



• When you must water your plants due to drought conditions, water them deeply. This prevents you from watering them often which is actually not good for plants as it causes the plants to develop shallow roots.



• Install a dead weight inside your toilet tank to reduce water used by flushing. This can be almost anything, just make sure it doesn't rust. Your goal is to replace water with "dead space".



• If you live in an arid region and wish to surround your home with plants, consider Xeriscaping to minimize water usage.



• Wash your vehicle with as little water as possible. Better yet, wash your vehicle while it's raining to take full advantage of the conditions.



• Use drip irrigation for watering your garden. You can hide the hose under mulch to really gain the full effect of water conservation.



• Install flow restrictors or low-flow faucet aerators on your faucets.



• If you need to clean off a driveway or patio, sweep it off instead of spraying it off.



• Collect rain water from your gutters into a rain barrel to water your plants. Some municipalities actually offer cash rebates for purchasing the rain barrels for this purpose. If yours doesn't, encourage your local leaders to do so.



• If permissible by your local code, collect & use gray water for watering your ornamental trees & plants.



• Use the water that you soak your feet in to water your ornamental plants as long as you don't add any harmful chemicals to it.



• Again, if you "must" water your lawn, consider adjusting the cutting deck of your mower higher to more heavily shade the soil and prevent moisture loss.



• If you have a pool in your backyard, consider a pool cover to minimize evaporation.

As I learn of even more ways on how to save water, I will continually update this water conservation list.