Question of the Week: How Do You Conserve Water?
Posted on December 1st, 2008 - 10:30 AMEach week we ask a question related to the environment. Please let us know your thoughts as comments. Feel free to respond to earlier comments or post new ideas. Previous questions.
Buying Watersense plumbing fixtures, turning off the tap when you brush your teeth, using a hotel towel two or more days, watering the lawn in the early morning… There are probably as many ways to save water, at any time of year, as there are people.
How do you conserve water?
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Question of the Week
December 1st, 2008 at 10:51 am
I make sure that as I brush my teeth or wash my face, I do not leave the water running continuously. We also do not have any leaky faucets in our apartment.
What could I do more? I could probably take shorter showers, and watch the amount of water I use when washing dishes to see where I could conserve more.
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Chris Poloynis reply on December 1, 2008 12:45 pm:
fill a deep pan in your sink and bath tub, also fill a pitcher of water so as not to waste water by constantly going to the tap Kim. If you are serious develop a atrium collector for water run off outside to travel thru your garden and green areas of your yard. Chris
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Anonymous reply on December 12, 2008 11:14 am:
Those are some very good ideas!!!
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BOB THE BUILDER reply on December 14, 2008 5:29 pm:
That’s a start but before answering some of the peoples questions try getting some information
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Anonymous reply on March 17, 2009 1:00 pm:
How in the world does filling a pitcher instead of getting water from the tap SAVE water? It just changes the place you get the water from… unless you are bathing in or drinking rain water from those tubs / pitchers, that does not save/conserve anything…
Anyway - ESPECIALLY if you have a well and septic system and are not in an area that is arid and overpopulated - that water just goes right back into its natural enviornment anyway and renews itself.
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spongebobby reply on May 21, 2009 1:06 pm:
I think saving all this water is awesome cause I have saved a lot of money using the tips I found on savewateramerica.com.
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Mary Lou reply on December 1, 2008 1:24 pm:
I got in the habit along time ago of brushing my teeth while I’m in the shower. I figure since I’m standing there anyway getting wet I may as well make use of my time.
I may be at an advantage here, I live alone and have started running my dishwasher once a week instead of hand washing a few dishes everyday. My water bill has dropped an average of $5.00 a month.
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hrbraun reply on December 1, 2008 1:40 pm:
You could turn off your shower while lathering, There are cut-off devices you can buy to put with the showerhead to easily stop water from running since it is only a few minutes the temperature is not affected. Also you could ensure your apt complex has a rain indicator on the lawn sprinkling system so it does not automatically water when it has rained.
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Miss Cold-In-The-Shower reply on December 5, 2008 11:08 am:
I think the idea is to maintain basic comforts of life. Just like Energy Star - promoting superior performance with energy efficiency - I think we need to focus on maintaining the pleasure of showering without wasting water. The idea of turning off the water and standing in a cold shower, lathering myself up is absurd. The soap wouldn’t lather without the water in the first place. I would be horribly uncomfortable - all for the point of saving a bit of water??? That’s not the application of water efficiency. Besides - I don’t agree with watter conservation - I believe in water EFFICIENCY.
What can you do to make a huge impact? I had the water from my shower and bathroom sink piped into a storage tank that is used to flush the toilets. It’s shrunk my water bill immensely. While the initial cost wasn’t so low, it’s paid for itself several times over. Also, I don’t have to clean my toilets as often because there is soapy residue in the water. Now THAT is water efficiency. Use the water twice; don’t turn it off and cause hypothermia.
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Curious George reply on December 5, 2008 4:07 pm:
What does the grey water do to the inside of your toilet tank? Our grey water fostered an algal colony, so we were forced to use bleach tableets inside. I hate putting chemicals into the water supply, but it was the only alternative we could come up with.
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ohio mattress recovery reply on December 7, 2008 6:43 pm:
In order to conserve water, I turn the shower off when I am washing with soap. I also have rain barrels on each side of the garage to collect the rainwater and use the rainwater to water my plants in the garden.
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mason reply on December 15, 2008 4:46 am:
what are you on about i think you are doing well to look after the enviorment well done i want to help
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Anonymous reply on January 20, 2009 4:43 pm:
thanks you did my homework
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December 1st, 2008 at 12:26 pm
It is amazing the water we can save right in our homes and yards if we just pay attention to the issue for a half hour.
Each American now uses an average of 100 gallons of water each day at home. This is considerably more than the usage rates in other developed countries. The average household spends as much as $500 per year on its water and sewer bill. By making just a few simple changes to use water more efficiently, you could save about $170 per year.
According to the Earth Policy Institute, the average price for water in America is about $2.50 per 1,000 gallons. That is about a quarter of what it costs in some European countries. Even at the low price Americans pay for water, a leaky faucet can drip 20 gallons a day down the drain, and a leaky toilet 200 gallons. You might as well toss two crisp $100 bills down the drain each year - so fix the leaks! Also, consider the energy you pay for to heat water. You save energy by using less warm and hot water. You can accomplish this by using faucet aerators, low flow shower heads, efficient clothes washers and efficient dishwashers. A $4 device for your existing toilet can reduce the water used each time you flush by .8 gallons or 1,800 gallons a year per toilet.
Outdoor water use can be even more wasteful in homes. One of the most popular grasses for home lawns, Kentucky bluegrass, requires 35-40 inches of water annually. It is often planted, however, in areas receiving 14 inches of rain or less. This sets up a lawn situation requiring extensive watering. This is especially problematic in areas of the country already suffering from water shortages. Typical homeowners apply 10,000 gallons of water each year for every 1,000 sq. ft of lawn. Synthetic grass, xeriscaping and other low water use landscape options are available! Landscaping with native plants, cutting your grass at 2.5″ or more to let the grass roots grow deeper, and using drip irrigation all help conserve outdoor water use.
Green Irene
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Susan in Florida reply on December 2, 2008 9:39 pm:
What’s the $4 device you use in the toilet? We have 3 year old 1.6 g per flush toilets and it would be wasteful to purchase .8 g or dual flush if we can conserve more water with only a $4 device!
