Have you ever wondered why it’s important to conserve water for our children and grandchildren’s generations? While 75 percent of the earth’s surface is covered in water, only about one percent of that is suitable for use. And the supply of usable water is dwindling all the time. The good news is that you can make a difference just by following a few easy rules and installing some devices around your home to save water. Small changes to your lifestyle and minor repairs can save you money on your bills as well as saving water for future generations. Take a look at the EPA’s Water Sense website for more information.
Toilets
A water conserving toilet will save you at least three gallons per flush. Think of how that adds up over a month or a year! Also, a leaky toilet wastes enough water to make a noticeable difference to your bill. Here’s how you can test your toilet for leakage: Add food coloring to your toilet tank – just a few drops. If the color seeps into your toilet bowl without flushing, then you’ve got a leaking toilet and it’s costing your money. Consider ditching your old leaky toilet and replacing it with a water conserving toilet. They’re not any more expensive than standard toilets, and they’ll save you money on your utility bill. Also, remember that you don’t have to flush every time you pee! On average you can reduce the number of daily flushes by 5 per person.
Kitchen faucets
A dripping faucet can waste more than seven gallons every year. That doesn’t sound like a lot until you think about how many faucets all over the world are dripping. If you have a leaky kitchen faucet, don’t procrastinate – if it can’t be repaired, replace it sooner rather than later. If you’re buying a new faucet, make sure it carries the Water Sense label from the EPA.
If your faucet is not dripping or leaking, you can still make it work more efficiently. An aerator from EPA Water Sense is easy to install and will cut down on your water consumption.
Shower heads
Everyone loves to start the day with a great shower, whether you prefer virtual rain or pulsating showers. The good news is you don’t have to give up your great shower experience to save water. Water conserving shower heads have come a long way. Consider replacing the old showerhead in your bathroom with a new one that carries the EPA Water Sense label. Chances are that you won’t be able to notice a difference: you might even find that your new shower head is more powerful than your old one. Mine certainly is!
Yard and Garden
Gardens and lawns often don’t need as much water as you think. Don’t water until the soil is dry. If the region where you live is arid, consider ditching the lawn and using native plants instead. Rain barrels are a great way to collect water for your garden and yard, although they are prohibited in some areas (look into the rules for where you live.) Use a watering can to water individual plants rather than using a sprinkler. You can meet the needs of your plants without wasting water.
Kids
Children don’t have to pay bills, and don’t have a good sense of when they’re wasting water. They also know little about the environmental impact of wasting water. They just love to play in the pool, sprinkler or shower, and they may even play with the water from the kitchen faucet. Fortunately the website of the EPA Water Sense includes a kids’ section. Through quizzes, games and videos, kids can learn about the importance of saving water. There are even resources for parents and teachers to help them educate kids.
More about the EPA Water Sense
You can probably tell that I’ve been spending time on the website of the EPA Water Sense. I have taken a pledge to conserve water through their program called We’re for Water. There’s a ton of information on the site about conserving water and the money savings that go along with conservation. Everything in this article is just a taste of what there is to learn on the EPA’s website.
You will be happy to learn how quickly even the tiniest changes in lifestyle can accumulate to save you water and money. Do you hear the drip of a faucet right now? Do something about it today.