Ten Ways to Save Water This Summer
Posted by Jeremy in environment, frugality, health and hygiene, simple living, water
A couple weeks ago, we received notice from the local water authority that mandatory water restrictions were being implemented to help combat the prolonged drought conditions in our area. In the spirit of doing my part, I have compiled a list of things to help curb water waste. Most of these things are happening as a matter of course in our home, though, I may need to brush up on a few. But, the bottom line is they work and they should be implemented in every home, even if you think you can afford not to.
- Inspect your plumbing at least once a month. It is a good idea to do a monthly walk through of your home to inspect (not just the plumbing) for any repairs or maintenance issues that need to be addressed. A leaky faucet can affect more than just your water bill - constantly running water can cause corrosion to progress more rapidly, invite unwanted bacteria and pests, and in some cases a persistent drip can affect your sanity. If you are like me and have trouble noticing the date until a week has passed, try creating a mental trigger to perform your inspection the day you get your water bill or other regular reminder. If you are not the handiest person around, invest in a good how-to book, or find a reputable plumber to give you a hand.
- Replace old or dated fixtures with low-flow fixtures. While current building codes in most areas require low-flow fixtures in new or remodeled homes, offices, and businesses, there is nothing requiring the average homeowner to retrofit their plumbing. Checking the flow of your current fixtures is as easy as collecting water in a gallon jug or 5-gallon bucket and watching to see how long it takes to fill. If they are using up more water than a new fixture would, seriously consider investing in the replacement. Not only will you save water, but you can increase the value of your home, should you try selling it down the road.
- Put a couple bricks or a 2-liter soda bottle in your toilet's tank. This never actually made sense to me until I got my hands dirty trying to fix a leaky toilet. If a toilet needs 1.6 gallons per flush to operate, it shouldn't matter if you reduce the tank capacity. Most toilet tanks hold more than enough water to effectively flush. But, as the tank fills back up, so does the bowl. After the bowl is done filling, if the tank isn't full yet, water will continue to enter the bowl and go right down the drain. So, by reducing the volume of the tank you minimize the amount of water that goes own the drain while the tank fills up.
- (Maybe a bit crude) Let the yellow mellow. Unless you had asparagus for dinner or you are trying to impress the inlaws visiting from out of town, wait to flush a yellow bowl until after a couple uses.
- Try taking a "Navy Shower". While this may sound a bit uncomfortable, I actually prefer this method. Not only does it save a ton of water, but it saves soap as well. To ration water while afloat, seamen will turn on the water just long enough to get wet, turn it off, lather up, then turn it back on long enough to rinse. Now, I will admit, I don't practice it to a "T"; I leave the water running while I wash and rinse my hair and face. But, once I start to wash the rest of me, the water goes off. I find that the soap lasts a lot longer, and the lather is much thicker. It helps me to feel cleaner, and I know I am saving water.
- Tweak your irrigation timer often. It is a good idea to understand the water requirements of your yard and how to best meet those requirements. Our current water rationing requires that we water no more than 3 days a week for not more than 10 minutes per day per station. That means, on our 90+ degree summer days, my lawn has to get by on a measly 30 minutes of water per week.
To maximize the efficacy of sprinkler irrigation I recommend watering early in the morning. I start the sprinklers at 5:00AM. That gives the water enough time to soak in before the sun comes out to burn it off the surface. I avoid watering at night because the lawn doesn't make much use of the water while the sun isn't shining, but fungus does - that's right, watering at night can lead to mushrooms in the lawn.
Next, I break that 10 minutes into two 5-minute cycles spread at least 30 minutes apart. This gives the first five minutes worth of water enough time to soak in to minimize run off during the second 5 minutes. If an area you are watering is sloped, watch it during one cycle and see how long it takes for the water to start running off. You may need to run that zone 3 times for 3-4 minutes each cycle. - Consider converting your planter beds to drip irrigation. Drip irrigation takes the water to where it needs to be, straight to the plants.
With emitters focused only on the plants you want to be there, drip irrigation not only reduces water consumption, but keeps the weeds down in between your plants. While a drip system requires more maintenance and may be a bit pricey to install, you will see a noticeable drop in your water consumption as well as the time it takes to tend to weeds. - Mulch your planter beds. A thick layer of mulch (2-4 inches) covering your planter beds will hide the water intended for your plants from the thieving rays of the sun. Much of the water we waste outside is lost to the sun. By creating a buffer between the sun and the soil, you can reduce the amount of water you use outside by up to 20%. Organic mulches will preserve soil moisture better than non-organic mulches like gravel. Plus, as organic mulches naturally break down, they help condition the soil beneath.
- Sweep your driveway and walks. Need I say more?
- When washing your car, try wetting and rinsing with a bucket. This sounds a bit tedious, but that's the point. If you have to use a bucket to rinse the car, you are less likely to waste water. You'll be waiting for that bucket to fill each time it is emptied. The idea is to pay attention more closely to where the water is going to save trips back to the spigot to refill the bucket. If you aren't that hardcore, just be sure you have a non-leaking hose nozzle that allows you to turn the water on and off easily. And avoid the water fights (if you can resist).
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