There's good reason to save water. 99.5% of the earth's fresh water sits frozen as polar icecaps, and they're not very portable. The rest is in aquifers, natural underground wells that, more and more frequently are rendered unusable by industrial waste. Keep in mind that miracles such as desalination aren't likely to help much because, quite simply, they cost too much. So what can you do? Plenty. Especially if you're remodeling your bathroom.

The best minds keep coming up with advances that make more efficient use of water. With tiny changes of habit, you can also save gallons by yourself. If you're not convinced, the chart below shows estimates of just how much water we use in a day. You'll be surprised.


Even on the rainy west coast there’s more than just a little talk about water meters. They already have water sprinkler rules. Remember, the more gallons you save, the fewer gallons that show up on your utility bills and the more water that will be left for the next generation.

Average Gallons Used On The Following Daily Activities

Flushing The Toilet...............................................................5
Dripping Faucet, In a 24-Hour Period................................6
Brushing Your Teeth.......................................................5-10
Shaving...........................................................................15-20
One 10-Minute Shower..................................................40-60
One Day's Total For A Family of Four................250-300 gallons of water!

10 Neat Ways To Save Water

1. Insist on water saver faucets and shower heads. No sleepless nights, no wasted water. To figure out how much water your showerhead spews out take the milk carton test. Take an empty 1-gallon milk jug, hold it right under the showerhead and turn on the water to the usual pressure. Count the seconds it takes to fill. Divide that number into 60 seconds for your gallons per minute (GPM). Most showers release 4 GPM or more, which is quite a lot. 2.5 is more like it.
2. Don’t leave the water running while you brush your teeth. Particularly if you actually brush for 15 whole minutes, as prescribed by well-meaning but enthusiastic dental hygienists. Wet your brush, turn the faucet off, then turn it back on once you’re ready to rinse.
3. Fill the basin when you wash your face or shave, then shut off the water.
4. Take baths instead of showers. Baths use roughly half as much water, depending on the size of your tub. In a tub, you can lollygag as long as you want.
5. Throw all the kids in the tub at once. Along with their ducks and dolls and boats, of course. They’ll have more fun and they’ll be willing to stay in the tub longer, a pleasant thought. Come to think of it, communal showers for adults aren’t a bad idea either.
6. Here’s a tip for the kitchen. Buy a dishwasher. Washing by hand requires 20 gallons on average, while running a dishwasher takes 10. Also, don’t start the dishwasher until you have a full load. Shorten the cycle if you can and use less detergent so there’s less to rinse.
7. Don’t use your toilet as a wastebasket. Or as an ashtray. Or, for that matter, as a goldfish cemetery.
8. Get yourself a 1.6 gallon toilet. Your toilet is the single biggest water waster in your house. Most toilets currently use at least 3.2 gallons, many 5 or 7. The pressure -assisted flushing ones work best.
9. Collect rainwater in barrels or build a cistern on your property & use the water for your garden, lawn, birdbath and even your indoor plants. Mother nature’s creations don’t really appreciate the chlorine or flouride in most city water.
10. Bathe in champagne. Why not? Imagine how effervescent you’ll feel. Do rinse off afterward. Or, if that’s a little too decadent, replace just some of your bath water with a bottle or two of champagne. You’ll enjoy it just as much, and you’ll come to realize that saving water isn’t hard at all.

Return to: Energy Efficient

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