Posted by Nikoletta Ventseslavova

Read if: you want to reduce your water expenses and be eco-friendly

Earlier seen as a problem of the poorest countries, every single day a water crisis is affecting the wealthiest nations. The human being is considered as the smartest creature among animals. Unfortunately it is also the most selfish in choosing to ignore the obvious. When we tamper with the hydrological cycle, we rob animals of their water and hence not only their lives, but our own.

“We ourselves feel that what we are doing is just a drop in the ocean. But the ocean would be less because of that missing drop.” Mother Teresa

In the west we sing in the shower and we don’t notice a shortage of clean water, but there are about 1 billion of people who do. While we can’t make it rain, there are some simple techniques we can apply to our everyday life to help conserve water and save money, too.

Some facts about water waste:

• The average American uses 127% more water than his predecessors in 1950.
• An average household uses 150 litres of water daily, with one-third of that flushed straight down the toilet.
• 95% of the water entering our homes goes down the drain.
• Every time we brush our teeth and the tap is running, we waste 4 gallons of water.
• Leaky faucets which drip at rate of 1 drop per second waste up to 2,700 gallons of water each year

How to save water, energy and money:

To reduce the amount of wasted water in the bathroom a clever trick is to sink a brick or a bottle filled with sand into the toilet cistern. Every flush uses about 6 gallons (22 litres)of water. This easy fix can reduce this amount to 2-4 gallons of water for each flush. If you want to invest some money, you could upgrade to a low-flush toilet, or get a dual-flush toilet: 

Thetford 31667 Aqua Magic V White High Hand Flush

The next thing we can do is to take a shower instead of a bath. This will use half as much water or less depending on the time you spend in the shower. Trun off the water whilst you clean your teeth, or shave. A tap running at full speed wastes 10 liters per minute.

In addition – you could install water saving shower heads, low-flow faucets or faucet aerators which aerate the water droplets making them feel full size but with less water:

0.5 GPM Low Flow Dual-Thread Faucet Aerator – Kitchen & Bathroom

To control the amount of water you are using and reduce its intake, learn how to read your water meter (if you have one), or install one. It is helpful in detecting leaks: write down the index shown on its display; make sure that all the taps aren’t running then wait an hour and read it again. If the numbers have changed, there’s a leak. Another indicator on water meters are small wheels or gears that move if any water is flowing. Leaks should be fixed, because silent drops can use from 30 to 500 gallons of water every day.

Before washing, wait for a full load of clothes. Use the economy mode every time you turn the washing machine on to save both water and electricity. The same technique can be applied to dishwashers.

Collect water for re-use every time you are running water waiting for a particular temperature. Simply collect it into a bucket or a pitcher. It could be used to hand wash delicate clothing or for cleaning, for example.

If you live in a house with a garden, you could collect rain water and use it for cleaning, irrigation, or car washing. If you have a lawn, it is better to water it at night, or early in the morning as water evaporates quickly in the day time.

The next trick to save water is to irrigate plants deeply, on rare occasions. Plants’ roots will grow deeper and they won’t need water frequently. To water deeply with minimum water we can use micro sprinklers, soaker hoses or a drip tape.  In comparison with overhead irrigation those systems not only save water, but also keep plant foliage dry to help lessen disease.

Cover your garden with organic mulch to retain moisture. Use hay, manure, leaves, bark, etc. This will also improve the soil. Another clever trick is to plant smaller plants under bigger trees and take advantage of their shade.

If you have a swimming pool, cover it, when it is out of use. This helps to prevent evaporation and save water.

Dispose cleaning supplies, pesticides, batteries and other nature-threatening supplies properly. It doesn’t save water, but it is critical to preserving the safety and quality of water available.

Finally, don’t forget to educate your family members, relatives and housemates to join the water-saving strategy.

Read also:

• Review of Amazon top-ranked water saving showerheads
• Every Step Counts: Water Saving Shower heads
• The Electric car – Environmental Trojan Horse
• Simple Ways to be Creative, “Green” and Frugal
• Save Energy in Your Home
• Tip of the day: Preventing Tooth Erosion
• Review of top-ranked coffeemakers on Amazon