How Do You Use Less Water?
Posted on September 11th, 2009 - 1:00 PM
Have you joined Pick 5 for the Environment, where you can choose 5 actions out of 10 and commit to them? We launched Pick 5 on Earth Day this year, and so far 2,300 people have taken the pledge.
Beyond signing up, though, we want to hear from you: what you’ve done, how you did it, etc. We’re going to start working our way through the 10 actions. Please share your stories as comments below.
Let’s start with Pick 5 Action #1: Use less water.
I’ve done several things around my home to achieve this goal: I placed a timer in the bathrooms to shorten showers and replaced my old toilet with water saving toilets. I also make my laundry loads larger instead of doing several small loads. To use less hot water, which saves energy, I also cold water to wash laundry instead of hot water. Finally, by placing barrels under my rain spouts, I’ve been able to use the recycled water to water my garden and outdoor plants.
Now it’s your turn: what do you do to use less water?
Note: to ward off advertisers using our blog as a platform, we don’t allow specific product endorsements. But feel free to suggest Web sites that review products, suggest types of products, and share your experiences using them!
About the author: Denise Owens has worked at EPA for over twenty years. She is currently working in the Office of Public Affairs in Washington, DC.
Tags: save water
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Question of the Week
September 11th, 2009 at 1:14 pm
I use less water when I brush my teeth by using a cup and turning off the water. I limit my showers, washing loads and external use. I recycle water for my flowers and plants. I also don’t run the water when rinsing dishes. I turn it off and on as needed. Saving water is something my grandmother taught me when I was a child.
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September 11th, 2009 at 1:23 pm
On August 20th I posted a blog about conserving water in the kitchen.
Please go to this link to view: http://abyssalplain.blogspot.com/2009/08/why-ask-why-conserving-water-in-your.html
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September 11th, 2009 at 2:31 pm
Those are some great ways to use less water! I will follow your footsteps and I will do the same. Another way that I will use less water is to not leave the waterhose running while washing my car.
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September 11th, 2009 at 2:33 pm
I live in a condo complex and serve on the Homeowners’ Association Board of Directors. The highest priced utility we have is water so we are trying to reduce its use for things like irrigation while individual owners put water control devises in their condos. I have low flow shower heads, water saving toilets, and make sure there are no leaky fausets. I also don’t use the dishwasher or washing machine unless I have full loads. The condos don’t have yards and the Association takes care of the grounds; but, what we are doing as an Association is we have had placed a thick layer of mulch around all the flowerbeds and trees, we water three days a week at night by automatic SMART controllers and have the sprinkler heads set so the water goes on vegitation and not on walks, roads, or into the storm drain. And we are working with our water district for a recycled water irrigation system. These things also help save on production of more electric power too, as it takes huge sums of power for the pumping stations to pump water from the Colorado River and the Sacramento Delta to southern California and then to pump it on to each individual user. Best wishes, Michael E. Bailey.
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September 11th, 2009 at 2:40 pm
I don’t worry about saving water since Mass doesn’t have a water problem. Maybe you should recommend that people live in areas that require less of a footprint.
I noticed there’s no information about putting bricks into your toilet tank, using native landscape that doesn’t require watering or using low flow plumbing fixtures.
In addition, the website on saving water has the term “peak water use” on it, which doesn’t make sense. Water use isn’t like electricity usage, when there are peaking plants that need to be turning on and incur fixed costs when demand is high. The only “peak water” event is when water pressure falls due to demand. Otherwise, peak water is the term that denotes the moment before aquifers fill more slowly than we remove water from them.
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Loni reply on September 11, 2009 5:25 pm:
I live in Colorado and we don’t have a water problem here either, but all the same, I save water because we ALL should, regardless of where we live. There is no such thing as an area that requires “less of a footprint”, by the way; or was that a joke…?
I water my plants with the leftover water from the teapot or water glasses sitting on the night tables. This is one of the small things that really add up in the end :) Also, the usual, like quick showers, etc.
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anna reply on November 4, 2009 6:33 am:
That’s a very,very good way of using water & saving water good that you use water that way.
Anna,
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sarah reply on September 12, 2009 11:54 am:
Massachusetts actually does have a water problem, although it may not be apparent after this summer when it rained almost every day. If we don’t conserve water we will eventually run out of potable water, even in Massachusetts. I recently worked on a project to come up with a plan for water conservation in Rhode Island, and the Ipswich River Watershed was one of our case studies. This river, which is a main source for water in several towns of Mass, is drying up. http://www.ipswichriver.org/
Maybe your town doesn’t have any watering restrictions (yet), but water is not an unlimited resource, and we will all eventually have to be careful with how we use it if we want it to be available for future generations.