Our basic water charge is $4.05 per 1000 gallons, not including the $4.10 per 1000 gallons sewer charge. Homeowner associations and new home builders continue to insist on lawns in Florida, even when certain parts of the state are still in drought situations. I know that my family can make a difference, but it’s very frustrating when we are conserving while residential builders and local factories are using our water resources without any conservation measures and without any consequences. We are in the process of converting all our landscaping to drip irrigation, and have several planted areas that rely on no supplemental water.
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Jeffrey Levy, EPA reply on December 3, 2008 1:41 am:
Would a brick not work to reduce water used in each flush? I mean, it’d reduce the volume of water in the tank. Or does the $4 device do something special?
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Melanie reply on December 4, 2008 1:47 pm:
Bricks are not a good option. The water degrades them making them come apart in your toilet. Try a plastic bottle filled with water. It takes up space thereby reducing the water in the tank.
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December 1st, 2008 at 12:26 pm
After wetting myself down, I turn off the shower water while I am soaping my body - then turn the water back on to rinse.
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December 1st, 2008 at 12:27 pm
We adhere to the toilet motto “If it’s yellow let it mellow, if it’s brown flush it down”.
Until hot water comes out of the tap we save the cold water to flush the toilets with.
I use gray water generated in the kitchen during the growing season to water my gardens.
We don’t wash our cars!
We reduce our yard irrigation to the bare minimum to keep the grass alive.
I’ve converted a good part of the lawn to gardens that require a lot less water.
I’ve put nearly all of my vegetable & flower gardens on drip irrigation.
I save scarce rainwater that runs off of the roof by installing gutters and putting several rain barrels in place.
To sum: to us water is a precious, not-to-be-wasted resource, just like gasoline or firewood!
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December 1st, 2008 at 12:30 pm
When I need warm/hot water, I collect water in cups/jars as I wait for it to heat up and use that water for my plants or for soaking dishes.
I also only use cold water to wash my hands- it cleans just as well as warm and this way I’m not wasting water waiting for it to heat up.
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December 1st, 2008 at 12:30 pm
We’ve done a lot to try to conserve water at my apartment.
-I filled an old water bottle with sand and placed it in the toilet tank to displace water. I know my toilet doesn’t need to use all the water from that whole tank. Over the course of the year, I’m not sure how much water is saved but its something we don’t even have to remember to do!
- I’ve put up sticky notes above the sinks to remind all who use the sinks to turn off the water when they’re not using it.
- I purchase the Tide detergent that saves water because the formula of the detergent is stronger…allowing me to put more in a load of laundry.
- I use the dishwasher instead of washing my dishes by hand because when washing a full load of dishes the dishwasher saves more water than doing them by hand.
- My boyfriend and I take showers instead of baths, which is more water efficient.
-We also wash our cars at the car wash, which uses less water than when washing your car by hand.
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December 1st, 2008 at 12:31 pm
Run your appliances totally full (dishwasher, washing machine); buy energy saver appliances whenever possible; turn the water off and on while rinsing dishes if doing them manually; turn the water off while brushing your teeth; don’t water your grass (it will come back!); don’t wash your car at home - the professional car wash places conserve water by recycling it, while your water goes right down the sewer; and here’s the biggie: if your work doesn’t require that you get dirty or smelly, consider showing every other day, and always shower as quick as you can. Having an automatic turn off valve at your showerhead will also conserve water. Use your bath towel more than once - after all, it only wiped off a clean you! Use cloth napkins at dinner instead of paper napkins. Washing and reusing is more efficient than buying and tossing and buying and tossing. I could go on and on, but there’s probably a word limit here!
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December 1st, 2008 at 12:33 pm
We equiped our home with a greywater system (legal in NM) so water from the shower and kitchen sink and washing machine water ornamentals.
We use a drip irrigation system for veggie garden on a timer. Don’t have a lawn.
Also the usuals… Our water usage is always below the average for our city.
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December 1st, 2008 at 12:33 pm
Put a plastic bowl in your kitchen sink, when you wash anything, save the water and put it in a container. When you cut up veggies, blend them and put them in the same container and when it’s full, dump it in your compost pile and feed the worms.
Put a bucket in your shower when you first turn it on and save the water it takes to finally get the hot water to the shower head. We save about 4-5 gallons per shower.
Take your showers either together or one right after another.
Direct your gutter downspouts to any size container for storage and then water your potted plants with it.
If you wash your own car, do it on your lawn or close to a tree.
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December 1st, 2008 at 12:35 pm
We conscientiously turn the water off after wetting toothbrushes. faces and hands. Instead of putting in a garden this year, I used buckets and did container gardening to limit the amount of water we used. The cars get washed less often as well. The washing machine is put on a shorter wash cycle.
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December 1st, 2008 at 12:37 pm
I planted native grass this summer, and it requires less water to grow. I also do the easy things, like turning off the water when I brush my teeth. I have also started using extra water from the tea kettle to fill up my dogs’ water bowl.
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December 1st, 2008 at 12:37 pm
For the past 18 months, I’ve been following up the news and recommendaitons coming from EPA with tips to conserve water, etc. and have implemented all. I replaced toilets and faucets in my house for those that use less. I still have 1 more toilet to go, but runout of remodeling money, so it is next on my list as soon as I can save for it. Don’t want to use credit.
I do not water the lawn and only water the vegetable garden when needed. My 8 year old is so much into it, that she doesn’t want to dump the excess of water left in her night stand glass (when it happens). She wants me to put it in my flower pot.
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December 1st, 2008 at 12:40 pm
I have a 5 gallon plastic bucket in the bottom of all showers that collects the water, I use this water to water plants inside and outside in the yard and garden. I also use left over water from cooking to do the same. I would love to be able to hook up the drain from the dishwasher and the washing machine to have it go directly outside to water the grass. I don’t know of a way to do this however.
