Today, many parts of the world are facing a horrible water crisis. Australia is historically struggling with water shortages, but California, Mexico, the Middle East and parts of Africa are also facing draughts. So even if you don’t live somewhere where water is scarce, you never know what the future holds. Here’s how you can easily save water at home and ensure a much greener and safer future for all:
Limit your showers
While there’s nothing more invigorating, refreshing and relaxing than a long shower before bed, you might also want to be mindful of the water resources. If you carry your phone to the bathroom, set the alarm for four minutes and try to make your showers more effective. Morning showers can be even quicker because you essentially only need to refresh yourself and wake up. Four minutes are more than enough to soap up, wash your hair, rinse and even get some time to contemplate your day. And for every minute you save on showering, you can prevent 9 liters of water from getting unnecessarily wasted.
Install water-saving fixtures
If it’s time for your old fixtures to retire, consider investing in something much better for the environment and the water reserves. Today, you can find flow-flow showerheads and water-efficient taps that save a lot of water yet provide you with the same washing-up experience. Even double-flush toilets can save a lot of water when used properly.
Fix any leaks
Do you often notice a water trail in your toilet? Maybe you hear that annoying drip-drip in the kitchen sink? Whatever it is, any leak should be fixed as soon as you notice it. In places like Australia, every drop of water can be precious, especially during the summer, so call your trusted plumber to inspect your fixtures and fix any leaks. Plumbing is not something you can learn from a YouTube tutorial, so it’s best to leave that to professionals. And since household leaks waste unbelievable 10,000 gallons of water per year, any leak, no matter how small, needs to be taken care of ASAP.
Time your dishwashing and clothes washing
Running half a load in your dishwasher or washing machine can be a tremendous waste of both water and energy. Be smarter about your timing and wait to turn on these appliances until they are nice and full. On a full load and an eco setting, some dishwashers can use only as little as 6.5 liters of water which is a great result, much better than doing your dishes by hand.
Turn the tap off
It might be annoying to turn off the tap every time you soap your hands, brush your teeth or shave your face, but this practice can save you a lot of water. In the time it takes you to scrub your hands, apply toothpaste and brush or set up your shaving station, a lot of water can go down the drain for no reason.
Keep water cool in the fridge
During a hot day, nothing feels better than a cold glass of water. And since pipes can get pretty hot, they can warm up the water in the system and make your water come out lukewarm. Instead of letting the tap run until cold liquid starts running, you can keep a jug of water in the fridge and always have cold H2O to chug and quench your thirst.
Collect rain for outdoor chores
Not all the water we use finds its purpose inside our homes. For instance, we need to wash cars, water plants, scrub driveways, etc.—all of this requires a lot of water use. In order to prevent waste, you can invest in a rainwater collection barrel (if it’s legal in your area). This rainwater can be used when you need to wash the car, keep your garden alive, water your indoor plants or do all the washing-up chores in your backyard. It’s also smart to rethink your landscaping and opt for native plants that don’t require a lot of irrigation or fertilizing.
Saving water is something we all need to be doing on a daily bases if we want to have a happy and healthy future. And the fact that it’s really not that hard to tweak our habits and boost water saving at home only makes it more possible to envision our planet as green in the future as it is today.
