Water conservation in the home has become an essential practice for all, not only where there are water shortages. Even if you are living in an area where water is seemingly plentiful, that may not always be so, and water conservation will not only save money on your utility bill but will also prevent water pollution in nearby rivers, lakes, and local watersheds.
Easy Water Conservation in the Home
It has never been easier to conserve water in the home, thereby also reducing soil saturation, reducing any pollution due to leaks, and extending the life of your septic system. The less water flowing through your septic systems, the lower the likelihood of pollution and the less overloading municipal sewer systems there will be, which is important, especially in the UK where the aging sewer systems are already taking strain.
Easy water conservation methods in the home include:
- Insulating Water Pipes: Insulate your water pipes with pre-slit foam pipe insulation, which will ensure that you get hot water quicker, as well as avoid wasting water while it gets warm;
- Taking Shorter Showers: Switch off the shower after soaping up, then turn it back on to rinse. Leaving the water on while showering for just four-minutes uses approximately 80-160 litres of water;
- Turning Off the Water when Brushing Teeth: Do not let the water run while brushing your teeth; wet your toothbrush the switch the tap off, and fill a glass for rinsing your mouth;
- Rinsing your Razor in the Sink: Instead of letting the water run while shaving, rather fill the sink with a few inches of warm water in which to rinse your razor.
- Checking Taps and Pipes for Leaks: Even a small drip from a worn washer can waste around 80 litres of water per day.
- Checking your Toilet for Leaks: A few drops of food colouring in your toilet tank will quickly alert you to leaks; do not flush – if the colour begins to appear in the bowl within 30 minutes, you have a leak.
These and other easy methods will help you to conserve hundreds if not thousands of litres of water annually. Also invest in a water cooler that provides chilled, great-tasting water on tap so that you do not have to run the water until it is cool enough to drink.
Buy water coolers and hire water dispensers from Living-Water.