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Curious George reply on December 5, 2008 4:10 pm:
You can have a plumber install a diversion trap in your drain system. Just make sure the outside line won’t freeze up in the winter months like ours did!
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December 1st, 2008 at 12:40 pm
In FLorida water is a precious resource. Local associations offer rain barrel construction courses for a nominal fee ($35) including materials. I use the rain water to water plants and shrubs during the winter dry season. I also purchase native plants that are drought resistant and do not require as must watering.
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Nicole reply on December 2, 2008 11:45 pm:
I also live in FL and got a rain barrel from one of the courses (mine was actually only $30) and since I don’t have much of a garden we’ve hooked up a hose to the spout (at the bottom of the rain barrel) and I use it to water my whole back lawn. I don’t think we’ve used the backyard spinkler system since June when we got the rain barrel. My kids also love it because they like to play in water but I don’t let them just waste it using the hose that’s hooked up to the regular water supply so it’s a real treat to them when they know it’s rained and the barrel is full and they get to get soaked. I’m also thinking that I should use the rain barrel water to wash out recyclables since that seems to waste a lot but I haven’t gotten in that habit yet.
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December 1st, 2008 at 12:42 pm
I wash only full loads of clothing. (I would use a front load washer if I could afford one.) We turn off water when not using. Kids only fill bathtub to 4″ and are young enough to bath together. I changed out my old 6 gallon toilet to a <1 gallon flusher. We flush less often. We use rain barrels and rain water for flower beds. The lawn goes brown in July and August and is green from September thru June.
Future plans include investigating a simple grey water system for my washing machine where I can move the drain home from the sewer pipe to the grey water system for watering outside.
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December 1st, 2008 at 12:42 pm
During the rainy or snowy time of year outside precipitation receptors are an excellent way to save water for plants dish washing etc.
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December 1st, 2008 at 12:44 pm
I use a flat-backed bucket to collect gray water from the shower during the spring/summer months for watering plants.
I collect water from the dehumidifier for watering plants.
I’ve purchased water saving appliances (dishwasher (<4 gal) and clothes washer
Catch water in the kitchen sink when rinsing items, washing hands
Catch the sink/bath cold water that is running until it gets hot (insulating hot water pipes also helps)
Choose native plants and/or plants that are drought tolerant.
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December 1st, 2008 at 12:47 pm
(1) Eliminate leaks.
(2) Water outside areas to match guidelines provided by local water company.
(3) Insist kids take shorter showers (they love to take long hot showers).
(4) We can’t practice the mellow-when-yellow and brown-goes-down, because it would gross my wife out.
(5) Water wise toilets are in place.
(6) Encourage kids to form good habits when using the bathroom facilities and washing dishes (not allowing water to run continuously).
(7) Paying for a carwash rather than washing cars in our drive.
(8) Directing downspouts toward holding area for distribution to landscaping shrubs.
(9) And letting the dog drink from the toilet rather than his water bowl.
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December 1st, 2008 at 12:49 pm
I drink my Jameson straight.
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Phil's Date Tonight reply on December 5, 2008 11:14 am:
Rock on, my friend. Rock on.
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December 1st, 2008 at 12:52 pm
I take short showers, water the lawn early in the morning to reduce evaporation loss, turn the water off when shaving except to rinse the shaver, turn the water off when brushing my teeth except to wet the brush and rinse.
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December 1st, 2008 at 12:53 pm
I have a bucket by my shower and a pitcher by my kitchen sink where I collect water that flows while waiting for the water to get hot. I, then use the collected water to water plants inside and outside the house, as well as watering my two composters.
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December 1st, 2008 at 12:53 pm
We only run the dishwasher when it’s full, as well as the washing machine. If I fill up a glass of water and no one drinks it, instead of dumping it down the drain, I water my plants instead. I re-use cups and water bottles daily, and refill a water. In the morning if I know the [shower] water will be ice cold, I turn on the faucet to “heat up” the water before turning on the shower.
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December 1st, 2008 at 1:05 pm
I try to take only five showers a week, cutting out two days. Not only does it conserve water, it keeps my skin from being so dry.
As for laundry, I wash two loads a week — whites and colors — and that’s it. It’s just two of us in the household so it makes it easy to keep it to two loads per week.
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December 1st, 2008 at 1:05 pm
In the summer months, I set out buckets to catch rain water and use that to water my organic garden instead of pay for city water. I honestly believe the rain water makes my plants grow better and taste better too!
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December 1st, 2008 at 1:06 pm
We watch the weather forcast in the summer and make sure we don’t set off sprinklers on the day it’s going to rain.
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December 1st, 2008 at 1:08 pm
I used to worry about it, now I don’t.
I know WE should, since where I am WE leave in a desert.
There are serious policy issues that make it a joke. Water bills are based on ‘acre-feet’ of water. It is so cheap that if people have broken sprinklers running all day all month long - they don’t notice it on their water bills! Until the price reflects the ‘precious’ nature of the resource, I will not waste my time. I need to concentrate on the amount of gas I am using, ’cause it is costing me a bundle!
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December 1st, 2008 at 1:15 pm
OK so this may be over the top for some, but it’s surprisingly easy so here goes. I collect the ‘warming-up’ water from the shower in a pitcher and use it to flush the toilet or water the house plants.
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December 1st, 2008 at 1:30 pm
Turn water off while brushing teeth, the entire family takes shorter showers. We follow local water restrictions before doing any watering of lawns and then we keep it short as to not waste. Limit car washing in the driveway.
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December 1st, 2008 at 1:47 pm
I installed a rain barrel at my home. I get 55 gallons of free, unchlorinated water for my garden everytime it rains!
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December 1st, 2008 at 1:53 pm
We are under drought restrictions here in California. One way we conserve water is by using a greywater recycling system that irrigates our garden.
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December 1st, 2008 at 1:53 pm
Hello, EPA …
A great way to conserve water recently came to my attention:
Get a composting toilet!
I looked them up … many advances in technology have been made in recent years … they’re safe and effective and eliminate the need for thousands of gallons of water per year per toilet.
