Did you know the average American uses almost 100 gallons of water per day? This includes drinking, washing clothes, washing dishes, flushing toilets, food preparation, bathing, as well as watering lawns and gardens.
Surprisingly, the United States is one of the highest ranking water users in the world. Other countries such as France and Germany use roughly 55 to 60 gallons daily. Below are five tips for super-easy but significant ways to reduce your water usage:
- Retrofit water fixtures with water saving fixtures such as a water saving showerheads, toilets, and aerators.
- Audit water leaks by turning off all the taps in the house. Take a meter reading off the water meter. Wait at least 30 minutes, then read the meter again. If the far right hand dial on the water meter is moving or if your meter readings are different, then you have a leak somewhere in your home and need to address it.
- Take a bath instead of a shower – on average, you can save 45 gallons of water if you only put a couple of inches of water in the bottom of your tub. However, this number is reversed if you utilize a water saving showerhead (see Harry the Pug taking a shower above). A ten minute shower utilizing a water saving showerhead uses only about 20 gallons of water. Test which works best for your household by plugging the bathtub up while you take a shower and measure the difference.
- Wash only full loads of clothes in the clothes washer or dishes in the dishwasher, or lower water settings for smaller loads.
- Do not let the water run while you brush your teeth, shave, or wash your hands.
The Water Conservation School in Florida has an interesting way of helping Florida residents learn about water conservation. Try the cool Water Calculator Survey on their website to see how much water on average you use daily in your household.
Make a difference – save water and save money – today!
Shawna Coronado says Get Healthy! Get Green! Get Community! www.thecasualgardener.com, The Green Blog - www.gardeningnude.com, or The Garden Blog - http://thecasualgardener.blogspot.com
I perfected a simple way to save water. With a little practice: By gradually pressing the flush handle on the toilet it can perform its flush function exactly when there is just enough water, not one drop more! - without discharging the tank!
I know - put a brick in it, but more times than not I need the full tank contents.
Posted by: Grampa Ken blogs for Social Change | November 08, 2009 at 11:14 AM
Harry hates having a shower. Looks and feels like a drowned rat. His curly tail even goes straight.
:-)
Best of luck on saving water!
Shawna
Posted by: Shawna Coronado | November 04, 2009 at 02:47 PM
He IS ugly, but that is the cutest picture of Harry in the shower! Thanks for the laugh along with a serious subject.
Posted by: PL | November 04, 2009 at 02:25 PM