5 Quick Ways to Reduce the Amount of Water You Are Using at Home

With more locations at risk for drought and increasing concerns with water shortages affecting many cities, it’s no wonder that people are starting to consider ways they can reduce their water consumption.

Whether you’re interested in saving water to cut your utility bill or to help with climate change concerns and water shortages, there are quite a few things you can do to limit the amount of water being used in your home.

Change your lawn

While fancy home improvement shoes and magazines may show long, sweeping lawns of lush green, the simple fact is that those lawns require a lot of water to maintain. To save your water (and the time you spend mowing and weeding) consider changing your lawn to a rock garden or to one filled with water-sipping varieties of shrubs and trees.

Choose efficient fixtures

Fixtures that save money can include low-flow showerheads and faucets, water aerators, and fixtures with auto shut-off mechanisms. These fixtures will permit you to use less water while still going about your daily tasks without any real change.

Many cities now offer these fixtures at discounted rates to help encourage its citizens to use less water in a simple and non-invasive way.

There are now also many ultra-low-flow options that can help converse water even further without hindering performance. These fixtures are up to 20% more efficient than regular low-flow options.

There are now also many energy efficient options available in larger appliances, such as toilets, dishwashers, and washing machines. In the past, low-flow appliances struggled to maintain the same standard of performance people were used to, but continuing research and development has meant that performance loss is now negligible in these appliances versus the standard.

Don’t run the dishwasher until full

Dishwashers are water greedy and are expensive to heat. For that reason, avoid running the dishwasher until it’s full of dishes. Not only is this more efficient, it also prevents your dishes from banging around.

Don’t want the dishwasher to get smelly while you wait? Rinse your dishes thoroughly before putting them in the dishwasher, or opt for an energy efficient dishwasher with a “fast wash” option.

Turn off the water when brushing your teeth

The average water faucet dumps 2.5 gallons per minute down the drain. Even energy efficient options still use up to 1.5 gallons per minute. When you’re brushing your teeth for an average of 3 to 5 minutes and letting the faucet run the entire time, you’re most likely losing quite a bit of water.

Feel like you need to rinse your brush constantly or wet it even before or after applying toothpaste? Come to find out, you’re probably brushing your teeth wrong. Toothpaste acts as a mild abrasive, so wetting it is unnecessary and actually hinders its ability to scrub your teeth squeaky clean.

As for rinsing the brush while brushing? You’re actually just rinsing off the toothpaste and then scrubbing off that good film of fluoride that keeps your teeth healthy.

Check for leaks

One leaky fixture can spell disaster for your water consumption bill if it’s not promptly located and repaired. Simple things like worn toilet flappers can result in the loss of up to 10,000 gallons of waste water per year!

If you have noticed an unexplained spike in your water bill and can’t find a source, consider that you may have an older fixture that’s permitting water to leak away. Your best bet is to call a local plumber in Toronto and they will use their expertise to figure out what’s leaking and the fastest way to fix it; saving money and the environment!

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