How to Conserve Water

Guide Note

A four-minute shower may not sound like much, but in reality can cost up to 40 gallons of fresh water. In How to Conserve Water, you'll learn ways to change water-hogging household habits into leaner, greener activities.

Table of Contents

Tips for How to Conserve Water

  1. Run your dishwasher for only full loads.
  2. Turn off the tap when you brush your teeth.
  3. Check your faucets and toilets for leaks.
  4. Take shorter showers.
  5. Water your lawn in the morning.
  6. Use a cover on your pool.
  7. Wash your car with a nozzle on the hose.

Introduction

  • If you're fortunate enough to live in a place where clean water flows freely on demand, it can be easy to take it for granted. From your daily dishwashing routine to your daily shower, every drop of this natural resource is precious. Practicing water conservation is not only good for the environment, but can save you money in energy bills. Here's how.

Step 1: In the Kitchen

Conserve in the kitchen. (Creative Commons photo by Redvers)
Conserve in the kitchen. (Creative Commons photo by Redvers)

Your sink

  1. Install a faucet aerator: These small, inexpensive contraptions are available at practically any home-improvement store. They easily twist onto your existing faucet and, by combining air with the water, can cut water use by as much as 60 percent without sacrificing a strong flow.3
  2. Hand-wash your dishes efficiently: If you don't own a dishwasher, or just have a small load to wash, fill one side of the sink with hot, soapy water. After you wash and then rinse an item in the other side of the sink, don't leave the hot water running any longer than is necessary to clear the suds.4
  3. Rethink rinsing: In addition to more conservative methods of rinsing just-washed dishes, rinse your fruits and vegetables more creatively. Instead of a steady stream of cold running water, fill a bowl with water and wash the produce in that.4
  4. Utilize gray water: Gray (or grey) water is the term given to nonindustrial domestic wastewater (excluding toilet water) leftover from washing dishes, clothes, etc.5 In Step 5, there are a few ideas to safely utilize this wastewater, but a simple and practical way to start is right at your kitchen sink. Try recycling the water you used to rinse produce by using it to nurture your houseplants.6
  5. Use your disposal sparingly: Disposals, while handy, require varying amounts of running water to operate correctly. Cut down on unnecessary water waste by only running the disposal when it is full or with water that's been stopped up for dish washing.4 2 Or even take it a step further and use this opportunity to start composting.7

Your dishwasher

  1. Wash only full loads: Dishwashers use the same amount of water no matter the load size, so take advantage of every spare inch. If you do this, there's no need to feel guilty about ditching your hand-washing routine because it won't waste any more water.2
  2. Double-check your settings: Most automatic dishwashers include a "pre-wash" or "pre-soak" setting, which in many cases is unnecessary. If some of your dishes have stubborn food remains, either scrub them with a wet sponge (without running water) or place them in shallow sink water to soak before loading your machine. Ditching the pre-wash cycle saves loads of water.2
  3. Consider an upgrade: If you don't have one already, consider springing for a more efficient EnergyStar dishwasher for the kitchen. Older models use between 13 and 25 gallons per day but newer ones cut that number down to between 9 and 11.2

Step 2: In the Laundry Room

  • Most of us are pretty thankful that laundering with a bucket of water and a washboard went the way of the covered wagon. But electric washing machines can be a mixed blessing, especially when they comprise 20 percent of all home water use.2
  • The good news is it's easy to maximize your machine's water use with just a little extra effort.

Your washing machine

  1. Keep your eye on the size: If you're not washing an extra-large load of clothing, then why use an extra-large amount of water? The first step in washing-machine water-saving is matching the load size on the knob to the load size in your basket.
  2. Select the right cycle: Unless you're washing particularly finicky pieces of wardrobe, skip the "permanent press" option, which adds an extra rinse and up to 5 gallons of water to the process.4 In most cases, the regular/cotton cycle will do the trick.
  3. Consider an upgrade: More and more homeowners are opting for front-loading washing machines when it's time to replace their old models. That's because the front-loading style uses less water to tumble the clothes (as opposed to traditional agitation) and thus saves up to 40 percent more water than older models.2 If you can't afford this option, but are in the market for a new machine, at least look for the EnergyStar symbol.

