How to Conserve Water at Home

In a home with running water, it’s easy to forget that water, although a natural resource, is not unlimited in its supply. Utah’s Division of Water Resources says that water conservation will help meet future needs, save money and preserve the environment. It estimates that the average household, without making major lifestyle changes, can reduce water consumption by at least 25 percent. The following tips should help you on your way.

Fix leaks. American Water and Energy Savers (AWES) says that the loss of a single drop per second from a faucet or other leak will result in the waste of 2,700 gallons of water per year. Check faucets, pipes and toilet tanks for leaks regularly, and repair promptly. Insulate water pipes and check them after a freeze. “Read your water meter before and after a two-hour period when no water is being used,” AWES says, adding, “If the meter does not read exactly the same, there is a leak.”

Reduce flow. Fit aerators and flow restrictors to faucets, and install an ultra-low flow (ULF) showerhead. Another place where you can reduce the flow is in the toilet. Eartheasy, a 2003 finalist in the Stockholm Challenge award for websites that benefit humanity, estimates that “75 percent of water used indoors is in the bathroom, and 25 percent of this is for the toilet,” so savings made here quickly add up. Install a ULF toilet tank to halve the water used per flush to 2 gallons, or a $2 tank bank, which will save 0.8 gallons per flush.

Don’t leave it running. Whether it’s the faucet while you shave, leaving the shower on as you lather up or an automatic sprinkler watering a yard system in stormy weather, leaving running water unattended is allowing money to flush straight down the drain. Store a jug of water in the refrigerator for refreshment rather than waiting for the faucet to run cold. If you can, install an instant hot water heater on your kitchen sink, so that you don’t have to run off so much water waiting for it to heat. As well as saving water, AWES say this will reduce your heating bills.

Use appliances sparingly. Use the toilet only for its intended use, and avoid flushing spiders and other waste that could as easily be disposed of elsewhere. The same goes for the waste disposal in a sink, which, according to AWES, uses a lot of water and can add strain to a septic tank by increasing the volume of waste solids by as much as 50 percent. Compost food waste instead, and use it to fertilize your garden, if possible. Run washing machines and dishwashers with a full load, or at least on energy-saving settings.

Use gray water. Collect rainwater in water butts for watering the yard. You can also conserve water in the garden by mulching around plants to prevent evaporation, choosing drought tolerant plants and avoiding overwatering.