How to Save Money by Saving Water

To save water is to save money on your monthly bill. Also important is our growing population, and with it, the growing need to conserve resources. We can address both issues at the same time with a few simple home improvement projects. Let's get to work:

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Low-Flo Shower Heads
• Front-Load Washing Machine
• Rain Barrels

1. 
    

   First, check for water leaks in your home. Turn off any appliances that use water (sinks, washing machine, ETC). Now check your water meter and see if the hand is moving. Note the position of the hand, and check it again in ten minutes. If it hasn't moved, you have no leaking. If it has moved even slightly, call a plumber and have your system inspected.

2. 
    

   Install low-flow shower heads. Showers are a huge waste of water, but we can ease the pain a bit by cutting usage in half with a low-flow head. These are easy to install and pay for themselves within two years.

3. 
    

   Time your showers. Buy a cheap kitchen timer, set it for five minutes, and discipline yourself to be done when the timer goes off. Five minutes is more than enough time to scrub, soap, shampoo and rinse.

4. 
    

   Thoroughly water your lawn early in the morning. Your grass and flowers will get the most benefit of being drenched before the sun has a chance to come out and just burn it off.

5. 
    

   If you need to buy a new washing machine, invest in an energy efficient front loading model. They use 2/3 less water than a typical top loading machine, and wash more clothing in a single load.

6. 
    

   Use rain barrels to catch rainwater and reuse it to irrigate your lawn. Plenty of online companies sell ready to go kits that are simple to install, and pay for themselves after one summer.

Tips & Warnings

• When in doubt always hire a licensed plumber to do any repair work. Consider it an investment, not an expense.

Resources

• Gray Water Information
• Rain Barrels

[AlishaV]

on 1/5/2009 Growing up in Southern California, doing things like this was second nature. I'm always amazed at how much water people in other areas waste.

[georgelarson]

on 1/5/2009 Good information on something we can all do. Thanks.

[sneedc]

on 1/5/2009 I a giving myself partial credit, I still have to get the kids to take shorter showers. Hubby just installed a new shower head, so that is a bonus; and I only do FULL loads of laundry & dishes! thanks 5*