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Thursday, 25 December 2008 21:08 |
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 Groundwater is being used at a rate 25 percent greater than its rate of replenishment. As more pollutants spill into our water systems, it leaves even less clean, fresh water available for consumption.
What you can do to Conserve Water
Take smarter showers - Showers can account for up to 16.8 percent of home water use. The law now requires that all showerheads sold be low-flow models. Installing a low-flow showerhead will save 2 gallons for every minute of showering. A family of four using low-flow showerheads can save about 20,000 gallons of water per year. Another simple way to save on gallons is to take shorter showers. A typical shower lasts about eight minutes and uses about 17 gallons, while an efficient shower lasts three or four minutes and uses 7.5 gallons. Purchase a shower timer if you need a reminder. You can also turn off the water while soaping up or shampooing, and keep a bucket in the shower to collect excess water. You can use this extra water to irrigate your plants. If you have small kids, you can save additional water by turning bath time into play time: Wash the kids together and save time, money and a couple tubs of water.Install an ultra-low-flush toilet or a toilet displacement device - Toilets are water hogs. About 28 percent of the water you use in your home gets flushed down the toilet. That amounts to more than 4 billion gallons of water in the U.S. each day. That's why federal law now mandates that all new toilets installed for residential use be low-flush toilets. Conventional toilets generally use 3.5 to 5 gallons (sometimes more) of water per flush, while low-flush toilets use 1.6 gallons of water or less. If you're not building a new home, you can still benefit by installing one of these toilets. Still have an old toilet? You can save more than 1 gallon of water per flush with a displacement device -- a brick or plastic milk jug filled with water or pebbles placed in the toilet tank to reduce the amount of water used per flush.Install flow restrictor aerators - Placing these inside faucets saves 3 to 4 gallons per minute when you turn on the tap. Of course, you can also help out by doing simple things such as not running water in the sink while soaping your face or brushing your teeth.Repair leaks - Fix leaking and dripping faucets as soon as possible to save water and lower your water bill. A dripping faucet can waste up to 20 gallons of water per day. A leaking toilet can waste up to 200 gallons every day. Not all leaks are visible: Diagnose leaks in your toilet by placing some food coloring in the tank, waiting 30 minutes and checking if it appears in the bowl. If it does, you've got a leak. You can also check for other types of leaks by reading your water meter when no one is home and no appliances are in use. Then check it again later. If the meter numbers have gone up, you've got a leak. It's easy to find do-it-yourself instructions online if you'd like to do the repairs yourself.Landscape in tune with the natural environment - Planning on new landscaping? Try succulents or native plants, as some can go more than a week without watering. Cluster plants together with similar water needs and design your irrigation system to give them just what they need. Remember to adjust your irrigation controllers as weather conditions change. You can even buy a smart controller that automatically adjusts for weather conditions. To manage your current lawn or garden, water early (before 6 a.m.) or late (after midnight) or on cooler days to reduce evaporation. Allow your grass to grow a bit taller to reduce water loss by providing more ground shade for roots and promoting soil water retention. Don't fertilize, because the faster your vegetation grows, the more it eats. Avoid daily waterings, because skipping days encourages deeper roots. And use a rain barrel to water your plants when possible.Use water wisely in everyday activities - Wasting water is easier than you might think. An open faucet lets about 5 gallons of water flow every 2 minutes. In the kitchen, you can save between 10 and 20 gallons of water a day by running the dishwasher only when it's full. You can save even more by washing dishes by hand in a sink or dishpan containing water, rather than by running the tap continuously as you scrub. Run the clothes washer only when full as well. Sweep sidewalks and driveways instead of hosing them down -- washing a sidewalk or driveway with a hose uses about 50 gallons of water every 5 minutes. (c) Copyright 2009 JustLiveGreener.com 
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