If water is available to you around the clock, and you don’t really think about saving it while watering your lawn or having yet another one-man concert in the shower, perhaps it’s time to reconsider how you treat this valuable resource.

The first thing you can do is be more mindful about how you spend water in your household. Developing strategies to prevent wasting water in your home should be your priority. That way, not only will you contribute to preserving the environment, but also lower your water bills in the process.

In case you don’t have any good ideas on how to do this, here are some steps you can take to cut down on water consumption, starting today.

Don’t leave the tap on

This may seem implied and logical, but it still happens that you leave the water running while brushing your teeth, shaving or shampooing your hair. This usually happens because people don’t think that it would make much difference, or because they simply forget to turn the tap off.

Still, don’t forget that you shower, shave and brush your teeth quite often and that the amount of water wasted each time you do accumulates to more than you might want to admit. So, don’t forget to turn off your tap or your shower if you’re not actually using them and, even better, try to control water usage further by using a cup of it to brush your teeth, instead of letting it run for too long.

Load up your washing machine and dishwasher

In order to keep your house in good condition, you may find it acceptable to load your dishwasher halfway and turn it on, just because you want to get it over with the cleaning for the day. Even worse, sometimes you only wash a few pieces of clothes in your washing machine, because you really want to wear those jeans tomorrow.

These are some of the most common mistakes people make, which use up far too much water and raise your bills for inadequate reasons. To prevent this, it’s essential that both your washing machine and your dishwasher are fully loaded when you turn them on, as that way they’ll use the water and the electric power most efficiently.

After all, with the new generation of smart appliances, it takes more water and even electric energy to wash your dishes by hand than it does with a quality dishwasher, so keep that in mind if your budget permits you to invest in new appliances.

Clear your drains

One of the issues that people don’t always solve right away are clogged drains, which can also have a negative impact on water preservation. Namely, when this problem goes unnoticed for a while, the stagnant water in your bathroom or kitchen can cause bacteria growth and water contamination, attracting pests and affecting your health.

Furthermore, it can lead to water contamination. So, if the water drainage is slower than usual, there is mold developing around your drains, or there are unpleasant smells coming from them, perhaps it’s time to take care of your blocked drains before you put your own health, or anybody else’s in danger. Plus, if you don’t resolve this problem in time, it can escalate and cause more damage as the time goes by, which is why it’s wise to hire reliable professional plumbers to help you.

Change your faucets and showerheads

If you still have the regular faucets and showerheads in your household, it’s likely you’re letting too much water go to waste on a daily level, since these enable a higher flow than any of us truly need. In addition, you’re boosting your water bill, which is another downside of the wrong choice of tapware.

Doing something as uncomplicated as replacing your existing fixtures with low-flow ones will decrease your water bill and limit your water usage. It’s important to know that, although these use a smaller amount of water, they won’t take a toll on your comfort, as the water pressure will still be high enough. In fact, you probably won’t even notice the difference until you get your next water bill.

Choose eco-friendly toilets

Flushing the toilet after you’ve used it is something you do automatically, without giving it any additional thought, which could be costing you and the planet a lot. Fortunately, when it comes to toilets, there are some amazing green alternatives to opt for. One phenomenal example are dual-function toilets, which allow you to select if you’ll use more or less water when you flush, which depends on your requirements in any specific situation.

Moreover, you can now find low-flow toilets, which are environmentally friendly, since they need as little as a third of the amount of water you normally use to flush. Last but not least, perhaps you can even invest in a multi-functional toilet, which has tanks that double up as sinks, meaning that the water you use for washing your face or your hands gets reused for flushing.

Wrapping up

Saving water truly isn’t a demanding task, nor will it disturb your day-to-day life in any way. If you’re environmentally conscious and merely make some slight adjustments to your habits, you can do a lot for your budget and the planet at the same time. 

By Mike Johnston