Americans use a lot of water. In fact, the average U.S. household consumes about 400 gallons of water per day. If you multiply that by the total amount of households in the country you get an idea of just how much of this precious commodity we use. Most times it’s not thought of as a resource with a finite supply available, but we all share a responsibility to conserve water whenever we can. This can be accomplished in a variety of easy-to-apply ways. Here’s how to conserve water at home.
First, repair leaking faucets, toilets and outdoor water spouts. These are obvious water wasters that will immediately reduce consumption at your house. Here are some other tips that can lead to a big reduction in your water usage:
- Turn off the water when you brush your teeth and save up to 1.5 gallons of of water per minute.
- Take shorter showers. Showers consume between 2 and 12 gallons of water per minute. Cutting down on the amount of showers you take per week is also a good idea. Do you really need multiple showers each day?
- Water your garden or plants with a watering can rather than a hose, which can use as much as 250 gallons per hour. Reduce evaporation by watering the mulch around your plants in the early morning and late afternoon. Or better yet, cut down on the amount of watering altogether.
- Make sure to use full loads in your dishwasher and washing machine – this eliminates unneeded washes in between.
- Hot water recirculation pumps are a convenient way to ensure hot water when you want it and they also contribute to the reduction of water waste. These systems slowly pump hot water throughout the house and back to the water heater, providing a constant circulation of hot water. Because hot water is delivered much faster there is less waste in the heating process.
- When it’s time to purchase household replacements, buy water-efficient showerheads, taps, toilets, washing machines, dishwashers and many other water-saving products available now.
For plumbing service to help with your water conservation issues or to learn more about upgrading to more water-efficient products and systems, call Kotz today.
