Save Water from Going Down the Drain

Last year we had a terrible water shortage and people were doing all kinds of creative things just to be able to water their plants. Now that the drought has passed, are we back to old habits?

Well, if you have noticed it didn't rain much in September and October is not much better! But the bigger picture is what are we doing to conserve water and energy in an effort to help the environment?

My hot water heater is in the attic and the master bedroom shower is on the first floor. I know I used to fill up a bucket of water while I was waiting for the hot water to get to the shower. We've thought about moving the hot water heater but it just isn't practical. I stopped filling the bucket - that means 2 buckets of water per day are going down the drain -wasted. I think I need to find that old bucket.

Did you know that 40% of the water used in a home goes right down the toilet? They came out with low flush toilets a few years ago, but all the "hard matter" didn't go down the drain so you ended up flushing more than once and it didn't really save anything. There is a toilet out now called a dual flusher. Dual-flush toilets which are used extensively in Austrailia let you choose whether you need a big or little flush. This simple choice can save 6000 gallons of water per year for a family of 4 (according to the EPA and Sterling). They cost a little more, but not much.

You can also get low flow shower and sink faucets to save additional water. Regular shower heads also have a valve inside to help regulate the water.

We can all do little things to cut down on water use. This helps save us money AND helps the environment as well.