Bills add up around the home. It seems like scouring through monthly expenses is a regular chore designed to uncover just where all this money is going. One of the bills that can sneakily drain money from your account is the water bill. Inefficient water usage can also be an environmental issue and even get a home owner into potential trouble with his or her state of residence if that state has water usage restrictions or regulations. For example, in Orlando, Florida there are many lawn watering restrictions to include only being permitted to water your lawn between 4pm and 10 am. Here are 5 ways to conserve water around your home and yard.
1. Shorter Showers
Water conservation begins with being aware of personal water usage, and one of the biggest causes of inefficient water usage is the shower. Taking shorter showers can cut down on water usage by a huge margin. Aside from taking shorter showers, you can invest in an efficient showerhead, and they even make showerheads that light up different colors depending on how much water has been used in a single shower.
2. Check for and Repair Leaks
Regularly checking for leaks, and repairing them when encountered, is a simple yet extremely effective way to ensure efficient water conservation. A single leaky faucet can lead to thousands of wasted gallons of water in a single year. This simple act of home-owner vigilance can benefit both the environment and the home owner’s wallet.
3. Install a Dual-flush Toilet
Toilets use several gallons of water a day even with minimal usage, but not every restroom visit requires the same amount of water. Luckily water-conscious inventors have designed what many people now know as the dual-flush toilet. These toilets have two flushes, one with a conservative flush (less water) and another with a more powerful flush (more water).
4. Rain Barrels
There are just as many ways to conserve water outside of the home as there are inside of it. One of the more effective ways of doing this is to install rain barrels to catch water coming from downspouts. This not only can be used as water for lawns and gardens, but it also helps with stormwater issues by slowing the rainwater down and allowing it to slowly infiltrate into the soil. This is especially helpful in areas near bodies of water affected by runoff like the Chesapeake Bay.
5. Grey Water
The most under-the-radar way of conserving water outside of the home is to rethink the way we handle water inside the home. Grey water is water from washing dishes, doing laundry, and various other household activities. This water is no longer potable, but, as long as eco-friendly products are used, it can still be effective for things like watering plants and washing the car. Grey water is one of the most effective means for water conservation both inside and outside of the home, and many regions near local water sources even try to enforce responsible usage of grey water.
Article Submitted By Community Writer