What a boon that would be to our environment!
According to Wikipedia …
“In recent years, several commercial compost-toilet systems have begun to compete with and replace conventional water closets in high-use public facilities. There they have found a market because of their resilience and the environmental advantages of not discharging pollutants into the environment. One of these is the three-storey C.K. Choi Building at the University of British Columbia, which contains 5 compost toilets (10 seats) for 300 full-time employees. The IslandWood School on Bainbridge Island, WA (USA), relies entirely on compost toilets. Facilities Manager Dean Newcomb says, ‘All of the comments about the compost-toilet systems have been favorable. We keep the bathrooms immaculate, and the fan in the vent system generally works well, so it really gets rid of the misconception that these are smelly systems.’”
Plus, there’s no “plumbing” to get clogged up !!!
And some of the newer composting toilets take kitchen scraps, too !!!
So we could conserve on garbage going to landfill, as well !!!
And the sterilized fertilizer could then be applied to community garden plots of the type recommended at …
http://www.spinfarming.com
If every person in this country had one of these composting toilets, the impact on our environment would be simply astronomical.
I hope I live to see the day.
Thank you for giving me an opportunity to make this suggestion.
Regards, Elizabeth …
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Utah Chris reply on December 1, 2008 5:08 pm:
There is no way I will allow such an odor so close to my home. My neighbors would come after me with pitchforks and torches.
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Laura reply on December 3, 2008 6:15 pm:
Actually, the composting toilet we use at home has no bad odor. On the other hand, our alternative (an outhouse) smells pretty bad when full. Prior to the composting toilet, we had an incinerating toilet, which was really smelly - anyone walking by could smell it.
There are other issues with composting toilets (i.e., bugs) if you do not follow the manufacturer instructions exactly; however, we were able to overcome these issues once we got the hang of it.
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December 1st, 2008 at 2:04 pm
I don’t eat red meat. Producing red meat consumes a large amount of our nation’s water.
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December 1st, 2008 at 2:20 pm
Encourage Water Awarness and Responsibility Programs in all Elementary and High Schools.
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December 1st, 2008 at 3:04 pm
Besides all the regular ways to conserve water, we have installed rainwater harvesting tanks, a 300 gallon and a 1500 gallon one which collects winter rains for us to us on our garden in August. After canning, I cool the water used to process the jars of food and use that water to water house plants and individual garden plants that need more water. Water used in steaming veggies is frozen until I have enough and then I use it to cook rice or noodles or to make soup. Pasta water is added to our dogs dry food to give them more nutrients. I try to NOT let water leave the kitchen without being used more than once. It all goes back into the hydrologic cycle so watering my plants with it makes good sense.
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Cameron Colson reply on December 2, 2008 9:23 am:
Now there are some tricks I have never even heard of before!
Thank you Pam Wilson.
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JMW reply on December 8, 2008 8:46 am:
I agree with Cameron . . . Pam, your tips for reusing cooking water are quite original & easy to implement.
My house plants will also thank you for the added nutrients from unsalted water used to steam veggies & cook pasta!
Cheers.
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December 1st, 2008 at 3:04 pm
I looked in Home Depot to find WaterSense products in August 08 and didn’t find any. So I bought a very cheap device that screws on to the tap in my kitchen that must be depressed for the water to flow. This prevents me from leaving the kitchen faucet on a continuous flow, which I was sometimes doing when cleaning up after meals.
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December 1st, 2008 at 3:32 pm
My main way to conserve water is by letting my lawn fend for itself. I do not water my lawn at all. I do use drought resistant grasses, which happen to be pretty weed resistant - good thing since I refuse to use pesiticides of any kind on my lawn. The lawn may not be as green as my neighbors, come August, but for most of the growing season it certainly is. A side benefit is I don’t have to cut it anywhere near as often as the neighbors.
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December 1st, 2008 at 3:37 pm
I landscape my home with native plants that have adapted to my “planting zone”. I reduce the size of my lawn by adding more natural areas. The remaining lawn is mowed at the highest setting (about 3 to 4 inches) to maximize water storage in the grass blade, offer some shade over the soil, and lowers the ground temperature.
We also don’t wash our cars at home. Instead we use a local carwash that recylces all the water it uses.
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December 1st, 2008 at 3:57 pm
I save water in the kitchen sink by meticulously handwashing with great care to use very little water, and conserve that water used for future washings. Liquid soap is added to sponge, a few items are soaped up, then rinsed OVER THE TUB IN THE SINK to collect that rinsed, soapy water. Dirty dishes and utensils are then soaked in that water and washed individually as above, always collecting rinse water. At the end, the rinse water tub is carried outdoors to water the rose bushes.
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December 1st, 2008 at 5:04 pm
1. Take “Navy showers” - - Get wet, turn off water, soap up, and then turn water back on only to rinse. I do this, but I can’t persuade my wife to do the same.
2. Collect water when shower water warms up - - we use large plastic cat litter buckets, and now have about 50 of them filled to the brim and sitting in the garage waiting to be used for outside watering when the hot months come.
3. Use the short cycle in our dishwasher (about 35 minutes). Also turn off the faucet between items that are being rinsed before putting them in the washer.
4. Don’t water the grass. Ever. In fact, every year we try to replace one patch of grass with hardy ground cover or plants that do not require constant watering to stay healthy. The goal is to have no grass at all.
5. Practice selective flushing.
The result is that we average about 88 gallons a day total for two people and occasional visitors. That’s better than the national norm, I think, but 44 gallons of water per person per day still seems unnecessarily high to me.
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December 1st, 2008 at 5:59 pm
I try to last less time on the shower on weekends because I last to long inside it.
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December 1st, 2008 at 6:51 pm
I can conserve water by turning it off while I’m brushing my teeth. Also by flushing the toilet less. Another thing is to water my flowers by using the water from rain storing that water. You can also take less time taking a shower and not spending a hour just in the bath. That’s about it and I’m sure there’s more but these are the most important ones.