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sarah reply on September 12, 2009 11:59 am:
Also, about peak water use - that is usually in the summer when water demand is higher for irrigation, and it is a serious issue. Some water suppliers in Rhode Island have had so much demand from people irrigating their lawns or gardens that at times they wouldn’t have enough water available in the event of a fire. We don’t want to ever be that low and not be able to provide the water needed to fight fires. But i guess as long as the lawns are green it’s okay if the houses burn down…
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September 11th, 2009 at 2:45 pm
I live in central North Carolina, and we had a severe drought a couple of summers ago. I think that made everyone here very conscious of how we use water. My husband installed a couple of rain barrels in our back yard, and we use that water to do laundry. We also replaced our 20+ year old toilets with the more water-efficient models that are currently sold. We keep a bottle of hand sanitizer at every sink to use instead of water. And the whole family takes fewer showers than we used to!
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September 11th, 2009 at 2:47 pm
I keep a pitcher in my bathroom and colllect the water that is wasted while Im waiting for the water to heat up and use the water to water my plants. Its something…:) It also helps me recognize how much water is being wasted since the pitcher fills up very quickly.
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Judy C. reply on September 11, 2009 3:08 pm:
Good idea. I’m going to try that, too.
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Jill reply on September 12, 2009 1:26 pm:
You might try a simple recirculation pump, a little known simple retrofit. It allows you to have the water recirculate until you have hot water and then it comes out the tap. Very interesting. I don’t have the problem here so haven’t tried this but here is a site that compares the different options:
http://www.askthebuilder.com/B413_Retro-_Fit_Recirculating_Pump_Comparison.shtml
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September 11th, 2009 at 2:49 pm
When I’m in the shower I turn off the water when I shave or use a body scrub.
We have also put timers on all of our outdoor faucets so that we never run the water longer than we intend. We have also landscaped our yard with drought tolerant plants and put them on a drip system. So, even in California where we get no summer rains, we only need to water these plants for a short time twice during the summer.
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September 11th, 2009 at 2:50 pm
1. I do not wash my car - never have (only when it is up for sale).
2. Don’t leave water on when brushing teeth.
3. Large laundry loads - rinse always cold.
4. Large dishwasher loads.
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September 11th, 2009 at 3:00 pm
It’s one way, and it’s a small way. But, I recall when I was younger learning about water conservation. So, I started to turn the water on and off when I brush my teeth–rather than just have the water run the whole time.
To this day, I still do it out of habit. Plus, it’s one small step to save water.
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September 11th, 2009 at 3:00 pm
Stop using the water closet for toilet flushing . Pails or water buckets can do the job.
The use of pails or water buckets when taking a bath especially for children maximizes water consumption as opposed to showers and bathtubs.
Save the water you used during the rinsing cycle of your laundry and use it for cleaning your front or back yards.
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September 11th, 2009 at 3:05 pm
I kill my lawn via de-hydration (and sabotage of the sprinkler system) every summer, plus there is no need to mow a brown lawn! At first this was something of a near-divorce experience, but by now my wife believes me when I point out that the grass will be green again in the fall. Nothing ever really dries out up here in Western Washington anyway…
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September 11th, 2009 at 3:13 pm
Always wash laundry in cold water.
Installed rain barrels and drip hoses for watering lawn.
Installed aerators and dual flushers at work.
Only run dishwasher when it is full.
Installed two rain gardens.
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September 11th, 2009 at 3:15 pm
1. We purchased an automatic water system for our horses.
2. We use a front loader washer- large loads, less water.
3. Water saver toilets.
4. Water saver shower heads.
5. I do wash my cars but use a pressure washer to save water.
6. I try to avoid bottled water - total energy cost per oz is more than gasoline.
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September 11th, 2009 at 3:18 pm
I work for the White County Government of Georgia. We are blessed with living in the North Georgia Mountains where tourism is a way of life. People come from all over the country to trout fish our streams, tube down our rivers and take in the mountain scenery.
We take our surroundings seriously by promoting and educating the public on various impacts of environmental friendly living. This includes putting on festivals which help to bring awareness to products, research and programs available to conserve.
Hopes are high to turn White County Georgia into a regional bicycle destination location for the southeast.
