5 Simple Ways to Save Water Around the House

Water is a necessity in any home but with what seems like near constant droughts and water shortages in many areas of the USA, people are looking to save water wherever they can, and reduce their water bills.  Here are our favorite tips to help you save water around your home.

1. Saving Water in the Bathroom

The bathroom is one of the biggest water users in the home so anything you can do here will save you plenty of water and also reduce your water bills significantly.  Here are the best tips:

• Install a dual flush toilet (single flush toilets use up to 12 litres of water every flush)
• If you can’t install a dual flush toilet, reduce the amount of water your single flush toilet uses by placing a plastic bottle of water into the cistern so it reduces the amount of water used to flush
• Install water efficient taps and shower heads
• Keep your showers as short as possible
• Don’t leave the tap running while brushing your teeth
• When shaving, use a sink of water to rinse the razor, instead of rinsing the blade under a running tap.

2. Saving Water in the Kitchen

• Rinse vegetables in a sink of water instead of under a running tap
• Look for a water efficient dishwasher, and use the economy setting wherever possible
• Only run the dishwasher when you have a full load
• Rinse dishes in a sink of water, not under a tap
• Use water efficient taps or install tap aerators
• Keep cold water in the fridge, so that you don’t have to run the tap until the water’s cool enough to drink

3. Saving Water in the Laundry

• Look for a water efficient washing machine
• Only use the washing machine when you have a full load of clothes to wash
• If you need to soak your clothes, use a bucket with just the amount of water that you need

4. Saving Water Outside

• Sweep driveways and paths instead of hosing them down
• Use a pool cover in order to reduce water loss through evaporation from your pool
• Wash your car using a bucket
• Water the lawn in the cool of morning or late in the afternoon so that the water doesn’t evaporate
• Use mulch as much as possible on your garden beds
• Use drought resistant and native plants as these require less water
• Use drought resistant grass if you need a lawn or grassed area
• Install rainwater tanks  – these can be used to water the lawn or can be plumbed to the house so you can use it to flush the toilet or for the washing machine
• Install a grey water system – this takes waste water from the house and you can use it to water the lawn or wash your car
• Install a drip irrigation system – these are much more efficient than sprinklers and can be tailored to keep even the most thirsty of plants happy with minimal water wastage

5. General Water Saving Tips