How to Reduce Your Water Usage and Save Money

Water is a finite resource. In some places around the world, water is a scarce commodity. In fact, over 2.3 billion people lack access to a toilet. Anything we can do to conserve water will not only help with the global crisis, but will also lower our monthly water bills.

Don't Let The Water Run

As simple as it sounds, turn off the water. If we let the faucet run while we brush our teeth or wash the dishes, we waste gallons of water unnecessarily.

In fact, according to The San Diego Union-Tribune, the average person wastes three to four gallons a day by keeping the faucet on while they brush their teeth, adding up to over 1,000 gallons a year - for each member of your household. Not only is this needlessly wasteful, but it is also costly.

Fix Any Leaky Faucets

While listening to the sound of a leaky faucet is annoying, that tiny drip is more than just irritating. It can add up to a ridiculous amount of wasted water. In fact, the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) states that a dripping faucet can waste up to 10,000 gallons of water per household - a staggering one trillion gallons nationwide - each and every year.

Fixing that leak should move to the top of everyone's to-do list.

Limit Water Usage

Instituting time limits on water usage in your home can help reduce costs. Experts suggest limiting the time you spend in the shower to just five minutes. While some members of your household may revolt, it is possible to shower, wash your hair, and rinse in five minutes or less. This is truly a case of practice makes perfect. Sadly, baths use dozens of gallons and do not help reduce water usage.

Additionally, by using short cycles on both the washing machine and the dishwasher, you can reduce the amount of water you use per load. Even better, choose a front-load washer if you can. They typically use onethird less water than a traditional, top-load model. A front-load model on a short cycle will reduce your water usage (and electricity) even more.

Go with Low Flow

Your local plumber can install low-flow fixtures to reduce the amount of water per use. This name is a bit of a misnomer, however. Many people assume that water will be reduced to a trickle out of the shower head. On the contrary, the difference is not particularly noticeable. Low-flow showerheads reduce the water, but the force with which it comes out of the showerhead remains the same.

Likewise, many homeowners are concerned about the flushing power of a low-flow toilet. This type of toilet still uses plenty of force in the flush; it just uses less water to do its job. Some models have a dual button located on the top of the tank, allowing you to choose between a low-flow flush and a traditional flush, when necessary.

Install a Tankless Hot Water Heater

Switching your hot water heater for a tankless model is another way you can team up with your local plumber to fight water waste. A traditional hot water tank heats up and holds up to 100 gallons of water at a time, wasting both water and electricity. Plus, we all know what happens when it runs out.

On the other hand, a tankless model is designed to instantly heat up just the water that you need right when you need it. This saves water, uses less electricity, and eliminates cold water hitting you mid-shower.

Reducing water waste is not difficult if you implement the above steps with your family and your trusty local plumber.