Let’s talk real water conservation now! The Earth is unique among the stars. Our little blue rock is teeming with life and possibility unlike any other planet we’ve discovered so far. A major contributing factor to its ability to sustain life is water. Nonetheless, that water — specifically fresh water — is finite. If the course of human advancement isn’t altered, climate change will continue. Then the Earth’s supply of fresh water will dwindle. Life will be irrevocably altered.
Below, we’ll go over a few water conservation practices anyone and everyone can implement in their own lives.
Execute a Water Audit
The first step to reducing water waste is to assess your household’s water consumption. That way, you can find areas of improvement or take steps to solve any problems you find. A great way to go about this is performing a water audit. Designed to check for overall water usage, an audit can help find high or unusual levels of needless waste. It is that a pipe in the basement is leaking, or a bathroom faucet has a steady drip. Whatever the case is, these issues need to be found and fixed as soon as possible.
An audit is also constructive in determining waste from your everyday behaviors. Long showers add up to a lot of excess. Letting the tap run when brushing your teeth also contributes to water waste. Frequent baths with the water filled up to the tub’s brim increase excess as well. If you’re serious about reducing your indoor water usage, it’s important to assess these habits and alter them as needed. Only then you see a considerable decrease in water usage as well as lowered utility bills.
Update Appliances and Fixtures
Just like certain behaviors can generate a great deal of water waste, so too can faulty or outdated appliances. A washing machine is corroded from years of use. A toilet constantly runs. These appliances and fixtures need to be either modified or replaced. Otherwise, you’re letting a lot of water —and money — go down the drain.
Instead, consider making a steady string of small changes throughout the house. It is installing a low-flow shower head and an ultra-low flush toilet at first. Then, gradually move up to bigger projects, like connecting a water softener that tackles hard water problems. These changes ultimately cut back on water use, plumbing maintenance, and more.
Brush Up Your Backyard Water Conservation vs Usage
Many homeowners take pride in the outside appearance of their home. If you want to keep curb appeal but still conserve water, don’t worry. There are ample water-saving steps you can take when it comes to your lawn and garden. Here are a few tips to get you started.
Avoid over-watering — an established lawn needs only one inch of water each week during the growing season.
Make sure your sprinklers or hoses are only hitting the plant life. They should not go to waste on the sidewalk or driveway.
- Use a hose that will soak the ground or drip irrigation.
- Switch to drought-resistant landscaping.
- Consider greatly reducing the size of your lawn.
- Collect rainwater in barrels or catch runoff from your downspouts to use for watering.
- Consult a nearby nursery for the best native, drought-proof plants.
Making Water Conservation a Priority
These are just some of the approaches you can take to conserve water at home. If you want extra tips on water conservation, many resources are available. You can find them from the Environmental Protection Agency and other reliable sources. You should also check out the accompanying resource from Diversified Technology for further water-saving tips to use throughout the house.
Sources:
Conservation and new sources of water can complement each other. Explore our review of the Spout Monolith for a related household water technology.
- Environmental Working Group – Tap Water Database
Explore what’s really in your local water supply. This resource helps users find common contaminants and evaluate the need for home filtration. - NSF International – Certified Water Filtration Systems
Learn which countertop filters meet rigorous third-party safety and performance standards. - EPA – Reduce Plastic Waste from Bottled Water
The EPA describes the environmental cost of bottled water. It offers alternatives to reduce plastic waste.
