10 Water Saving Tips

If you live in Sacramento or anywhere throughout California, then you probably already know that we are in the middle of a water shortage. There are 10 water saving tips that are easy steps you can take to help conserve water and help keep your water bills under control, too.

1. Stop using your garbage disposal. Instead of using your garbage disposal, scrape the food scraps from your plates off into the trash. An added benefit is that you’ll probably save money on plumbing repairs, too. Clogged food is the leading cause of backed up pipes.
2. Don’t use a running faucet to rinse or wash your dishes. To rinse your dishes, use a stopper in your sink and fill it up with a couple inches of water. After you have finished scraping the food scraps into the trash, put the plate in the water for a few moments. Anything left on it should easily come off in the water. To wash your dishes, fill the sink up with soapy water, wash all of your dishes and then rinse them at the end all at once so you don’t have to keep the water running.
3. Use full dishwasher loads. Wait until you have a full load of dishes in the dishwasher before running it. You’ll cut down on the amount of loads you do and you’ll even save money on dishwasher soap while you’re at it.
4. Run full washing machines. Just like the dishwasher, you should wait until you have a full load. Besides saving water and soap, you’ll also be conserving energy since you won’t be running the machine as frequently. You’ll also extend the life of the machine, too.
5. Fix faucets and pipes. A small leak from a faucet or pipe can waste 100’s of gallons of water a day! Washers are very easy to replace and it only takes just a couple of minutes. Checking your toilet for a leak is easy – just add some food coloring to the tank. If the water in the bowl turns color after about 10 minutes then you know you’ve got a leak. Toilet repair kits can be found at nearly every hardware store.
6. Check your water meter to see if there are hidden leaks. Read your water meter and write it down. Don’t use any water for 2 hours. Go back to your meter and if it isn’t the same, then you know you’ve got a leak.
7. Don’t leave the water running when you brush your teeth. If you leave the water running for the 2 minutes it takes to brush your teeth, you waste about 5 gallons of water. You also don’t need to run the water while you’re shaving, either.
8. Toss your tissues in the trash can, not the toilet. If you have a septic tank, then this is a definite no-no. But even if your water is connected to a public sewer system throwing your tissue in the toilet leads to frequent toilet flushing and your utility company will have to spend even more energy processing the waste.
9. Water your plants with “extra” water. Instead of dumping out a half drank glass of water or throwing out ice cubes toss them in your plants instead. A really easy way to collect water for your plants is by putting a bucket in your shower. If you’re like most people and don’t like stepping into a freezing cold shower, put a bucket under the water while you’re waiting for the water to warm up. Push it to the side while you take your shower and it will continue to collect water that would otherwise be going down the drain.
10. Shorten your showers. Shortening your shower by 1 minute can save 1,000 gallons a year. Don’t brush your teeth in the shower and you’ll save a little over 2 minutes each time.