SORBA and White County are working together to design and implement biking trails and linkage throughout White County Georgia.
We are hosting The Helen Fat Tire Festival Powered by Duro at Unicoi State Park October 9th through the 11th.
this festival helps us in promoting:
Alternative Transportation and Biking Safety Programs
Positive Impacts on Environment and Public Health
Green Development and Environmentally Friendly Living
Conservation of energy, land, water and recycling programs
The event will include –
Party with live music from 5-Wide at http://www.5-wide.com
Prizes
Bike races http://www.helenfattirefestival.com
Group Rides
Games
Demo Bikes and more –
So while I personally conserve at my home and work place, I am lucky enough to have a job which allows me to educate and promote environmental awareness to the public at large.
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September 11th, 2009 at 3:23 pm
I collect water in gallon milk containers while warming bath water, cooling drinking water, rinsing fruits and veggies, and also collect leftover water from glasses and cooking things like veggies and pasta and use these to water my potted plants.
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September 11th, 2009 at 3:28 pm
Well our son suffers most because he does not get baths any more. I water bill went up so much we all have to shower together. The basic stuff we do as well no running water to brush teeth, full loads of laundry and dishwasher as well. Flush toilet once per week. (kidding) We have shut off’s on our shower heads and Use waterless systems to wash our vehicles. We are Certified Green Consultants and help many with simple resourceful saving tips.
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September 11th, 2009 at 3:30 pm
I recently transformed my 1.6 gpf toilet into a high efficiency toilet by retrofitting the handle with a dual flush dial that flushes up to 1/3 to 1/2 of the tank water. So far it works great. For the behavior modification stuff - I work in the water conservation industry so I’ve been aware of what little changes one can do to save a liitle water and have been doing those things for years. But more recently I took out half of my lawn, which made the neighbors stir quite a bit, and planted native plants that use less water.
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September 11th, 2009 at 3:32 pm
I wash 99% of laundry on cold water. I use the smallest wash load.
I don’t leave water running. I don’t flush yellow. I capture rain water from my down spout in a rain barrel. I use the water from the rain barrel to water trees and our vegetable garden.
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September 11th, 2009 at 3:36 pm
Displace some of the water that fills your toilet tank. You’ll flush less down the drain, and your toilet will fill faster. You can reuse a plastic bottle. Fill it with water so it won’t float and slip it in the tank out of the way of the flapper and valve.
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September 11th, 2009 at 3:53 pm
I have been limiting the amount of time I spend in the shower. This is difficult for me but I figure every minute I have the water off will save.
I save water used to cook and (after is cools) use it to water plants.
Save some rain water to water outdoor plants
Always wash full loads of laundry
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September 11th, 2009 at 4:17 pm
1) I also do not wash my car–ever.
2) In terms of showering, I do so sparingly (your body learns to adapt to less showers), showering only every three days, and then for only 5 minutes or less (shower timers are cheap and really help encourage you to see how short you can make your showers, it almost becomes a game).
3) I do not have a dishwasher beyond my own two hands, but I feel that seeing the water actually helps me get a better handle on how much water I am using. Instead of filling the sink with water, I use a pot that was used for cooking and put only a small amount of water in the bottom, letting the rinse-water slowly fill and dilute the water in the pot. This cuts down on a lot of water waste.
4) I, too, collect water in a bucket/pitcher waiting for water to warm up (though my water heater is very efficient so it doesn’t take long). The water then goes to tea, watering the plants, doing dishes, or cleaning.
5) Laundry is done only at full loads and in cool water at an amount appropriate for the size.
6) I make sure leaks are repaired and my shower and toilet are low flow.
There’s a lot of ways to lessen personal water use at home, and I think I have done an okay job getting to where I should be, but I am noticing that a lot of water use happens outside the home, too. At my workplace, I am advocating for dual-flush toilets (lift up for #1, push down for #2) to try to lessen the usage of the whole workplace. Automatic faucets are something else I am hoping to help advocate for. Any other suggestions?
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September 11th, 2009 at 4:21 pm
I helped implement a wetlands mitigation bank.
I win. hehe
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September 11th, 2009 at 4:41 pm
I don’t water my yard.
I water my garden and wash shoes, bicycles, and outdoor clothes with collected rainwater.
I shave (and occasionally pee!) in the shower.
I sometimes wear the same outfit two days in a row - cuts down on showering and clothes-washing.
I have filler in my toilet tank.