Sinceraly,
Ayaat Al-zuad
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December 1st, 2008 at 8:34 pm
We do most of previous above, but what I did not see mentioned was regarding refrigerating drinking water. We filter our water and then refrigerate a few gallons at a time.
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December 1st, 2008 at 8:49 pm
I buy aretors even if i rent, i reused bath water to water house plants, i use a bowl instead of a sink to wash my dishes. I rinse with cold water except during cold seasons, and I do not wash my car as much in the summer. I religiously water the lawn by measuring an inch in a tuna can on avg 2x a week only. I never run water while I brush my teeth. Aerator for the shower too.
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December 1st, 2008 at 11:32 pm
I do what most of you have been doing now. I don’t run the water when brushing my teeth, washing my hands, or washing a couple of dishes. I also put bottles of water/sand in my toilet tank, and make sure the faucets are not leaking. For the faucets, I would suggest installing an aerator that only give out 1.5 gpm.
I also post a blog myself as to how we can conserve and be responsible consumers.
http://www.sustainablestandard.blogspot.com
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December 1st, 2008 at 11:48 pm
I heard Japan have good system to re-used water from each house and hotels too.
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December 2nd, 2008 at 7:56 am
1) We try to take shorter showers and only run the dishwasher and clothes washer when full (or use a ’small load’ setting on the clothes washer). I used to shave in the shower with the water running but now shave at the sink, without continuously runnng the water, before my shower.
2) collect water when the sink water warms up - to use for watering the plants
3) We’ve converted much of the yard from grass to wildflowers and ferns, and rarely water the grass that we have left.
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December 2nd, 2008 at 8:25 am
Raised in the 60’s, I shower with a friend!
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December 2nd, 2008 at 9:19 am
Whenever the basement dehumidifier gets full, we empty it into old milk jugs, then we use that water to water our indoor (and sometimes outdoor) plants!
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December 2nd, 2008 at 9:25 am
I hear the folks on the Space Station now have a system to recycle their own urine into drinkable water. I’ve also heard sooo many jokes and shudders about doing this. Well, if so many people find this, er, distasteful, then perhaps it will convince some that we do need to do more to conserve water - lest we too on Earth are forced to recycle our own bodily fluids. Must it get so bad it comes to that?
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December 2nd, 2008 at 10:44 am
When eating at any restaurant I ask for water without ice. When at home, I always drink chilled water with no ice. I’ve been doing this now for about 2 years and now my family also orders water the same way when out. There aren’t any real statistic that I’ve seen how much water is truly wasted in ice cubes or how the ice cubes are disposed of. Most restaurants offer chilled water which is what we prefer and could be used for cold tea or soft drinks. I’d like to see restaurants use their disgarded ice to use as their water source to water their indoor plants or outside plants as long as it doesn’t get washed down the drains. Every little bit helps..
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December 2nd, 2008 at 10:55 am
Living on well water and living in the Columbia River Basin, water is not as much of an issue as in other parts of the country. Originally from Colorado, where water is a precious resource, I am very familiar with water conservation. Being an environmental engineer helps to understand the need to conserve water, also.
Plumbing fixtures are an important part of conserving water. Monitoring the use of appliances around the home also help. We teach our children early in life to pay attention to the amount of water they use for showers, washing clothes, flushing the toilet, letting the water run while brushing your teeth. We stress that water is a resource to be managed and they are responsible for the water they use. Also, the kids are schooled on the cost of water and who pays for it.
Education is the key element to water conservation for the future. Monitoring use and adding key plumbing controls are essential.
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December 2nd, 2008 at 11:41 am
From Turkey… I am living in ANKARA. Ankara is capital city of turkey. and we have been trying solving water problem for 3 years. not enough water in the Ankara’s dams. So, management of the municipality supplying the water of dirty river of KIZILIRMAK to people.. cause not the scarce rains or natural water. cause our carelessly behaviour.
So, if we don’t want to be in a worse situation, we have to be carefull. when we are in a shover, we should use very little water.. because, the people frequently spend more water this way. and the gavernments have to forbidden to spend more water. I think credit system can be used for people. for example everyfamily can be given credit (water = life).. if the family composed 3 persons, they are given 3 cubic meter water or 5 persons 5 cubic meter. and this way will be able to learn to us how we must use the water.. otherwise our future will be dying 20 years later…
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Curious George reply on December 5, 2008 4:15 pm:
And I’m sure the porous limestone beneath your waterways doesn’t help either! :-)
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December 2nd, 2008 at 11:50 am
I turn off the water when washing my face and brushing my teeth.
I use the same towel all week for my showers.
I water my plants/garden late at night or early in the morning.
I replace washers in my faucet when I notice a leak.
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December 2nd, 2008 at 1:54 pm
When I take a shower I usually get wet, soap up, turn off the shower and wash, then turn shower back on and rinse off. I use a small tub to wash dishes in, put more in the washing machine with temps no higher than warm, water the yard before dark (it keeps moist all night). We use gray water on the plants, and my husband has built little dams around our trees and fills them, they water the trees over time.
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December 2nd, 2008 at 2:57 pm
I turn off the water while I brush my teeth, and I try to only leave the shower running for as long as I’m in it rather than letting it run before getting in. I also make sure the faucets are all turned off completely to assure that the water is being conserved. I also try to drink all the water out of my water bottles before throwing them away.
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December 2nd, 2008 at 3:51 pm
I am conserving water by reconditioning an old cistern on my property and plumbing my downspouts into it for recharge. I supply the water needs for my garden, toilet, and washer. My only concern is that this is illegal in my town! The town charges sewer usage according to water usage and prohibits cisterns and other supplemental water sources. How ridiculous is this? I may end-up in jail over this, but I will definitely fight it!
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cp reply on December 2, 2008 4:42 pm:
Cross-connection with a potable water supply is a hazard that your utility has to take seriously. Check with your state regulatory organization and see what they say. There are ways to do this safely.
