Ten Ways To Save Water

10 Ways

To Save

Water

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3. Save up your dirty clothes: Washing a full machine load of clothes uses less water and energy than 2 half-loads. You'll lower bills as well.

5. Rinse vegetables or dishes in a full sink or pan of water.

9. Shower with less and turn off the taps: Take shorter showers. Also, switching to an efficient shower head will allow you to reduce water waste. Leaving a tap running while brushing teeth uses 1.6 gallons of water a minute. By fixing a dripping tap you can save over 16 gallons of water a week.

7. Water your lawn or garden early in the morning or late in evening.

2. Fully load your dishwasher.

4. Check your toilets for leaks: Put a little food coloring in your toilet tank. If, without flushing, the color begins to appear in the bowl within 30 minutes, you have a leak that should be repaired immediately. Most replacement parts are inexpensive and easy to install.

6. Don't use the toilet as an ashtray or wastebasket: Every time you flush a cigarette butt, facial tissue or other small bit of trash, five to seven gallons of water are wasted.

10. Reduce food waste: It takes a lot of water to produce our cereal, fruit and other food. More than half of the millions of tons of food and drink our households throw out every year could be eaten. So plan a week’s menu and go shopping with a list. Check use-by dates so you don’t suddenly have to throw stuff out. Use leftovers to create new meals. This will help you waste less food – and save the average household over $500 a year.

8. Get a low-flush toilet or put full plastic bottles in your toilet tank: To cut down on water waste, put an inch or two of sand or pebbles inside each of two plastic bottles to weigh them down. Fill them with water, screw the lids on, and put them in your toilet tank, away from the operating mechanisms. This may save ten or more gallons of water per day. Make sure at least 3 gallons of water are left in your tank so that your toilet flushes properly.

1. Eat less meat: Rearing animals for meat and dairy is incredibly water-intensive. By reducing how much meat you eat, you could slash your water use drastically.