And I only drink whiskey. (kidding)
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September 11th, 2009 at 4:46 pm
Save the water it takes to get hot in our shower, about 2 gallons, and use it to water plants. Have a tub in the kitchen sink where we rinse the dishes etc. before putting them in the dishwasher. Don’t need a lot of water to do this, and then use this water to water the plants.
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September 11th, 2009 at 4:51 pm
Muy buenas tardes.
Es importante para la humanidad en general dar pautas para la optimizaciòn de los recursos natuarales en especial el agua.
Lo que estoy haciendo respecto al tema es utilizar el agua de la lavadora para el aseo del patio, trapeadores, riego en el jardin, etc.
Estoy madurando la idea de recoger las agua lluvias que caen en el techo de my vivenda el cual espero fortalecerla con el apoyo de cada uno de ustedes y es la siguiente:
Reutilizaciòn de los embaces plàticos de gaceosa interconectarlos adecuadamente para almacenamiento el cual ubicados de tal forma que por medio de la gravedad se pueda utilizar el preciado lìquido. Tambien construir una terraza cambiando el farol por latas de cervesa para almacenamiento de las agua s lluvias.
Soñar no cuesta nada, pero la inmaginaciòn habre las puertas para dar un paso a la esperanza. Atte. Mulcuè
Mil gracias por escharme y poder compartir las ideas.
Buena suerte.
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September 11th, 2009 at 5:13 pm
I started using a small 1/2 gallon bucket to catch rinse water when I rinse the dishes. I then use the water on my plants outside. It may sound a little yucky but its really like the equivalent of a liquid compost that returns both water and some nutrients to the earth instead of down the drain. I was surprised at how much water I was wasting actually just rinsing.
Also had the plumbing lines redone in the basement last winter when doing some remodeling. They took out about 50 extra ft of pipes to the newer extension where my bath was located. That has saved a lot of water in that it takes almost no time for hot water to get there now. Folks with older houses and add-ons might think about looking at how the plumbing was added on. It’s not always the most direct route which can waste both water and energy.
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September 11th, 2009 at 5:18 pm
In Kansas City, there is a gentleman who teaches people the practical importance of rain barrels. He teaches people how to make their own rain barrels for catching roof run-off water for plants, gardens, and cleaning. Another way to collect “grey” water for such purposes: while waiting for warm water before the shower, I put a pail under the faucet; that way it isn’t wasted. I suggest washing clothes in a tub and in glass jars rather than using a machine–think about it, it’s gallons-reducing! I never wash clothes unless they are quite dirty; just use essential oils daily. Hair can go a few days without being washed, too.
I agree with those above–washing the car is absolutely wasteful!
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September 11th, 2009 at 5:24 pm
I take an empth milk jug , fill half way with with gravel and put the jug in the toilet bowl . This will reduce water consumtion on each flush . I also try to stop our major industries like Exxon from using fresh water (drinking water) by using river water . This is done in the permiting process . We must do this , or face polluted water or no water at all .
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Valerie reply on September 13, 2009 12:37 am:
Thank you. I’ll try it even though I rent I will still be saving.
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Valerie reply on September 13, 2009 12:41 am:
Actually I didn’t have an empty jug, so I put a brick.
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September 11th, 2009 at 5:44 pm
Avoid letting the faucet run when brushing teeth/shaving etc.
Build a slight downward incline against outsdie home foundations to force rainwater toward plants and lawn. Avoid hot or very warm showers for health and for saving water = cooler often means shorter duration.
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September 11th, 2009 at 7:56 pm
1. Turn water off while brushing teeth and shaving.
2. Take shower only once per day
3. Adjust washing machine according to load.
4. Supporting a green minded company so in time lots of water will be
saved.
5. Teaching others to duplicate the efforts.
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September 11th, 2009 at 9:23 pm
I use less water by turning off the water when I brush my teeth or do the dishes. Also, if I am in someone house, I remind them to do the same… at least right in front of me they do as I do at home.
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September 11th, 2009 at 9:53 pm
Washing Dishes: I don’t use my dishwasher and instead hand wash dishes, but refrain from letting the water run between washing except for rinsing.
Laundry: I wash a full load of laundry in cold water.
Showering: I use a cooking timer set at 10 minutes to remind me how long my shower is running and I look at the timer to see how much time I have left.
Shaving: I like to sit on the side of the tub and use the water sparingly to water down my legs and rinse them instead of wasting water while showering or taking a bath.
Brushing Teeth: I don’t keep the water running while brushing or rinsing.
