25 Ways to Conserve Water & Save the Earth… one drop at a time.
How to Conserve Water | Sustainable Living
Water conservation is becoming more and more important. Believe it or not, but fresh water is one of our most vital and valuable resources, but fresh water is becoming more scarce. Too put it simply, we are using more fresh water, and the biosphere is producing less fresh water.
Not to worry – there is hope! We can do our part in helping maintain the ecosystem. You can help conserve water in your area! Even if you are living in a well-hydrated region, these tips will help conserve water for a global impact. Every drop counts.
For a noticeable impact, just consider your water bill… These water conservation tips will keep your water waste down, allowing you to spend that saved money on other things around the house, (like chocolate!)
Here are some excellent tips and tricks for water conservation around the homestead. Keep these in mind an share them with the whole family so you and the crew can start conserving your water, even it if it is just one drop at a time.
Here are 25 ways on how to conserve water
1. Fix Leaky Faucets to conserve water
Repair leaky faucets to conserve water.
2. Check Toilet Tanks to conserve water
Make sure to check and fix faulty toilet tanks to conserve water. Also, to save water consumption ever time you flush, put something inside your tank – this could be a water bottle, or even a 2L soda. Anything to take up space so your tank uses less water.
3. Take a shorter shower to conserve water
Limit your shower time to under 10 minutes. Do what you need to do, then get out. If showering is a relaxing experience for you, try cutting the time in half, or limit the hour long retreat to just once a week.
4. Use greywater to conserve water
Install a greywater system. Greywater is runoff from your gently used water, and repurposed on the plants. Please note, gently used water is anything from within the house that is NOT connected to your sewer system. Toilet water is not grey water. A lot of greywater isn't even seen, it goes straight into the soil.
Click here to learn more about gray water.
5. Tightly turn off your faucets to conserve water
Get into the habit of turning the faucet tightly. This will ensure that no drips escape, and alert the pipes that this valve is closed.
6. Wash fruits and vegetables in a basin to conserve water
Instead of using running water, wash your fruits and vegetables in a basin. Same thing when washing your hands. The water will still work effectively, and you will use much less of it. Bonus points if you use this water again to water your plants!
7. Drink from the tap to conserve water
Stop using water bottles, as these can be a large waste of plastic. Instead, filter your water and drink it from the tap. This will also save you money, as the cost of water bottles can add up.
8. Level you water to your laundry's load to conserve water.
Match your water level to your laundry whenever you do a load.
DIY Homemade Liquid Laundry Soap
9. Brush your teeth with the faucet off to conserve water
It is a very common and awful habit to brush your teeth with the water running. Instead, keep that water valve closed. If you find yourself rinsing the brush often, fill a cup with water and resort to this cup for your brush-rinsing needs. Best to keep the faucet off while you wash your face too.
10. Thaw frozen food without using water to conserve water
If you plan to cook frozen meat, remove the meat from the freezer and put it in the refrigerator the night before to ensure that it is properly thawed the next day. That way you don't have to rush the thawing, and save water in the process.
11. Collect rainwater to conserve water.
Time to harvest some free rain water! Some even use it as a drinking water, just make sure it has been purified or boiled.
Click here to learn more about rainwater harvesting.
12. Stop sweeping with a hose
While it may be fun, and very very tempting to cleanse your pavement with the house. Use a regular broom instead, and you'll save gallons of water in the process.
13. Schedule your watering to conserve water
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First, I highly recommend growing some plants in your garden that do not need constant watering. Next, I recommend watering on a cycle, so you don't have to use a great deal of water up every single day.
14. Bathe your kids with you to conserve water.
Don't let your kids take a bath alone. Children love water and they want to play with it. The more you can safely fit in the tub, the better! Also, staying with them while taking a bath is a precaution against accidents. This of course, is all dependent on your own kids, the quantity, and the ages.
Don't have any kids? Perhaps your pets want to share in the bathtime fun.
15. Monitor your water bill to conserve water.
Keep an eye on the bill and check for any outliers. For example, perhaps you were unaware that the upstairs toilet was constantly running. A larger-than-usual water bill may help point this out.
16. Wash your car with soapy water to conserve water.
Washing your car is often a giant use of water altogether. Go to a car-wash whenever you have the chance. If you must wash your car at home, use a soap filled bucket to remove one watery step. We also recommend using the same soapy bucket from your laundry, if this is an option. The only time you should spray your car with the hose to rinse the soap off. Turn off the hose when not in use.
17. Look for a green products to conserve water.
Buy green products to help control water consumption. The WaterSense Label is an excellent band for water-wise products. They've already done the thoughtful water-wise engineering for you.
18. Educate Family and Friends on water conservation
We have to educate ourselves on how to conserve water AND put the practices learned to good use! Even if you only remember to do one thing, one thing can make a difference! Remind everyone, young and old, on how to conserve water so we can all make a difference.
19. Throw toilet paper in the wastebasket to conserve water.
Refrain from flushing tissue down the drain, to use less water and to keep drains free from blockage.
20. Clean with cloths and rugs to conserve water.
Clean up with reusable rags. This may not directly save water, but you are saving resources. Wash the rags with your regular laundry to get them clean again without using any extra water in the process.
21. Utilize the dishwasher to conserve water.
Did you know that using a dishwasher can save you over 1000 gallons of water a month? Just make sure you only turn it on when it is full.
22. Check for indoor and outdoor leaks to conserve water.
Make sure all pipelines, tubes and faucets are all in perfect shape. No drips!
23. Install faucet aerators where possible to conserve water.
Having a faucet aerators in our household can actually save us more than 70% of water! They are an amazing and inexpensive invention. Buy one here.
24. Add water wise landscaping to conserve water
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Plant a water wise garden. The best way to do this is with succulents and no grass. Read more here!
25. Practice to conserve water!
Practice what you've learned, and help conserve water to sustain a beautiful earth for our future generations!
There are so many ways, tips, systems and programs on how to conserve water. Let us do our part in helping the earth, and keep on conserving water!
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More Tips You'll Like:
We reuse water from our portable air conditioner for watering out door flowers in the spring til fall.
The diagram of switching grey water with a three way valve is not practical. You should run sewer water only to a pipe that goes directly to the sewer. Another system containing all the grey water goes to the plants and such. This way it is completely automatic and no more work than your diagram; probably less.
This year I have water laying in my north pasture. I’d like to know if there is a way to ‘harness’ it to irrigate the adjacent pasture on slightly higher ground.
I run a dehumidifier in my basement, I use the water I collect to water my garden, I collect more during the early summer when it rains more, when the humidity is higher, I store this in rain barrels until needed, I usually get 15 to 20 gallons per week this way from my basement alone