February 3, 2015

12 Painless Ways to Save Money on Your Water Bill

We all know that water conservation is a good thing, and yet it can be challenging to actually incorporate some of the recommended water-saving strategies into our daily lives. Maybe it is too costly to upgrade your appliances to energy efficient models, or perhaps you just don’t have the time to collect and re-use water for various purposes around the house.

Nevertheless, there are some very easy ways that you can incorporate water conservation into your daily routine. It doesn’t have to be hard, difficult, or painful. Just pick some or any of the strategies from our list below, and you will be making a positive step towards helping the environment, AND saving money on your water bill!

1. Only run the washing machine when you have enough clothes for a full load. The good news is, many washing machines allow you to choose between small, medium and large load sizes, so it shouldn’t be too difficult to wait to accumulate enough dirty laundry for a full load.
2. Install faucet aerators. A faucet aerator will reduce the flow of water coming from the faucet, saving gallons every time you wash the dishes or use the sink for other purposes. Many also install very easily, just by screwing on to the bottom of the faucet.
3. Minimize use of your garbage disposal.  Running the garbage disposal means running cold water down the drain at the same time. Instead of doing this several times throughout the day, keep a compost container on your counter or in your kitchen, and use it to store all compost-able food scraps. That way, you save the disposal for only those items that you cannot compost. The added benefit, over time, is well, you will have compost for your garden!
4. Avoid hand washing dishes. If you have a dishwasher, use it, with a full load, and you will save water and money. Generally the water saved is between 2 and 4 gallons per load.
5. Refrigerate drinking water.  Purchase a filtered pitcher, or just store your drinking water in the refrigerator. Or, just throw a few ice cubes into your glass of tap water, rather than allowing the water to run until gets cold.
6. Reuse your dishes.  There is rarely a need to get clean dinnerware for every meal or snack in a day. If you are going to be at home long enough for several meals and/or snacks, use the same plate, bowl and glass throughout the day, rinsing or washing it off between uses. Try to load and run the dishwasher a maximum of once per day.
7. Avoid defrosting food with running water.  This is a tip where it just take a small amount of planning to save water.  Decide what you want to have for dinner the night before, and defrost it overnight in the refrigerator.
8. Avoid taking baths regularly, and take shorter showers.  Many of us love our baths, but the truth is that they are a big water-user. Save baths for occasional relaxation, and use showers for daily hygiene. And try to reduce your shower time by quickening your pace.  There is no pressure to achieve a “2 minute shower”, because just reducing your time in the shower by any amount will save water!
9. Turn off the water in the sink while brushing teeth or shaving. This is an oldie-but-goodie, because it really works and is easy to do. You just need to get into the habit of it.
10. Be sure to fix toilet leaks. This is really important because you could be wasting hundreds of gallons of water on a regular basis if you have a toilet leak or continuously running toilet.  Try our quick fix for a running toilet that doesn’t require any tools!
11. Take your car to the car wash. Many car washes these days recycle their water, so it’s good for the environment to go there, plus, you will be saving the 60-80 gallons of water that is generally needed to wash your car at home. Yes, it costs a bit to go to a car wash, but you will save money on your water bill, plus your own energy by having someone else or a car washing machine do the job for you.
12. Water your yard only early in the morning or late in the afternoon/evening. The hot sun causes water evaporation, making your watering much more effective than if you were to do it in the middle of the day.

by See Jane Drill, Copyright 2016, All Rights Reserved