Step 3: In the Bathroom

  • Because our bathroom toilets, showers and sinks are responsible for two-thirds of all indoor water use, the lavatory is a prime place to practice water conservation.3
  • Checking for leaks plus forming some good habits add up to massive water savings.

Your toilet

Conserve in the bathroom. (Creative Commons photo by Ashley)
Conserve in the bathroom. (Creative Commons photo by Ashley)
  1. Stop the leaks: Toilet flushing alone accounts for 40 percent of domestic water use, so a good working commode is essential—especially when even small leaks can cost you an additional $50 and up in water/sewage bills annually.2 To check if your toilet is functioning properly, add food coloring to the tank; if after 30 minutes some color is showing in the bowl, your toilet has a leak.7
  2. Get the 411 on ULF: The Energy Policy Act of 1992 required toilets in all new construction to allow 1.6 gallons of water per flush, as compared to the 3.5-5 gallons in conventional fixtures.2 So if you live in a house or apartment that was built or remodeled after 1994, you're likely just fine. But if you have an older toilet, you may want to consider an ultra-low flush (or ULF) model, cutting your water use by 34 percent.3
  3. Maximize the tank's capacity: If your bathroom isn't equipped with a ULF toilet, a displacement device in your tank will take up volume space, and thus can reduce water volume by more than 4 gallons a day.3 Make your own by either wrapping a brick in plastic and placing it in the tank away from flushing mechanisms, or by putting a couple inches of sand/pebbles in a plastic bottle then filling it the rest of the way with water and putting it in the tank.4

Your shower

  1. Buy a low-flow shower head: Not all shower heads are created equal. Standard 4.5 gallons-per-minute heads add an enormous drain to the already high 20 percent of overall domestic water use that showers account for.3 A low-flow shower head cuts the gallons-per-minute ratio down to about 2.5—a savings of nearly 50 percent.2
  2. Pace yourself: Few things compare to the feeling of a long, hot shower first thing in the morning or after a hard day's work. But did you know that even four minutes under the steady stream is costing between 20 and 40 gallons of fresh, valuable water?4 Whenever possible, limit your shower time to as long as it takes to wash and rinse yourself thoroughly.

Your sink

  1. Install a faucet aerator: Just like in the kitchen, this tiny device goes a long way in saving water. Install one today and cut your faucet's flow rate from between 2.75 and 5 gallons per minute down to between .5 and 2.75.2
  2. Form good habits: Keeping the water running while you brush your teeth, shave, etc., can waste more than 6 liters per minute—that's the equivalent to three big bottles of soda pop.6 Try turning the faucet on only to wet your toothbrush and rinse at the end. And, when you shave, fill the sink part-way with water instead of using a steady flow to clean your razor between strokes.4
  • TIP: Want see see how those teeny, tiny drips translate into pennies on your water bill? Check out this drip calculator.

Step 4: In the Yard

  • In the hot summer sun, it can be tempting to turn the water on full blast to keep our lawns, plants and swimsuits well hydrated. But is it all really necessary? Here are a few simple guidelines for keeping your outdoor water use in check.

Your lawn

Conserve in your backyard. (Creative Commons photo by Florian)
Conserve in your backyard. (Creative Commons photo by Florian)
  1. Know when to water: Most homeowners don't water their lawn in the middle of the day because of the threat of evaporation, which can all but cancel out a zealous watering session.8 But which is better—morning or evening?
    • Water deeply and throughly in the morning hours. This not only staves off evaporation but also fungus and disease that prey on lawns that are wet and cool through the night hours.2
    • Also avoid watering in windy conditions so there's less chance of losing water before the ground can soak it up.4
  2. Keep track of your output: Because the average hose can output nearly 600 gallons of water in a matter of hours, it's important to know how much water you're using versus how much is really necessary.1
    • To test your sprinkler or sprinkler system's output, place empty cans of equal size between sprinkler heads and let them do their thing.2 After 20 minutes, measure the water collected in each can with a ruler and determine an average; then multiply that number by 3 and you'll know your watering output for an hour.
  3. Get the right hardware: Some sprinklers may look more fun than others, but that doesn't mean they're the right fit for your yard. Experts agree that drip and deep-root watering systems are ideal.9 But if you can't go that route, at least shoot for sprinklers with an output that's low to the ground so there's less chance of losing precious water before it can sink in.
  4. It's the little things that count: In addition to the right timing and mechanisms for watering the lawn, details such as watering closer to the root than the tip and not cutting blades too short help strengthen your turf from the bottom up.4 This, in turn, will lead to a tougher, thicker lawn that requires less frequent watering.

