According to data from the U.S. Geological Survey, each person in this country uses between 80 and 100 gallons of water daily. Among Americans’ activities that require the most water are flushing the toilet and bathing. Take a look at this list of five ways to reduce water usage, thereby helping protect the Earth’s finite resources.
Find Toilet Solutions
As an individual, you can begin by installing a tank bank or float booster. These affordable devices reduce the amount of water your toilet uses to complete a single flush. Be sure to leave at least three gallons in the tank so users can remove waste with a single flush. You don’t want to create the need for multiple flushes to clear away waste.
Ensure your toilet is not leaking with a simple test that uses food coloring. Put enough drops in the tank to achieve a good saturation of color. If you see color in the bowl water half an hour after placing the drops in the tank, then you have a leak that needs addressing. Typically, you can repair these leaks yourself after acquiring parts from a hardware store.
Finally, governments can mandate or incentivize homebuilders and construction crews to use more water efficient toilets. These newer models may reduce water usage from four gallons per flush to fewer than two gallons.
The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that the majority of states face the possibility of water shortages within the next several years. Broader usage of these toilets would certainly make a radical impact on the amount of water people use daily and help stave off shortage-related problems.
Capture Rain Water
Position water barrels under your home’s downspouts to collect rainwater. These barrels typically come with a hose attachment that makes it easy to water flowers or gardens. Many people use this water to wash siding, windows, and cars.
Check for Leaks
Determining whether your home has a leak is a relatively simple process that reduces water usage. First, shut off every appliance that uses water, irrigation systems, and all faucets inside and outside your home.
Locate your water meter and remove the lid. Observe whether the meter’s leak indicator is spinning. If it spins, you have a leak. If it’s not moving, note the position of the hand on the meter. Check it again in 10 minutes. If you see that it has moved, then your home has a slow-moving leak.
If there’s a leak, activate the shut-off valve. Open a faucet in your home, then go back to the meter. If the leak indicator is moving, the leak is located between the valve and the meter. If it has stopped moving, the leak is between the valve and your home (possibly inside it). You can either check each appliance and faucet one by one or bring in a professional plumber to assist you.
Think these steps won’t save water? Check out the federal government’s drip calculator to determine the amount of water a leaky faucet wastes.
Use Water Filtration
Stop buying water in plastic bottles. For one thing, statistics show that 80-87 percent of plastic water bottles end up in landfills instead of recycling bins. In terms of wasting water, how many times have you bought a bottle of water and consumed only a fraction of it? When you drink water from the tap, you’re less likely to get more than you’re ready to drink. Also, tap water does not come in plastic packaging.
To help you make the switch from bottled water, install a home water filter from a company like LifeSource Water. These systems retain healthy minerals in the water while reducing the taste and smell of chlorine.
Install Better Showerheads
Reduce the amount of water you use during a shower by 40 percent with a water efficient showerhead. These more environmentally friendly models need a flow rate that’s below 2.5 gpm. Public water systems could encourage widespread usage of these showerheads by giving them away for free or offering coupons for these showerheads. Hotel chains could commit to saving water by installing water efficient showerheads.
Share one or two of the steps you’ve taken to reduce your water consumption within the last year.
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