Water is expensive. We get a quarterly bill for water and sewer. The sewer charge is based on how much water goes down the drain. So we do whatever we can to save on water.
You all know that I take Navy showers. I also use a bucket to catch the water while it is warming up. I use that water to wash floors, water plants outside, hand wash laundry and any other way I can think of not to waste it. We have a tankless water heater so it takes while to get hot in the bathrooms or even in the kitchen.
When I boil spaghetti or rinse beans on the stove, I use that water inside or outside too.
We don’t just let the water run down the drain while washing dishes either. We do plastic ware and pots and pans by hand so we fill the sink just enough to wash them and same for rinsing them. When we run the dishwasher, we use the quick cycle unless we have really dirty dishes which usually does not happen because we scrape or rinse them.
When we are heating up water for spaghetti or noodles, we use as little water as possible to cover them and boil them.
We had water saving toilets put in when we had this house built. If you don’t have those, fill a 1 liter bottle with water and put it in your toilet tank. It will displace a liter each time and over time you will save a significant amount of water by really doing nothing. Be sure to put it in the part of the tank where it will not interfere with the workings of the toilet. Test your toilet for leaks at least once a year. If you have a leak, get it fixed. If the flapper in your toilet tank doesn’t close properly, replace it. Test by putting some drops of food coloring in your tank. If it ends up in the bowl and you haven’t flushed, you have a leak.
Use low flow faucets and shower heads. They make a big impact on your daily activities.
We always wash a full load in the dishwasher and washing machine. We match the water level to the load in the washing machine if it isn’t a full load.
We have a refrigerator that dispenses filtered water so no waste there. If you don’t, just keep a pitcher of water in the fridge so that you don’t have to let the water run from your faucet every time you need a drink.
Always turn the water all the way off when you are not using it. Little drips add up to big dollars. If you have a leak, have it repaired immediately.
Don’t water your lawn unless it is parched and you haven’t had any rain in a few days. Water in the morning so the sun doesn’t evaporate it while it is running. If you have a sprinkler system like we do, adjust the heads to make sure they are watering your lawn and not the road, driveway, or the neighbors’ yards.
Rinse foods like produce in a pan of water. Then use the water to water plants. Don’t use running water.
Hubby and I use the same glass all day long which cuts back on how many glasses need to be washed.
Don’t thaw food under running water. Thaw the food in your refrigerator.
If you accidentally drop an ice cube, don’t throw it in the sink. Use it to water some greenery.
We turn off the water while brushing our teeth and turn it back on to rinse.
Have Hubby plug the sink and put a little water in it to shave.
Drop your Kleenex in the trash instead of flushing it.
Monitor your water bills for unusually high use. That is a sign that you have a leak somewhere.
Please feel free to leave a comment and share with us what you do to save water.