Conserving Water This Summer

We would all be well advised to conserve water wherever possible. This is especially true during the summer months. If you're inefficient with your water consumption to begin with, the added summer water usage for swimming pools or sprinklers can make your water bill skyrocket. Not to mention, it is just plain wasteful! Many people are weary of water conservation because they feel it will in some way diminish their comfort or quality of living. And while this may be true in some extreme conservation efforts, there are many things you can do to drop your water bill without much, if any inconvenience.

Many older toilet tanks waste an enormous amount of water. Much more than what is necessary. A good way of mitigating this excess water waste is through displacement. First, fill a couple of water bottles with something to weigh them down such as stones. Then fill the remaining space in these bottles with water, close them, and place them in the back of your toilet tank. when doing this, ensure that the bottles don't interfere with the mechanics of your toilet. This can save a couple of gallons of water per flush, and if you and your family are flushing the toilet upwards of ten times per day this can equate to up to 20 gallons of water conserved every day. That's around 600 gallons of water conserved per month with little to no interference in use.

We all know the simple comfort of washing away a long stressful day in a hot shower. Though, be mindful that the excess time you spend in the shower is money down the drain. The flow rate of an average shower is about 2 gallons per minute. And while that may seem insignificant, shaving just 3 minutes off of your shower time can save you upwards of over 2000 gallons per year.

Similar to the last tip, running a bathroom faucet can waste upwards of 1-2 gallons per minute. On the low end of things, if the average individual brushes their teeth for 2 minutes, twice a day, they can waste around 4 gallons per day by leaving the faucet on while brushing. That adds up to almost 1500 gallons of water per year!

While many people may view these tips as somewhat common sense, they all highlight an underlying point. The best tip for water conservation is mindfulness. Remaining conscientious of how much water you're using and how much water you're wasting helps to facilitate more efficient usage. This adds up to less strain on your wallet and a healthier environment!