Water Conservation: 5 Actions To Take Today

by Eve Allease on 12th Jan 2011

“…the average american family of four uses 400 gallons of water per day…”

Santa Fe’s Loeuise Pape uses only 10 gallons of water per day. Bathing three times a week and re-using her unheated shower water to flush the toilet are some of the ways Pape works hard to conserve water. In stark contrast, the average american family of four uses 400 gallons of water per day. In 2006, the EPA launched it’s WaterSense program to aid in the reduction of water waste at home. Although some of Pape’s water conservation efforts may seem extreme to some, there are more “conventional” ways you and I can alter our water usage patterns significantly.

Replacing an Old Toilet

How unglamorous, but how important! Older toilets use between 3.5 and 7 gallons of water per flush. In the United States, you can get water conserving toilets like those from a reputable brand like Kohler, and reduce this number by 75 – 80%! If you are in the market for a new toilet replacement and live in the United States, look for the WaterSense label on the products at your local home appliance store, save money with rebates near you, and save up to 4,000 gallons of water per year.

Check Your Leaks

According to the EPA Water Sense Program, a leaky faucet that drips at the rate of one drip per second can waste more than 3,000 gallons per year. Check out this Leaky Faucet Calculator if you suspect you have a leaky faucet in your home. Be sure to replace worn washers and gaskets on faucets. If you are replacing your faucet, look again for products that have featured the WaterSense label.

Bathe Responsibly

The average person showes for about 10 minutes a day. Flex Your Power reports that switching to a low-flow shower head could conserve up to 40 gallons of water per a FIVE minute shower. Set your timers, folks – the simple act of reducing the duration of your shower by even 1 minute would save up to 1825 gallons of water per year!

Do Less Laundry

There is not much more to this tip other than to wait until you have a full load to do your laundry. Denim and jackets can be worn between 2 and three times and spot cleaned before you have to launder them. This practice can save you up to 40 to 50 gallons of water per cycle. High efficiency front load washers will not only save water, but energy AND money!

Harvesting Rain

Rain Water Harvesting is catching on as people are looking for additional ways to conserve water and stave off projected water shortages around the world. TreePeople.Org suggests simple ways such as redirecting your roof water spout into a flower bed, for example. What a great way to nourish a medicinal garden. Green thumbs up!

Good luck on your water conservation endeavors and be sure to check back next week for more easy greening with Eve.

Attribution: Urban Times