Five Cheap Ways to Save a Thousand Gallons of Water

Water is humanity’s most valuable resource. Want to green your use? Here are 5 ideas which cost next to nothing and can each save a thousand gallons a year.

It’s been said so many times, it has become a bit of a cliche: water is our most precious resource. On a global scale, the world’s population tripled during the 20th century — and water use increased at twice that rate. The general trend toward urbanization has stressed groundwater supplies to the breaking point.

Closer to home, municipalities from the Southeastern United States to East Africa to Australia are dealing with unprecedented drought conditions. Whether you chalk it up to global warming or a run of bad luck, water shortages are becoming a vexing and increasing familiar fact of life.

There is some good news. Most of us are so wasteful with our everyday water use that basic conservation methods can really make a difference. And they needn’t mean replacing your appliances or expensive home renovations.

We’ve rounded up five free (or very inexpensive) ways to save water. Each should save at least a thousand gallons of water per year. That’s a little but more change in your pocket — and water in the tap.

Reduce your current shower time by one minute

The average non-conserving shower head has a flow rate of 5 to 8 gallons per minute, and a water-saving unit uses about 2.5 gallons. For several days, use a cooking timer and log how long it currently takes you to shower. Average these times — then subtract a minute. If you shower every day, you’ll easily save a thousand gallons a year by cutting the time you run the water by just 60 seconds. You can probably make up this time simply by making sure everything you need is close at hand before you turn the water on.

Locate and repair silent toilet leaks

Worn hardware can easily — and quietly — leak several gallons per day. Drip by drip, it all adds up. Put some dark food coloring in your tank. If you notice color in the bowl within 15 minutes, you’ve got a leak worth fixing. Head to your local home building supply store and pick up a repair kit.

Water lawns on demand, not on schedule

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that 30 percent of all household water consumption is used outdoors. Of this, up to 50 percent is simply wasted due to wind, evaporation, broken irrigation systems — and overwatering. The last one is something over which you have full control. Check your lawn on a schedule instead of automatically watering. Here’s a quick test: step on a patch of grass. If it springs back, it doesn’t need watering. And consider hardy native plants and low-water garden design the next time you landscape.

Turn off the tap while you brush your teeth

It’s one of those hard-to-break habits, but it’s surprisingly wasteful. Running the tap while you scrub sends 5 to 8 gallons of fresh water straight down the drain. Double that for morning and bedtime scrubbing, and we’re talking several thousand gallons a year. All you really need is a few ounces to wet and clean the brush.

Be smart about dishwashing

If you’re doing dishes by hand, don’t rinse under an open faucet. Buy an in-sink rack, load your soapy dishes, and rinse by pouring hot water over the top or using a hand held spray nozzle. Have a dishwasher? Use the short cycle for all but the dirtiest dishes. ENERGY STAR suggests skipping a pre-rinse before loading your dishwasher: it can use up to 20 extra gallons per load. Just scrape and go.

What’s next?

It should probably go without saying that obvious plumbing problems should be fixed immediately. At a drop a second, a worn tap or outdoor faucet is leeching about 20 gallons a day — over 7000 gallons per year. If you’re going to be away from home all day, shut down anything which would use water and make note of your utility meter. This is a great way to spot sneaky leaks.

Beyond this cheap, low-hanging fruit is the pricier process of replacing inefficient appliances with ENERGY STAR rated models. The washing machine is probably your best bet, followed by the dishwasher. Both will save energy and water when compared to models more than a few years old.

In the realm of home improvement, water-saving shower and faucet attachments are clearly the first priority. A trigger-operated spray nozzle on kitchen sinks is a real saver, particularly if your home isn’t equipped with a dishwasher. Making sure pipes are insulated properly is next, which will reduce waste caused by waiting for the water to get to the right temperature. Water-saving toilets are within the budget reach of most homeowners, particularly as older units wear out. If rainwater collection is legal where you live, consider setting up a modest system to handle your gardening needs.

Do you have a favorite water saving tip? Please share in our comments section.

More reading:

Simple steps to save water (EPA)
100 Water-saving tips (WaterUseItWisely.com)
A to Z of water saving tips (BBC)

Ten Easy Ways to Save Energy in The Kitchen

The kitchen is your home’s biggest energy center. Here’s a quick list to help you save energy — and money — where it counts the most.

1. Use a high-efficiency dishwasher

Modern dishwashers use less water than hand washing — and that means less work for your hot water heater. If you have to hand wash, start with the cleanest dishes and work backwards. It will reduce the need for a second sink full of water.

2. The right pan for the right job

There’s no point using a four quart pan to heat a serving of soup. Use the smallest practical pan, and spend less energy heating metal and more heating food. Gas range? Set the flame so that it’s smaller than the pan bottom. Fire up the side is wasted. On electric stove, pick the element that most closely matches you pan size.

3. Put a lid on it!

Uncovered pans transfer heat from directly into your living space, rather than the food. Cover whenever possible. And speaking of covers: modern pressure cookers are safe and efficient. Always buy new, and follow the directions carefully.

4. Clean your oven

A dirty, carbon-encusted oven is more than unsightly: it’s inefficient. Keep your oven walls sparking clean, and let them reflect heat where it belongs.

5. Coast your cooking

You can safely power off your oven or range several minutes before the food is done. They will both stay warm enough to finish the job. And preheating an oven is more for the convenience of people who write recipes than any particular cooking need. Put your food in as soon as the heat is turned on.

6. Use the microwave

Not only is it fast, but your microwave is the kitchen’s undisputed efficiency champ. That’s because its energy goes straight into heating the food, not the air or a pan which surrounds it. Invest in a good microwave cookbook and make sure you have a good selection of microwave-safe casseroles and dishes.

7. Buy a toaster oven

Sometimes a microwave won’t do — when you’re browning something, for instance. Toaster ovens are fast, inexpensive, and a great alternative to firing up a big oven for small jobs.

8. Tighten up that seal

Here’s a test: put a piece of paper in the refrigerator door, close it, and see if you can easily slide the paper out. If so, it might be time to change the door seal. If the paper can slip out, so can cold air.

9. Organize the fridge

Your parents were right — standing in front of an open fridge lets the cold air out and forces the compressor to compensate. Get your contents organized so you can find what you want right away. An overfilled refrigerator or freezer is also tough on air circulation. Dump what you don’t need. And never locate the fridge immediately adjacent to a stove or oven. The cooler your refrigerator’s immediate environment, the less energy it will use.

10. Consider raw foods

You can read about the reported health benefits of raw (lightly or uncooked) foodshere. But going raw is certainly an energy saver. Try it a few times a month and see what you think.