Toilet Flushing: I go up to three times in the toilet bowl without flushing (except for a BM). No need to flush after every toilet trip!
Drinking Water: I drink tap water that is filtered.
Car Washing: I don’t wash my own car, but instead go to a professional car wash facility. It uses much less water! I usually look at the weather report to see if there is a chance of rain and plan accordingly. No need to wash the car Tuesday when a storm is going to hit on Friday.
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September 11th, 2009 at 9:54 pm
When me dehumidifier is full, I empty it into the washing maching. It’s clean water! No harm, no foul!
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September 11th, 2009 at 10:53 pm
I think you all have covered most of the bases in your write ups.
A couple more things:
- We belong to a community pool so we don’t have to use water to fill a pool of our own.
- We replaced a large portion of our front lawn with mulch and are planting native plants that don’t require as much water as the lawn does. Our shaded property seems to make its own micro-climate that is less thirsty for water. Now, if we can only get neighbors and businesses to stop their automatic watering during rainstorms :-)
- When washing dishes, I don’t let the water run, but turn it off an only use it when I really need it. Now, if I can only get my dad who lives in CA to do the same!
- Does not washing the dog count? We rinse her feet in her water bucket, water the garden with that and then get her fresh water. I think her coat appreciates not being shampooed - it’s so shiny.
BTW, I tried the shower timer in the kids bathroom, but they just ignored it. Hopefully, the low-flow shower head is helping instead
:-)
We’re also looking to replace the old toilets in our church to reduce the amount of water they use. Some are so old it is hard to find replacement parts for them !
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September 12th, 2009 at 2:14 am
I do RECYCLING at sporting events and use all the left over water in the water bottles to water my yard, and wash my van sometimes.
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September 12th, 2009 at 4:43 am
We have stopped using water except for morning showers and brushing teeth. We moved to a motel when our house was totally destroyed by stachybotrus, aspergillus, penicillium and cladisporum.
The Builders plumbed all the waste water in our new house to the basement so the water would not be sent to the water treatment facility. Within a few months, the house maintained a moisture content of 75% and enough mold spores to populate Venus.
In Washington state, this is not considered to be a crime even though the house is not up to CODE, does not follow the Uniform Building Code as called for by state law plus the city and the builders withheld information regarding the underground stream that floods our basement every few months bringing lots of bacteria from the stream.
The foundation was not waterproofed, and so we get all the run-off from those who live above and all their run-off includes pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides. What a great country!
We save water by not even living in our house.
I might add how proud I am to give lots of money in the form of taxes while we do not get any government help or protection whatsoever. The government agencies are glad to help the poor or the rich, and glad to give $40,000 for each man, woman and child plus two years welfare - all money coming from our tax dollars - yet there is not any help for us. We were cheated. The city insepector simply did not inspect. The state rescinded the electrical inspection a few weeks ago.
Who wants to use water? I just want to live like a normal person.
Looks like we will have to go to a different planet to find honest people with decent morals. Sure cannot find them here.
The attorney general told me this entire mess is a private affair. Our daughter has been sick for an entire year - only after finding the serious problems in our house was she diagnosed properly. Jennifer has pulmonary damage from the mold that should never have been.
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September 12th, 2009 at 11:30 am
Respected Owens, small savings of water will save our future. I save water in the following ways:
1. i close my tap water when i brush my teaths and wash my hands; i use only that amount of water which is needed.
2. when i wash my clothes or bath, then the dirty water is not go to waste; it is used in my garden for watering the plants.
3. i used less detergent powder to wash my clothes.
In this way i save water. [ Prabhat Misra, District Savings Officer, Etawah, U.P., India, blog: http://www.mynature-myfuture.blogspot.com ]
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September 12th, 2009 at 12:09 pm
i don’t shower every day, unless i really need to–and i only wash my hair once or twice a week which cuts back on my shower time. i turn the water off when soaping up, both in the shower or when just washing my face or brushing teeth.
i can’t seem to keep plants alive so i don’t have any to water!
i do not water the lawn or use the hose to clean my driveway/sidewalk (surprisingly, a lot of people do this!)
I never wait for my water to warm up when washing dishes or showering. i use cold water to wash my hands. unfortunately i do not have a dishwasher so i have to wash my hand.
i only do full loads of laundry.
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September 12th, 2009 at 1:10 pm
Wrap the hot water tank, pipes leading to and from. this will accomplish using less hot water!