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December 2nd, 2008 at 4:27 pm
We made a rain collection barrell to catch rainwater from our gutters. The barrell has a screen on top to catch any debris, and a spout near the bottom so we can get water when we need it to water our plants. DIY has a lot of good ideas to “Go Green”
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December 2nd, 2008 at 4:35 pm
I use special Fibers to clean my house. Because no chemicals are used, this allows me to clean my entire house, including mopping the floors with just one spray bottle of cold water. Outside, I wash my car on my lawn with a quick spray to get it wet and then one bucket of water. No harsh car wash chemicals down the drain.
I learned of these products while living in Australia, where there are severe water use restrictions. They are now available in the US.
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December 2nd, 2008 at 4:35 pm
I have certainly change my practices over the past years or more. When I travel even if they do not have a policy I sometimes even tell them not to even clean my room; how dirty can it be I only slept in there! I do turn water off when I brush my teeth, I used a baby pool in my backyard last summer to collect water to water my plants and turned my sprinkler system off when it rained and did not water every day. More importantly I educate family, friends, employees, neighbors, well just about anyone who will listen!That is the key education; as sad as it is people do not know about the various envrionmental issues and how they can really have an impact. Think sustainability and tell the world! Thanks Deb
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December 2nd, 2008 at 5:07 pm
I have found that if I use an electric razor there is no need to use water at all in getting ready for work. I take a bath only once a week now and use as little water as possible in the tub. After dark if I need to urinate I go out and do it in my small victory garden this is a twofer: I don’t have to flush and I don’t have to water the garden.
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December 2nd, 2008 at 6:00 pm
I know this is offbeat and humorous, but it saves water… Every day, I walk my dog several times in our backyard. Because our yard is relatively large and reasonably secluded, I often “do my business” there behind thick bushes while my dog is doing his. (I try to vary my locations so as not to stress the vegetation or groundwater, and we live in a moist climate.) This saves several flushes a day. Obviously, this can probably only be done by males, and certainly only by those whose yards offer privacy. But you figure: A few gallons per flush times 2-3 flushes a day times 300-plus days a year, and before you know it, as Senator Everett Dirksen said in another context, “Now, you’re talking about some real money.” I’m not a whacko or pervert or some antisocial blogger, and I am very serious about offering this suggestion.
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Joan reply on December 2, 2008 6:43 pm:
Well Tom, your entry entry made me laugh, but I have a suggestion to save flushes too. Put a dishpan in the sink and, when you’re letting the water run to get hot, rinsing off your hands, etc, do it over the pan. You’ll be surprised how much water you collect in a day; you can even use it to flush!
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December 2nd, 2008 at 7:30 pm
I try to save water when I take a shower.I rinse with water then turn the water off and shampoo.After I shampoo i trun the water back on again to rinse the shampoo out,then I turn the water off.Next I condition my hair and wash my body with soap,then when I’m done doing that I turn the water back on and wash off the conditioner and soap.When I’m done my shower I feel much better knowing I saved water by turning it off when I didn’t need it.
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December 3rd, 2008 at 8:19 am
I have a Snorkle wood fired hot tub and instead of showers I just jump in that in the moring :)
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December 3rd, 2008 at 12:42 pm
1. Before dumping any unused water drown the drain, ie. left over drinking water, I check to see if any of my plants need watered and use it for that.
2. We put a water filled milk jug in the toilet tank so that it takes less water to refill the tank after each flush.
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Peter reply on December 8, 2008 9:10 pm:
I use bottled water from out of state. It saves and conserves local water, and actually adds water to our acquifer through the septic.
Just kidding. remember, it isn’t saving water, it is being more efficient.
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December 3rd, 2008 at 1:17 pm
Don’t flush unless I have to!
I use a water filter pitcher (don’t buy water in bottles). At night, when I get “fresh” water for bed, I pour the unused water back in the top to be filtered out again. (It’s just my husband and me–we wouldn’t do that if guests came over.)
Shave with the water off.
Use the dishwasher instead of hand wash (and only when full). But if I do have to handwash, I limit the water flow to the width of a pencil, and it saves a ton of water.
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December 3rd, 2008 at 2:00 pm
SHOWER:
I have a “Shower Coach” timer provided by Conserve Florida Water (conservefloridawater.org) to keep me conscious of my shower duration. I’m embarassed to say that when I first started using it a year ago, I would go through it twice (10-minute showers). Since then, I’ve trained myself to be more efficient and finished before the 5 minutes sand even runs out once! My roommate and house guests have used the “Shower Coach” and are now more aware of their shower durations too.
HOTELS:
When I stay multiple nights at a hotel, I always put the “Do Not Disturb” sign on my door right when I get there. This prevents housekeeping from having to wash my sheets, towels, and cleaning the room. Towels and sheets are perfectly usable multiple times, and there is no need for them to come in everyday and waste water washing/ cleaning items in your room.
DRINKING WATER:
I have convinced many friends to avoid using bottled water. I always have a reusable water bottle at my desk that I fill up from the tap at home or the water fountain at work. This cuts down on the amount of waste that plastic bottles contribute to our landfills and energy-intensive plastic recycling processes.
TOILETS:
If building/ remodeling a bathroom or just replacing an old, leaky toilet, install a HET (high-efficiency) toilet. The myth that “you have to flush twice” is not true if you purchase the right one. Search the internet fo the MaP (Maximum Performance) rating of various toilets because the higher the MaP, the more grams of solids a single flush can handle. Even though HETs use less water than older models, they can still get the job done! Do a little research on EPA’s website for HETs (http://www.epa.gov/OW-OWM.html/water-efficiency/pp/find_het.htm), and see if your local water provider has rebates or voucher incentives for purchasing a HET. WaterSense HETs come in all price ranges and styles.
LEAKS:
Check for leaks and replace them ASAP. Water wasted = money spent for water that you didn’t even use.
SAVING MORE WATER:
Let others know how you conserve water… believe me, they will follow!
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December 3rd, 2008 at 3:25 pm
I like to comment on water conservation. 70% of the earth is Ocean. Why aren’t we looking at desalination to create more water and also use conservation measures suggested? I live on the east coast on an island. With different renewable measures recommended that help subsidize or power the plants.