Your landscape

  1. Cultivate drought-tolerant plants: It's a fact of life that different plants require different amounts of water for photosynthesis. Check with your local nursery or garden specialty store for which plants will thrive in your area without hogging too much water.1 This art of "xeriscaping" can end your struggle for a beautiful yet efficient yard.
  2. Use efficient watering methods: As mentioned above, early-morning watering is the best way to go. Beyond that, a drip or deep-root watering system can save your garden 60 percent in water consumption.9 How? Because the water is applied closer to the base of your plants, there's less chance for heat to get in and evaporate it.8 Watering deeply and thoroughly less frequently will trump attempts at watering frequently near the surface.
  3. Mulch: Yet another way to combat evaporation is by mulching. Use a 2-inch layer of mulch (and/or compost) with shrubs, trees, annuals, vegetables and container plants.9
  4. Cluster similar plants: Because the rainbow of your landscape features require varying amounts of water, try to group plants of similar needs in the same location to save you even more time and water.1

Your pool

  1. Cover it up: Believe it or not, an average-size swimming pool left uncovered can lose an inch of water to evaporation every week.2 Simply adding a cover can recoup 90-95 percent of that loss. So save water—put a lid on it!
  2. Avoid unnecessary draining: The average swimming pool holds 20,000 gallons of water, so unnecessary draining should be avoided at all costs.2 Depending on your geography, you may be able to make it through winter without draining, thanks to technology. When you must drain, neutralize your chemicals then wait at least two days so the water can be used for something else, such as watering the lawn.2
  3. Consider windbreaks: Shrubs, fences and other types of "windbreaks" surrounding your pool can help stave off evaporation.2

Step 5: In-Between

  • Now that we've covered the major living areas of the home, it's time to dig a little deeper for a couple more ways to creatively conserve water.

Your car-washing routine

  • Start by using a spray nozzle instead of a running hose.4 Using either a nozzle or turning off the hose when it's not needed can save as many as 150 gallons of water.3 When it's time to make your car sparkle, rely more on a water-filled bucket and turn on the hose for rinsing only.

Your gray water

  • Gray (or grey) water is the term given to nonindustrial domestic wastewater (excluding toilet water) leftover from washing dishes, clothes, etc.5 Your community's water treatment systems may have a large-scale plan for dealing with corporate gray water. But within your own home, there are a few perfectly safe ideas for recycling your H20:
  1. Use water leftover from washing produce or cooking food to nourish your house plants.6 7
  2. When draining your pool, use chemically neutralized pool water to hydrate your lawn. 2
  3. Do not directly consume gray water or use it on anything that will be eaten.10

Conclusion

  • A gallon here and a gallon there add up quickly. Now that you know how to save water inside the house, outside the house and everywhere in between, put these practical steps to work for your family. The Earth—and perhaps even your bank account—will thank you.

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References for How to Conserve Water

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Earth911: Saving Water Outside
  2. ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 2.13 2.14 2.15 2.16 2.17 SAHRA: Residential Water Conservation
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 EPA: How to Conserve Water and Use it Effectively
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 4.8 4.9 EarthEasy: 25 Ways to Save Water at Home
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Wikipedia: Greywater
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Wikipedia: Water Efficiency
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Earth911: Other Home Water Wasters
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 NRCS: Water Conservation
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 MDE: Tips for the Home Gardener
  10. ↑ WVU: Recycling Gray Water


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