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September 12th, 2009 at 1:27 pm
There would be plenty of fresh water for everyone if the human race were PEACEFULLY reduced to half its present number through PEACEFUL family planning, while safely recycling 100% of all waste and garbage. This slowly shrinking planet cannot support a growing population and its growing economy.
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September 12th, 2009 at 2:36 pm
1. our yard has no vegetation that requires watering.
2. water-saver shower head.
3. rarely wash car.
4. do not leave water running when brushing teeth or washing dishes.
5. flush less frequently.
6. water-efficient washing machine.
7. shower instead of tub bath.
8. I teach college students about water conservation, pollution.
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September 12th, 2009 at 8:32 pm
As a teacher of preschoolers we frequently use water. Our hand washing regs alone require multiple daily usage. We are experimenting to see how much water we really use by collecting and timing our washings! We use our left over water bottle water for giving our box garden plants a drink. Hopefully, our new classrooms will have dual flush toilets.
This past summer I had the opportunity to tour local water authorities and other areas of water needs and usage. Education is a key. I’m sharing as I can through green tips with my college family community.
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September 12th, 2009 at 8:36 pm
post as printed
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September 12th, 2009 at 11:09 pm
The Nature is so beautiful. Let think about spending one day in an Equatorial or Venezuelan forest, we would discover this beauty environmental climatic, waterfall and many reveres along jungles.
I am studying Genetic Chromosomal and taste.
- At home, we were trying to use less dish.
- I am using public transportation to commute without polluting but my fellows Environmentalist, this idea is causing for some, says that we do not okay.
- Tried to save energy, in the house where I lived 2 years ago bring me to a ……………..
- Trying to spread the word to youngness as me, even in dating, they are afraid of flowers and trees, I ask myself where this new generation came from high school, what they doing in a society and what they doing for environment in 20 years coming up.
The job is hard but we can not be selfish in other that future generation will find a piece in the cake.
1) Use less water
2) Commute without polluting
3) Save electricity
4) Use chemicals safely
5) Spread the word
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September 13th, 2009 at 12:35 am
My Grandmother taught me to only fill the tub about less then half way. I fill it up a little more than half way. Also, the website ocean-action@oceanconservancy.org is having a waterways and ocean cleanup on 9-19.Sorry such short notice, but check out the web-site on how to conserve our water.
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September 13th, 2009 at 3:12 am
Here in Southern California by San Diego, we are in the fourth year of a real drought and about the 8th year of a “less than normal” rainfall. Water use is now being curtailed. We can water yards only 3 days a week and then for only 15 minutes each time. I took out all the grass, bushes and flowering high water usage plants from the front yard and replaced them with cactus and succulents. I use a lot less water (usually watering only once a week) and it saves me a lot of labor in caretaking. I did not do the back yard as that is my vegtable garden area and fruit trees.
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September 13th, 2009 at 7:06 am
My water commitment to save came from many sources, as we all the people need to use water, personally and for work.
from my Job as an Agricultural Eng. working with farmers and as a farmer i had to face the water shortage for my plants and to solve this problem for the others.
In our religion ISLAM, our prophet Mohamad -peace be up on him- teach us how to save water and tell us to do so even if we were over a RIVER.
and many other things you can find in our prophet saying and rules speak about the water rigts and water quality.
the scarse water resources in Palestine and the great conflict with the israealies over our resources.
the high water price in Palestine due to use water from the Israeli company MEKEROT, were 1 m3 = 2.5 $.
an image of water used in africa and ther places of the world, never to be forgotten, where our toilet water is more healthy than the water they use.
so, our water save comitment i think should be high, some people they do not care, but teh most as i know they realy do care.
thanks
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September 13th, 2009 at 10:09 am
I palnted plants in my flower beds that tolerate local weather patterns. I dont have to water them to keep them alive. Some plants are native plants to the area.
I purchased a reel mower that operates only on humman power. I left the grass clippings on the ground and I have the greenest lawn on the block and I have not had to water at all. I think the mower preserves the grass and dose not scalp it.
Put a brick in the toilet tank so it uses less water.
Bought a water conserving washer and energy conserving dryer.
My family takes shorter showers
turn off water during brushing teeth, washing face, hands, ect.
Hand wash dishes
fill water bottles with tap water or natural spring water from a friends spring house
Teaching others about water conservation
Next year plans.
1. Install 4 rain barrells.
2.Build a rain garden that holds rain water better for plants.
3.Install low flow shower head.