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Lisa G. reply on December 4, 2008 1:19 am:
Ocean desalination has some drawbacks, like changing the salinity and/or acidity of the ocean, which has unpleasant consequences for marine life. On the other hand, if global warming is making the oceans less saline (due to the addition of a lot of melt water), then perhaps ocean water desalination for human consumption could contribute to restoring the balance.
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December 4th, 2008 at 1:17 am
I try to conserve water in many ways, but the one I haven’t seen mentioned anywhere else is this:
Take a look inside your toilet tank. In a conventional toilet, there is a tall tube, the overflow tube. There is also a small, flexible hose that goes from the fill valve and down that tube. After you flush, the water runs both into the tank from the fill valve and down that tube and into the bowl. As far as I can tell, the only function of the water that goes down the overflow tube is to rinse the bowl. You can move the hose that goes down the tube so that it is positioned over another part of the tank. (Be very careful that water from the tank will not backwash into the hose!) The water that had been going down the overflow tube will now help to fill your tank. Your tank will fill twice as fast, and the water that had been going down the drain will no longer go there immediately.
I did this with my toilet a few months ago. The only drawbacks are: 1) making certain that the tank water doesn’t backwash into the hose; 2) the tank filling is a bit noisier than before; and 3) the toilet gets a bit dirtier a bit faster. But if you clean regularly, anyway, it shouldn’t make any difference. Try it with all your toilets. You’ll be amazed at how much water you can save.
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December 4th, 2008 at 1:40 am
@adrielhampton
I reuse hotel towels and bedding for weekend stays
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December 4th, 2008 at 1:43 am
Native plants in the landscape, lawn with low moisture needs, and rainwater whenever possible.
It’s harder to track now that we have a well instead of a water bill.
(@lifeontheedges on Twitter)
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December 4th, 2008 at 6:00 am
I have this weird habit of running the shower to warm it up before I get in while I brush my teeth. By brushing my teeth first without running the sink and the shower. I’m saving a few gallons of water every day.
Simple but effective habit change.
http://www.DavidKamatoy.com
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December 4th, 2008 at 4:12 pm
I maintain my soil organic content at 6%+ USDA data:
USDA study: A block of soil 3 feet long, one foot wide and 6 inches deep weighs about 100 pounds.
If that block has 1 percent or less humus or organic matter, it will only hold about an inch of rain, total or 35-40 pounds of water
That same block with 4 to 5 percent can absorb 4- to 6-inches of rain in an hour or 165 to 195 pounds of water.
I save water by making sure it stays where it falls.
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December 4th, 2008 at 7:41 pm
We invented the No More Geyers Riser for sprinkler systems. Which stops unwanted geysers from occurring in your yard when a sprinkler head is broken. We estimate 60% water savings over a broken sprinkler system. Most sprinklers run at 4-6 am so they can go 2-3 weeks without being detected leading to literally thousands of gallons of water wasted.
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December 4th, 2008 at 8:01 pm
Waterless urinals provide a huge water savings. I don’t understand why there are not laws mandating their use or incentives to encourage more of them. There is a savings of 15,000 - 40,000 gallons per year with each waterless urinal installed. In 2006 developers proposed using them in Philadelphia’s Comcast Center high rise for a savings of 1.6 millions gallons of water per year.
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Curious George reply on December 5, 2008 4:21 pm:
Our former offices were retrofitted with them to great success. I just felt sorry for the maintenance man who had to change the filters every month! I’m now seeing a lot of them in national parks as well, where crowds are great but water is scarce. I saw some on a ferry boat too.
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December 4th, 2008 at 8:36 pm
TURN ON WATER ONLY TO WASH OUT RAZOR,THEN TURN OFF
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December 4th, 2008 at 9:44 pm
Me and my kids all take 5 minute showers, and we only wash clothes once a week. We also don’t run the dishwasher until it’s totally full, and try to turn the water off when brushing our teeth. It helps, but what doesn’t help is the county I live in just increased everyone’s water bill;go figure?
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December 5th, 2008 at 9:10 am
We do not water the lawn at all. If it gets dry it goes dormant and will come back eventually. Its only grass and water is more important.
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December 5th, 2008 at 11:29 am
I’m very serious about water conservation. This is why I do not shower or use a toilet. Just like Tom (see above), I prefer to relieve myself outside in the woods. I am, simply, as nature intended me to be - fragrant scents and all!
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December 5th, 2008 at 11:36 am
I put a glass bottle in the tank of our toilet, so each time we flush it uses less water. I don’t leave the water running while shaving in the shower, and i collect rain water to water my plants. I never buy bottled water.
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December 5th, 2008 at 2:19 pm
While I totally agree with the concept of water conservation, I think some are a little over zealous. I understand using water wisely but all of the comments about only washing full loads of clothes…don’t your machines have load size selectors and multiple wash settings? Mine does - I can only use as much water as is necessary for the load in question and select the shortest cycle. And, while short showers are beneficial, turning the water off while lathering is a little much - as is no bathing at all. And for those who do not use toilets - ??? - human waste is treated in the U.S. for a reason. Many diseases are carried through waste in to the water supply. Hasn’t anyone seen news concerning the rampant spread of cholera in Zimbabwe? Yes, we can all reduce our impact on the environment and usage of water but to what extent should we go?
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Curious George reply on December 5, 2008 4:22 pm:
If every tourist threw a pebble into the Grand Canyon, soon it wouldn’t be so grand anymore, would it?
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December 5th, 2008 at 5:17 pm
Mel raises a good point. If you stuff your washer to the brim and dial up the maximum water quantity, are you really saving water over splitting the same load in half and setting the machine for half the water use each time? Certainly you save energy, and that’s a good enough reason for me. But setting that aside, does the full washer idea only apply to machines that can’t be adjusted for load size? As Mel notes, those must be pretty rare nowadays.
