All About Water

When you think of where water is used in the home, the kitchen is probably one of the first places that comes to mind. Fifteen percent of the 260 gallons of water per day that a typical household consumes is used in the kitchen. Water boils on the stove, water runs in the sink and dishwasher, water solidifies into ice in the freezer. Water is used in many different ways. Unfortunately, we frequently waste large quantities of the water that we use. Saving water in the kitchen doesn’t have to mean living an austere lifestyle, though. Several easy methods are available to help reduce water waste.

The Kitchen Sink

What kind of faucet do you have? Low-flow faucet aerators are available to help reduce water waste. However, low-flow faucet aerators may not effectively wash dishes or fill pots for cooking. You may instead prefer a dual faucet. Additionally, check under the sink for leaks, another common source of water waste. Locating leaks and repairing them is another way of saving water in the kitchen.

Dishwashers

Dishwashers are a major source of water waste in the kitchen. To minimize waste, only run the dishwasher when it is completely full. If you are thinking about remodeling, be on the lookout for a more efficient model. While selecting appliances, look for the EPA’s two different labels, Energy Star and Watersense. Consider that a traditional dishwasher uses twelve to fifteen gallons per cycle, not including pre-rinse. A newer machine designed for efficiency will use six to nine gallons per cycle. Eco-friendly dishwashers that steam clean are available, although a bit pricey. Saving water in the kitchen can also easily be accomplished by hand-washing dishes with a basin rinse, which uses only six gallons of water. Careful, though: hand-washing dishes with the faucet running consumes sixteen gallons of water!

Drinking Water

Drinking fresh, clean water is one of the best things you can do for your body. For the sake of ready-to-drink water, how many times have you stood at your kitchen sink, running the tap with your finger in the water stream, waiting for it to turn cold? Instead, keep a pitcher of fresh water in the fridge at all times, ready for drinking. Filter pitchers help along this strategy.

Extreme Measures

If you find yourself in a situation that calls for extreme water-saving measures, such as a water shortage or a natural disaster that limits your access to fresh water, consider these measures for saving water in the kitchen.

• Don’t use water to cook meals. Make one-dish meals that don’t require boiling or steaming any ingredients.
• Use disposable dishes and flatware that can be thrown away and don’t need to be washed. Make sure they’re biodegradable, though, as you don’t want to contribute to another environmental problem, waste.
• Keep any gray water left from washing dishes and use it to flush the toilet or mop.

There are many ways to save water in your office, home, and yard as well. Make sure your entire house is eco-friendly!

You’ve installed the low-flow toilets and faucets, switched to Watersense appliances, fixed the leaking plumbing and started washing dishes by hand. But are there any other ways to save water? Although the kitchen and the bathroom compose a great deal of water use, water conservation at home involves other areas of the home as well.

The laundry room is an excellent place to continue optimizing water conservation at home: washing clothes uses up tons of water, especially if you have a large or active family. In an average-sized family, the washing machine composes twenty-one percent of monthly water use. Saving water while doing laundry doesn’t have to mean scrubbing clothes in a tub with a washboard, though. Instead, run full loads. One full load of laundry uses less water than two smaller loads. Invest in a new, high-efficiency washing machine; doing so can save up to forty gallons of water per load. Move your laundry from the washing machine to the dryer promptly to avoid having to rewash a load.

Check Your Pipes

Well-insulated water pipes keep water warmer so that you won’t have to spend as much time waiting for the water to “run hot.” Insulating pipes is simple to do and doesn’t require hiring a professional. You can purchase inexpensive, pre-slit insulating foam for pipes at your local hardware store. Wrapping the pipes will also keep them from freezing and bursting in the winter, which can do major water damage throughout the house.

The Yard

Water conservation at home should include water conservation in the yard as well. Are you pouring gallons and gallons of water into maintaining a lawn? Consider replacing parts of your lawn with alternatives that require less work and less water, like a flower garden blooming with native plants. Consider your sprinkler systems. Make sure to angle your sprinklers efficiently, so that water won’t wasted running down your driveway. Try using a drip irrigation system. Don’t water the yard when the weather is taking care of that for you. Check outdoor spigots for leaks.  Finally, remember that over-watering can harm plants and waste large amounts of water.

The Car

Do not wash your car at home. Water is wasted as it runs constantly from the hose. Additionally, all the runoff (which contains soap and wax and any chemicals that have built up on your driveway) runs right into storm drains and, quite possibly, into local streams and waterways. Use a local car wash instead; the water there is recycled and re-used over and over again.

If you want to save water in your house, you may want to address your bathroom first. Although water is often wasted here, the bathroom provides some of the best opportunities for water conservation. Water conservation not only helps the environment, but helps us save on bills. Additionally, drips and leaks can lead to mildew and mold, which can become health hazards. The tub, sink and toilet are some quick places to check. Reasonably-priced equipment is available to help water waste become a thing of the past.

Saving Water Around the Toilet

Installing a low-flow toilet can save up to four gallons of water with each flush. If installing a new toilet is not an option, consider placing a weighted plastic bottle in the tank to displace the water. This will allow the toilet to use less water with each flush. Check your toilet for leaks by adding a couple drops of food coloring to the tank and then waiting to see if it leaks into the bowl. Throw trash away instead of flushing it down the toilet.

Saving Water Around the Sink

When you run a faucet, you cause three gallons to run down the drain per minute. While brushing your teeth, washing your face or shaving, turn off the water. To rinse your washcloth or razor, use the stopper and run some water into the sink; then use this collected water for your washing needs. Use a drain cover to keep hair from clogging the drain, reducing the need to clean it.

Saving Water in the Bath or Shower

An average shower uses twenty-five to forty-five gallons of water, and an average bath uses fifty gallons. Take showers instead of baths whenever possible and keep them short. To really save water, use the shower only to wet your hair and body and to rinse off at the end; turn the shower off while lathering up. Bathe small children together. Again, keep the drain clear of hair so it doesn’t need to be unclogged.

Equipment to Help Save Water

A really low-tech and inexpensive way to save water is to use a plain bucket to collect water that is “warming up” and use this water to flush the toilet or water plants. Installing a low-flow shower head is inexpensive and easy to do. Using high-efficiency plumbing can save you up to thirty percent of your water use.

Common Water-Saving Misconceptions

• Myth: Low-flow toilets do not flush well.
  Fact: Toilet technology has improved and today’s low-flow toilets perform just as well as traditional toilets, and with much better water efficiency.
• Myth: High-efficiency toilets cause problems with household plumbing.
  Fact: High-efficiency toilets meet or exceed national plumbing standards.
• Myth: Low-flow shower heads won’t get soap out of hair.
  Fact: Low-flow shower heads increase water pressure and can rinse hair more thoroughly than traditional shower heads.