4.Install new low flow toilets so I can get rid of the bricks in the existing toilets tank,
I have already cut my water bill down by $80.00. Lets see what I can do next year.
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September 13th, 2009 at 10:24 am
When gardening, during dry hot months in Wisconsin, (the few we actually have) I use a soaker hose to deliver water to the roots of the plants, rather than a broadcast spinkler, in addition a 3″ layer of mulch keeps that plants moist and slows evaporation.
My next gardening update is the water barrel system which will be hooked up to my raingutters and soaker hoses. Home Depot sells water barrels for $99.
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September 13th, 2009 at 12:04 pm
Save Water… Shower with a Friend.
Should put a smile on your face if only just by reading this and, make conservation a creative and pleasant experience.
During the droughts of the 1960’s this was a catchy slogan. It was part of the initial effort supporting environmental awareness also coinciding with the hippie movement.
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September 13th, 2009 at 2:46 pm
I live in Northern California where we get virtually no rain during the Summer - Water is my highest bill. A few things I have done to conserve water:
1. Insulated the pipes (cold water inlet pipe and hot water outlet pipe) at the water heater - this makes a big difference.
2. I have stopped watering my lawn and I am letting it turn brown. I will eventually replace it with drought tolerant native plants. Californians should all consider doing this. A lawn is a luxury we can no longer afford as water resources become less abundant.
3. I don’t wash my car as often - also I avoid washing it where the runoff waste water might reach the storm drain and flow to our rivers and bay.
4. Installed water saving shower heads and faucet aerators.
5. I wash my dishes by hand - if you take care not to let the water run, this will save water over using the dishwasher.
6. I only wash full loads of laundry.
7. I take ‘military’ showers (turn off the water while lathering up).
I don’t bathe every day - It’s unnecessary.
8. For #1 I flush every other or 3rd time only.
I’m planning to install barrels to collect rain water to water outdoor plants.
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September 14th, 2009 at 4:49 am
Toilets account for approx. 30% of water used indoors. By installing a Dual Flush toilet you can save between 40% and 70% of drinking water being flushed down the toilet, depending how old the toilet is you are going to replace.
If you are serious about saving water, want a toilet that really works and is affordable, I highly recommend installing a Dual Flush toilet. Caroma toilets offer a patented dual flush technology consisting of a 0.8 Gal flush for liquid waste and a 1.6 Gal flush for solids. On an average of 5 uses a day (4 liquid/ 1 solid) a Caroma Dual Flush toilet uses an average of 0.96 gallons per flush. The new Sydney Smart uses only 1.28 and 0.8 gpf, that is an average of 0.89 gallons per flush. This is the lowest water consumption of any toilet available in the US. Caroma, an Australian company set the standard by giving the world its first successful two button dual flush system in the nineteen eighties and has since perfected the technology. Also, with a full 3.5″ trapway, these toilets virtually never clog. All of Caroma’s toilets are on the list of WaterSense labeled HET’s (High Efficiency toilets), published by the EPA http://www.epa.gov/watersense/pp/find_het.htm and also qualify for several toilet rebate programs available in the US. Please visit my blog http://pottygirl.wordpress.com/2008/08/01/what-you-should-know-about-toilets/
to learn more or go to http://www.ecotransitions.com/howto.asp to see how we flush potatoes with 0.8 gallons of water, meant for liquids only. Best regards, Andrea Paulinelli
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September 14th, 2009 at 11:12 am
Beyond turning off the water while brushing my teeth and taking showers, I limit watering my yard to no more than 10 min per area as I understand that any longer than that is completely unneccesary and wasteful.
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September 14th, 2009 at 1:26 pm
1. “If its yellow, let it mellow” (at night, collect multiple liquid deposits before flushing toilet.)
2. Go #1 out in the forest or in the shower.
3. Rain barrel for garden, and xeriscaping. Let the lawn go brown with the natural seasonal cycle. (Less noise and air pollution from 2 stroke lawn mowers, too.)
4. Hand wash dishes.
5. Adopt various water conservation strategies that I learned backpacking and desert camping.
Thanks for this nice blog.
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September 14th, 2009 at 7:39 pm
Besides using a shut-off valve at my showerhead (making it easy to turn off the water while soaping, shampooing, and shaving) I have repaired faucets to eliminate drips, put a plastic milk jug full of water in my toilet tank, and eliminated watering my lawn (and this year, even my garden!) during the summer. I had used a soaker hose on a timer to water the garden until I shredded the hose accidentally while mowing too close to the garden boxes! I would like to capture rainwater from my gutter downspouts, but have not gotten the necessary rain barrels yet.