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December 7th, 2008 at 10:31 am
Here in Trinidad, West Indies, the Water and Sewage Authority encourage parents to create awareness of the need for water conservation among their children. Parents are encouraged to avoid the purchase of recreational water toys which require a constant stream of water. This is especially important now during the holiday season and the closure of the country’s rainy season where decreased rainfall was experienced. These concerns are further heightened by the ever increasing global water crisis.
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December 7th, 2008 at 11:34 am
How about everyone just not shower or wash dishes or do anything with water. We could also stop breathing because of the horrible green house gases that our body puts off. Maybe we should just kill off all of the human race so that nature could live in peace. Or better yet all you wack jobs could get some commen sense and stop with this madness
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December 7th, 2008 at 1:43 pm
Water levels in many washers are only selected for initial fill. Rinses are all on the same high use. Jamming too many clothes into washer is counterproductive because they won’t clean as well but washing whatever constitutes a full load for your washer will save more water.
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December 8th, 2008 at 11:19 am
Have you ever seen natural gas irrigate the lawns and flower beds?Have you noticed the green lawns around schools, universities, hospitals and a lot of government buildings? Inside these facilities natural gas fired boilers are used to provide the heat and also to heat the domestic water or even the swimming pool water. These natural gas boilers are not very efficient. A lot of HOT exhaust is going up these chimney’s into the atmosphere. This also does not help the battle against global warming. If these facilities that require these boilers to provide steam or hot water were to apply the technology of “Condensing flue gas heat recovery” they would (1) increase the energy efficiency of these appliances to 90% or more (2) reduce the temperature of the exhaust to where it will be a lot cooler. Since this exhaust is now cooled to a temperature below the dewpoint, condensation is then created. Condensation amounts can be a few gallons or hundreds of gallons per hour. This distilled water can be collected in a large plastic container that has been placed underground, and when full a pump can then disperse this water on the lawns and flower beds. Free water~ Created out of combusted natural gas.
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December 8th, 2008 at 11:39 am
we replaced our washing machine with a front loader, changed out our toilets for dual flushers, installed 1.6gpm showerheads with sailor switches, installed a demand pump, we have sealed shower compartments with shower timers and an energy star dishwasher. Last month two of us used only 1,000 gallons.
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December 8th, 2008 at 3:48 pm
This is a great topic. After seeing the word ‘leak’ or ‘leaky’ referenced 19 times so far we see that many people understand the importance of not inadvertently wasting water by letting it leak before you even get to use the water.
I work for American Leak Detection, and we help our customers find leaks in a non-invasive manner that preserves property, and helps to conserve water.
For example a leak the size of a pinhead can waste 360,000 gallons per year, enough to fill 12,000 bathtubs to the overflow mark.
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December 8th, 2008 at 9:01 pm
Apparently converting agricultural land to residential land “saves” a lot of water.
But I agree with posters who recognize that it isn’t about “saving” water, rather it is using water more “efficiently” that is the ticket.
The two concepts shouldn’t be confused. Most of the ideas on here are more “efficient” uses of water.
For example, it may be more efficient to use water from an aquifer as a coolant in an electrical plant, than to farm with it, or use it for residential uses.
Just because something uses a lot of water, doesn’t mean it is bad.
Are there any EMERGY folks who can speak to this?
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December 9th, 2008 at 9:02 am
I wash our dinner dishes by hand since there’s only two of us living in the house, and we don’t like to leave dirty dishes overnight in the dish washer. I soap the dishes, pots and pans first, then rinse them afterwards. I would collect the rinse “cycle” water in a plastic bucket (usually two full buckets of water from a single wash).
The saved rinse “cycle” water will be used to flush the toilet in the adjacent powder room.
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December 9th, 2008 at 11:36 am
The Salmon Protection And Watershed Network just launched a rainwater harvesting program in Marin County where we are installing demonstration roofwater harvesting projects at schools and at residences to showcase ways to reduce the use of treated municipal water for gardens. Check out http://spawnusa.org/pages/page-205
Check out the one we did in 2006 at http://spawnusa.org/pages/page-215
Personally, at home we have a roofwater harvesting system that captures almost 10,000 gallons of stormwater of a shed roof. We slowly release that water over the winter and then store 1,000 gallons for use in our veggie garden over the dry summer.
We also keep a large stainless steel pot under the faucet in our sink to catch water used to clean veggies etc… this is used to water our garden too. We also store a bucket in the shower to catch the cold water before it heats up + we have a Envirosax sand timer to time our showers to 4-minutes.
This ALL adds up and we (two people in our household) reduced our water consumption to half of what it was last year.
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December 12th, 2008 at 11:15 am
I THINK YOU SHOULD CONSERVE SOME VERY IMPORTANT WATER!!!!
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December 13th, 2008 at 12:30 pm
Well, i think we shouldn’t wash our cars using hoses instead we should use a bucket filled with water; this way you’ll limit the amount of water you use.
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December 15th, 2008 at 8:17 am
A viable topic. Lake Hartwell in SC/GA is now about 20 feet down , lowest since it was made in 50’s
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January 2nd, 2009 at 9:57 am
All these methods for conserving water are good but not enough because they are all personal. We use 5% of the water available in our home and the rest 95% is wasted by industry. how about that? better to stop water consuming factories.
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January 22nd, 2009 at 12:37 am
Just curious what the EPA has to do with “water conservation.” Also curious who else skipped the day in science class where they explained the mysterious “water cycle.” I don’t know, I think it was something about how nature recycles water all on its own. Condensation, precipitation, evaporation…bah, who cares about all that science mumbo jumbo anyway.
Just curious though–where does the wasted water go? What happens to it?
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February 1st, 2009 at 1:02 am
When washing dishes in the sink, I like to keep the tap at about 25%. Running it at full blast just wastes water. If using the dishwasher, I make sure it’s full so I get as many dishes washed with the water that is used.
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March 17th, 2009 at 5:31 pm
Use rain barrels. you can reuse the rain water you collect to water your flowers, but first you must purify it. It is great to use these, thus, you can reuse lots of water. Like 50 gallons!!
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