15 Ways To Save Water

Water is a precious resource, and we all must do our part to conserve it. Not only does saving water help maintain all the beautiful things we love on the planet, it can also help save your bottom line! Decreasing the amount of water you use every day will lower your water bill at the end of the month (and bonus points if you use that extra cash to purchase items that help you conserve more water!). Try these fifteen ways to save water, indoors and out. Soon, you’ll be so accustomed to it and forget there was any other way.

Indoors
 

We’ll start indoors, where small habit changes can help you save big.
 

1.Turn off the faucet while shaving or brushing your teeth
For the average bathroom faucet, water comes out at 2.5 gallons per minute. At two minutes of teeth brushing, two times a day, that’s 10 gallons of water per day!

2. Change out faucets
Install a water saving faucet aerator (regulates the flow of water) in your bathroom and kitchen. Look for products with a WaterSense label, which reduce a sink’s water flow by 30 percent or more. This can save the average family 700 gallons of water per year with just one sink. A new low-flow faucet amounts to a yearly savings of $7, but that can add up if you have many sinks!

3. And showerheads too
Swap out your old showerhead for a new high efficiency edtion. Look for showerheads with the WaterSense label, for a highly-efficient, yet still powerful shower. The average family could save 2,900 gallons per year by installing WaterSense labeled showerheads.

4 . Take shorter showers.
Every minute of your shower uses 2.5 gallons of water. So, a one- or two-minute reduction can save up to 375 gallons per month! Try using a timer to see how long your showers are, and aim for five minutes. Or maybe shorten your in-shower concert by a few songs.

5. Save extra water

Place a bucket in your shower to collect extra water and hold on to pasta water to water your plants! Perfect for houseplants, herbs, and potted flowers, the pasta water even provides some extra nutrients to help them grow. Make sure you don’t pour water with soap in it in your plants.

6 . Replace your old washing machine and dishwasher
New high-efficiency models can save 20-30 gallons per load, or 10,000 gallons a year. New high efficiency clothes washers use as much as 50% less water than conventional top loader models, and can save homeowners $80 a year. Many of these products are also eligible for government rebates, which start at $85, so check and see if your model is eligible!

7 . And wash efficiently
Run only full loads in your washing machine and dishwasher. For a clothes washer, this saves 15–45 gallons per load, and full dishwashers save 5-15 gallons per load.

8. Install an efficient toilet
High-efficiency toilets save 19 gallons per person/day. They’re also eligible for rebates of up to $100! You won’t get swirlied with wasted water with this easy swap.

9. Fix those leaks
An average faucet leak in a household adds up to 10,000 gallons per year, which amounts to 5% of the total water usage. Fix leaky faucets, shower heads, irrigation, hoses, and toilets before you drown in a high water bill. Fixing the leak could save you $80 a year.

Outdoors
 

Now we’re moving outdoors. If you have a yard or maintain a sprinkler system, read on for big water-saving tips.

10. Adjust sprinkler heads and fix leaks
Make sure your sprinkler heads are aimed correctly to save 12–15 gallons each time you water. A leak about as small as the tip of a ballpoint pen can waste about 6,300 gallons of water per month!

11. Use a broom to clean driveways
Instead of hosing off your sidewalk, use a broom and save 150 gallons or more each time.

12. Install drip irrigation & add a smart controller
A smart controller applies just the right amount of water for your landscape, based on your plants and local weather conditions. This may seem like a large investment up front, but it saves 15 gallons each time you water and over 25 gallons every day!

13. Replace your lawn
Green lawns are out of style anyway. Replace it with turf (which is rebate eligible), or swap it for beautiful native and drought-resistant plants. These can save 1,000 to 1,8000 gallons a month depending on your climate.

14. Evaluate your sprinkler system
Many homeowners water way more than they need to, which causes wasted water to run off property and into storm drains. Use a watering calculator and watering index to determine how much you should water.

15. Water in the mornings
If you need to water your grass or plants, do it in the early morning, to reduce evaporation and ineffective watering due to wind. Save up to 25 gallons per watering with this tip!

Saving water is easy once you get the hang of it. Try these tips and your home will be the greenest house on the block!