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Never put water down the drain when there may be another use for it such as watering a plant or garden, or cleaning.
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Verify
that your home is leak-free, because many homes have hidden water
leaks. Read your water meter before and after a two-hour period when no
water is being used. If the meter does not read exactly the same, there
is a leak.
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Repair
dripping faucets by replacing washers. If your faucet is dripping at
the rate of one drop per second, you can expect to waste 2,700 gallons
per year which will add to the cost of water and sewer utilities, or
strain your septic system.
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Check
for toilet tank leaks by adding food coloring to the tank. If the
toilet is leaking, color will appear within 30 minutes. Check the
toilet for worn out, corroded or bent parts. Most replacement parts are
inexpensive, readily available and easily installed. (Flush as soon as
test is done, since food coloring may stain tank.)
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Avoid
flushing the toilet unnecessarily. Dispose of tissues, insects and
other such waste in the trash rather than the toilet.
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Take
shorter showers. Replace you showerhead with an ultra-low-flow version.
Some units are available that allow you to cut off the flow without
adjusting the water temperature knobs.
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Use
the minimum amount of water needed for a bath by closing the drain
first and filling the tub only 1/3 full. Stopper tub before turning
water. The initial burst of cold water can be warmed by adding hot
water later.
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Don’t
let water run while shaving or washing your face. Brush your teeth
first while waiting for water to get hot, then wash or shave after
filling the basin.
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Retrofit all wasteful household faucets by installing aerators with flow restrictors.
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Operate
automatic dishwashers and clothes washers only when they are fully
loaded or properly set the water level for the size of load you are
using.
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When
washing dishes by hand, fill one sink or basin with soapy water.
Quickly rinse under a slow-moving stream from the faucet.
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Store drinking water in the refrigerator rather than letting the tap run every time you want a cool glass of water.
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Do
not use running water to thaw meat or other frozen foods. Defrost food
overnight in the refrigerator or by using the defrost setting on your
microwave.
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Kitchen
sink disposals require lots of water to operate properly. Start a
compost pile as an alternate method of disposing food waste instead of
using a garbage disposal. Garbage disposals also can add 50% to the
volume of solids in a septic tank which can lead to malfunctions and
maintenance problems.
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Consider
installing an instant water heater on your kitchen sink so you don’t
have to let the water run while it heats up. This will reduce heating
costs for your household.
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. Insulate your water pipes. You’ll get hot water faster plus avoid wasting water while it heats up.
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Never
install a water-to-air heat pump or air-conditioning system. Air-to-air
models are just as efficient and do not waste water.
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Install
water softening systems only when necessary. Save water and salt by
running the minimum amount of regenerations necessary to maintain water
softness. Turn softeners off while on vacation.
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Check
your pump. If you have a well at your home, listen to see if the pump
kicks on and off while the water is not in use. If it does, you have a
leak.
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When
adjusting water temperatures, instead of turning water flow up, try
turning it down. If the water is too hot or cold, turn the offender
down rather than increasing water flow to balance the temperatures.
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If the toilet flush handle frequently sticks in the flush position, letting water run constantly, replace or adjust it.