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September 17th, 2009 at 2:07 am
The EPA should reverse/eliminate whatever regulations they have against greywater usage. If we could dump our washing machine water (perhaps filtering it) into the garden that would be a huge savings, water usage in washing machines is probably the #1 source in most households. I believe some communities in LA are already doing this.
A wide variety of ideas being brought out on this discussion, here’s some additional sources for ideas:
http://www.findhow.com/home/how-to-conserve-water.php
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September 17th, 2009 at 2:18 pm
I have installed an Oxygenics showerhead in my bathroom that helps save water as well as making sure no one leaves the water running while brushing their teeth. Small changes can make big effects!
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September 20th, 2009 at 8:50 am
We are saving much water by cutting off the California farmers. However, it goes into the ocean. And, some 30,000 people are unemployed, and we are losing millions of pounds of food.
The EPA is out of control and should be abolished ASAP.
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September 23rd, 2009 at 5:46 pm
In order to conserve water, I use approximately 15 gallons of wastewater removed from our family’s 40 gallon fish tank each week (when cleaning the tank) as fertilizer and as a water source for our house plants and gardens. We also used the water from our dehumidifiers in the basement for the same puprose. Every little bit counts! By the way, our gardens at home are lush and beautiful.
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September 24th, 2009 at 4:11 pm
In the past year or so, we’ve changed over to low-flow toilets, installed two Water Sense faucets, and one low-flow shower head. We also use barrels to capture rain water from the roof so we can water plants for free … of course, this year’s high rainfall hasn’t made it necessary to actually “water” much of anything, but the barrels came in very handy last year, and no doubt will in the future.
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September 28th, 2009 at 6:19 pm
I use dual flush toilets. A retrofit kit made for modt toilets. Uses .8 gal for liquids and 1.6 gal for solids.
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September 29th, 2009 at 5:44 am
Simple steps like turning off the faucet when brushing teeth, taking shorter showers, installing a smart sprinkler controller, fixing leaky faucets, and washing only full loads of laundry help in minimizing water usage. Water is a precious element for life on earth and these inexpensive tips will help save gallons of water. http://j.mp/2RKHXa has more such tips!
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October 9th, 2009 at 6:46 am
With the H1N1 flu on everyone’s mind the washing of hands is important. I made a sign for the bathroom that describes the wet your hands, turn the water off, apply the liquid soap, rub your hands together for at least 20 seconds and let the soap losen the dirt, turn the water back on and rinse the dirty soap off then shut off the water. It helps to have a single handle on the water supply so that you can just hit the handle and the water turns off or on. I make my grandchildren follow the same routine at home, wet, shut off, soapup, turn on, rinse and shut off, with a flow restricter installed we use about a quart of water to wash our hands.
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October 15th, 2009 at 3:10 pm
Our water came from a well. During the hot summer season, its pressure is very low or it is running out of water. I hardly take a shower anymore after having my kids. I took bubble bath with my daughter. Then my son can jump in the tub after we done or he can jump in the tub first and we go after he is done. Sometimes, my husband jumps in after working out the yard. Then we cut of half of the gallon milk plastic container and use it to scoop the water to the bucket and transfer it to a big tall narrow bucket next to the toilet tank. Each time we flush, we use scoop the water from the tall narrow bucket into the toilet tank. It only takes 2 full scoops of water from the cut out plastic milk container.
Water from the kitchen sink, we scoop it out to a bucket, which we use to carry the water to the lawn outside the house. This not only save the water for the lawn and electric usage to pump the waste water after it is treated from our sewage system.
Also, we install the gutter to collect water from our roof to a huge bucket close to our garden. We use this water to water our lawn or our garden during hot season.
Our cars probably looked dusty, because we have not washed our cars in the past 10 years. We just wait for the rain to help wash them:> They still running great with 150 miles each day each of us have to commute to work.
One of our neighbors had their washing machine’s drainage pipe drain to the outside wall to the lawn. Her lawn always looks green even in the drought season. I don’t have money to install or modify anything around my house. If I do, I would like to have my roof all solar panels and have my well used the solar power instead of electricity.
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November 5th, 2009 at 8:33 pm
I save water in a lot of ways……….
I don’t flush the toilet often
I don’t wash my car nor water my lawn
I don’t let the tap running, never use more water than I need
I collect rainwater to water my garden
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