30 Ways To Save Water: Did you know that a significant amount of domestic drinking water, ranging from 30 to 60 percent, is used to irrigate yards and gardens? Unfortunately, a large portion of this water is often wasted due to over-watering, evaporation, and misdirected sprinklers that end up watering sidewalks and driveways instead of the intended plants.
On average, each person in the United States uses 170 gallons of water per day. In comparison, Australians use only 36 gallons of water per day, thanks to their commitment to water efficiency. Despite their lower water usage, Australians still enjoy a high quality of life.
If Metro Atlanta were to adopt water efficiency solutions, they could save water as much as $700 million and between 130 to 210 million gallons of water per day. This represents up to one-third of their current water supply.
30 Ways –
- Check for toilet leaks by adding a few drops of food colouring to the tank. If the colour appears in the bowl without flushing, it means there’s a leak that may waste more than 100 gallons of water daily.
- Don’t use the toilet as a wastebasket or ashtray. Each cigarette butt or tissue flushed down the toilet wastes five to seven gallons of water.
- Put a plastic bottle filled with sand or pebbles in your toilet tank to save five or more gallons of water each day.
- Take shorter showers and use 5 to 10 gallons of water a minute. When you use soap, limit the water, wash down and rise off.
- Install water-saving showerheads or flow restrictors to cut your shower flow to about 3 gallons a minute which helps save water.
- Take baths instead of long showers, as partially filled tubs use less water than all but the shortest showers to save more water.
- Turn off the water tap when you are brushing your teeth or fill a glass for rinsing your mouth it will also help you to save water.
- Fill out the bottom of your sink with a few inches of warm water to rinse your razor while shaving to save water.
- Check faucets and pipes for leaks since even a small drip of water can waste 50 or more gallons of water daily.
- Use your dishwasher or washing machine for full loads only since your automatic washer uses 30 to 35 gallons per cycle.
- Rinse vegetables in a bowl or sink full of clean water instead of letting the faucet run so it can save water.
- Keep a water bottle to drink in the refrigerator to avoid running tap water to cool it for drinking.
- When you are washing dishes by hand, don’t leave the water running for rinsing. Use a pan of water or a spray device. That way, you can save water.
- Water your lawn when it needs it by checking if it springs back up when you move your foot on it.
- Deep-soak your lawn to ensure water seeps down to the roots instead of evaporating.
- Don’t water the gutter or areas where it does no good and wastes lots of water.
- Plant drought-resistant trees and plants that thrive without irrigation to save water.
- Put a mulch layer around trees and also plants to slow down moisture evaporation which is also a good way to save water.
- Use a broom to clean driveways and also sidewalks instead of using a hose that wastes hundreds of gallons of water.
- Don’t keep the hose open while washing your car during the soap. Soap your car with a pail of soapy water and use the hose only to rinse it off.
- Use a mug instead of running the tap while brushing your teeth or shaving. This can save gallons of water a day.
- Use a bucket and sponge to wash your car. This method uses less water than a hose and can still effectively clean your car.
- Consider using a drip irrigation system for your garden. This system slowly releases water directly to the roots of your plants, reducing water waste and promoting plant growth.
- Install a water-efficient landscape. This type of landscape uses native plants that require less water and maintenance, helping you save money on your water bill.
- Consider using graywater for irrigation. Graywater is wastewater from your home that is safe to use for watering plants, reducing the amount of freshwater needed for irrigation.
- Use a pool cover. This can reduce water loss from evaporation and help keep your pool clean and save an adequate amount of water.
- Fix leaks as soon as possible. Even small leaks can add up to a significant amount of water waste over time.
- Encourage your workplace to implement water-saving practices. This can include things like installing low-flow toilets and faucets, using drought-resistant plants in landscaping and promoting water conservation among employees.
- Teach your children about the importance of water conservation. Encourage them to take shorter showers, turn off the water while brushing their teeth, and report any leaks they may notice.
- Participate in water conservation programs offered by your local government or utility company. These programs may include things like rebates for installing water-efficient appliances or free water audits for homeowners.
Teach Your Kids Also the importance of Saving Water
Climate change is making a large impact on the freshwater supply. Droughts and floods are becoming more common as a result of changing rainfall patterns, an increase in the number of dry days, torrential rain in short bursts, and extreme weather events caused by global warming.
As a result, food supplies and human health will suffer. Due to rising demand and severely depleted freshwater reserves, water is expected to be a major source of conflict in the future. In many areas, declining groundwater resources and inefficient water use are major concerns.
Despite adequate rainfall, we are facing a water shortage for drinking, agriculture, industry, and sanitation. It even causes conflicts between neighbours – people and provinces. Water waste can be avoided in a variety of ways.
Rainwater harvesting has the potential to recharge our lakes and ground aquifers. Farmers can avoid flooding their fields. We have plenty of opportunities to reduce consumption in our homes. Water pollution caused by waste discharge is a serious issue, as cleaning it for reuse by humans requires a significant amount of effort and energy.