[ECO]10 Inventive Strategies for Water Conservation at Home

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10 Inventive Strategies for Water Conservation at Home

Water is a primary contributor to all life on Earth, meaning acting sustainably to conserve it is an essential practice for every human being. Conscientious homeowners who save water at home follow many basic rules to minimize their usage. Ensuring taps aren’t dripping and turning them off while brushing teeth and washing faces are self-explanatory everyday water-saving go-tos. 

Several inventive strategies for water conservation are available, from outside water-saving practices to those you can initiate in the bathroom and kitchen. Many households may already use some but should find others enlightening and beneficial. 

Outside

Several ways to save household water begin before even entering a home. Some outdoor strategies require investment, while others are quick and easily incorporated into daily routines. 

1. Switch to Solar Energy

Solar power is a renewable energy source and an effective strategy for reducing household water usage. Many homeowners have moved from traditional sources to solar power, helping to make it a worldwide eco-friendly trend.

People know how going solar saves energy, but its impact on water conservation needs additional highlighting. It relies on the sun to generate power, so there’s no need to heat or cool water. Installing a solar-powered water pump means

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like rivers instead of relying on the grid for domestic consumption. Incorporating solar panels can initially be costly, but financial and resource savings begin immediately afterward. 

2.  Install a Rain Barrel

Like solar system installation, buying and fitting a rain barrel will cost money initially, but the water conservation benefits are clear. This outside strategy is especially effective in high rainfall areas, where rainwater collected in the barrel is plentiful. With no involved cost, it allows free water to wash the car and top up the swimming pool. 

Rain barrels can also assist water conservation in other ways. Installing one means readymade water for a sustainable garden using indigenous plants. Introducing these plants provides an attractive, low-maintenance plot already adapted to the local soils and climate. 

Indigenous plants

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than non-native species. They also boost wildlife conservation efforts by supplying a natural habitat and food source to the region’s small animals and insects.

3. Use a Pool Cover

As much as the sun aids in water conservation through solar panels, it has the opposite effect on a swimming pool. Evaporation, especially in warmer months, substantially lowers water levels, meaning hosepipe refills are often needed.

Residents can conserve considerable water by covering a pool when it’s not in use. Although this practice might require extra effort, it is an inventive and effective way to save money and improve environmental sustainability.

Bathroom

The world utilizes an estimated

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, with a large proportion used in the bathroom. It makes sense that inside water conservation efforts start there. Toilets are known as the biggest guzzlers, but daily baths and showers aren’t far behind. It’s essential to incorporate strategies to target water consumption in this room.

4. Check for Leaks

Due to constant water usage, the bathroom is likely to be where leaks develop most frequently. Residents should call in a plumber to perform a once-over here, as well as in the kitchen and laundry room. Doing so ensures that the *******, shower, faucets, pipes, and joints are sound and *****-free.

5. Upgrade Toilets and Showerheads

Swapping out a standard ******* for a low-flow or dual-flush model can save substantial water per flush. These contemporary, sustainable toilets are EPA-certified and are a logical starting point in eco-friendly water-saving strategies. 

Like toilets, modern showerheads have low-flow capabilities and use only 2 gallons of water per minute as opposed to the standard 2.5. Despite the lower water flow, these products still provide homeowners with luxurious shower experiences.

6. Save Baths for Special Occasions

Taking a shower instead of a bath saves on water. With a low-flow showerhead installed, the difference in water and cost savings will encourage residents to stay out of the tub and hop in the shower instead. Having a bath once weekly instead of every day will also make the bather appreciate the experience more. 

A typical bath

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to fill, while a shower without a low-flow showerhead uses almost half the amount in eight minutes. Another water-saving strategy is to leave the bath plugged afterward and water plants or flush the ******* with the leftover bathwater. 

Kitchen

While the kitchen doesn’t usually use as much water as the bathroom, several strategies can also reduce consumption there. 

7. Run a Fully Loaded Dishwasher

Contrary to popular belief, a fully stacked dishwasher saves water compared to hand-washing the equivalent number of dishes. Washing by hand requires more water for large loads of glassware, crockery and cutlery, as the sink water often needs replacing for heat and cleanliness purposes. Including greasy pots and pans only makes this difference more significant. 

Family members should weigh their options when preparing to wash dishes depending on the load. A dishwasher does use more energy, and going the automated route without a full load is less beneficial. If hand-washing, fill the sink with water rather than cleaning each plate under a running tap.

8. Defrost Food Early

Don’t leave thawing food until the last minute. Using water to defrost items from the freezer is wasteful. Instead, plan meals a day in advance and allow for thawing in the refrigerator. 

You can also use your microwave to defrost food. Although this saves water, it still uses extra power, so only use this method if you neglect to take your food out early. 

9. Refrigerate Water and Food Waste

Seldom do enough households keep water in the fridge for when family members are thirsty. A common habit is opening the tap, running the water until it’s cold and filling a glass to drink. Keeping water refrigerated saves waste from the tap, and drinking colder is generally more pleasant, anyway.

Any food waste after a meal can be easily stored in a container and popped in the fridge until the next person goes outside to the compost pile. Using the garbage disposal for every leftover scrap costs water and energy.

Laundry

The laundry usually contains a washer and a dryer. Most residents know how much energy a dryer consumes and use it sparingly. They could save power and water by applying a similar approach to their washing machine routines.

10. Schedule Efficient Washing Days

Instead of washing daily or a few times a week, eco-sensitive homeowners should limit their machine usage to once weekly, even if it means a few loads. This routine forms a habit and discourages the washer’s use for more frequent half-loads.

When washing, make it the norm to use cold water to save energy while ensuring full loads to prevent needless water usage. 

Strategizing for a Greener Household

As environmental sustainability becomes more prevalent globally, every person should do their part to promote the planet’s eco-friendliness for themselves and the generations that follow. Only with a concerted effort to conserve one of Earth’s most precious commodities can its citizens move forward, safe in the knowledge that they’re doing all they can.

These 10 strategies for domestic water conservation will assist homeowners and residents in doing just that.

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