Water Conservation
Large amounts of water are wasted every day without the average homeowner even knowing it. Below are some ways to be more water wise and save hundreds of gallons a week and the money associated with it.
In the Laundry:
- Run your machine when you have a full load. 30 to 60 gallons are used per load. Wait until you have a full load or adjust the water level to satisfy the smaller load.
- Depending on how dirty the load is and to avoid extra rinse's, use a minimum amount of detergent.
- The newer model's have a better selection of features to save water and energy. Front load machines use considerably less water than top load machines.
In the Kitchen:
- Washing fruits and vegetable under run water is very wasteful. Fill your sink or basin to wash fruits and vegetables.
- The largest consumption of water in the kitchen is the automatic dishwasher. On average they will use between 10 to 15 gallons of water per load. Fill your dishwasher before running a load and select cycles that conserve water. Scrape off excess food instead of rinsing. Most dishwashers can do the job without pre-washing.
- Insulating hot water pipes saves money and energy by reducing the time it takes for hot water to reach your sink.
In the Bathroom:
- We have found that a leaky toilet is the largest cause of wasted water. They can go undetected for a very long time causing 'Water Bill Shock Syndrome'. Hundreds of gallons are wasted costing homeowners more money than it might cost to replace or retro-fit an existing toilet. New low flow toilets are also available on the market.
- There are devices that can be purchase to displace water in the tank. A filled plastic bottled works very well. Avoid using the old stand-by brick. They will break down over time causing damage to your plumbing fixtures.
- Check for leaks in your toilet tank by putting in 10 to 12 drops of food coloring. If the color appears in your bowl after 15 to 30 minutes, clean or replace the flapper valve.
- Shutting off the water while shaving or brushing your teeth can save several gallons each day.
Lawn Watering:
There are so many personal opinions and information on the web that it gets very confusing. All lawns will go dormant during drought conditions, not actually die. Most lawn kills are associated with grubs or mold and fungus issues due to over watering.
Watering every day promotes shallow root growth which will require you to water more frequently to keep the appearance you desire, wasting water and money. An established lawn only requires one inch of water per week even if that inch comes in the form of a single rain storm. Using an empty coffee can to measure how long it takes to water your lawn is a great tool. This will minimize the amount of time you need to run sprinklers and save time and money.
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