| The average family of four uses 260 gallons of | | | | water. If you were thinking of conserving water, |
| water every single day. By making a few small | | | | taking a bath would be a better option. However, if |
| changes in our lifestyles and in our water | | | | your family loves to shower, there are a couple of |
| consumption, we can conserve thousands of gallons | | | | ways to reduce water waste. By installing a |
| of water per year. Adding water-saving devices on | | | | showerhead that costs less than $15, you could cut |
| toilets, showerheads and faucets will further reduce | | | | your shower water consumption in half. You can |
| water waste by 35 per cent with the added bonus | | | | install a showerhead in minutes and it will save you an |
| of a substantial saving on your utility bills. | | | | estimated $10 per person every year from the |
| There are many areas in your home where water | | | | water-heating savings alone. A second way to reduce |
| can be better conserved. The bathroom area uses a | | | | water waste when showering is to install a timer to |
| great deal of water with the toilet being a huge | | | | the shower. The timer can be preset to allow the |
| guzzler. An average toilet-tank will use up to 20 | | | | water to run for a specific time period. Once the |
| gallons of water with each flush. If you are building a | | | | time is up, the water stops flowing. For those who |
| new home, you can insist on installing a low-flush | | | | have difficulty in setting boundaries, timers for the |
| toilet. The low-flush toilet uses a smaller tank and has | | | | shower are an excellent way to control water usage. |
| a specially-designed bowl to give it the same strong | | | | Doing laundry and washing dishes are two other |
| flush-power which means less water is used in the | | | | tasks that take up a lot of water. When it comes to |
| flushing process. If you are renovating, you might | | | | doing laundry, just a few adjustments in your routine |
| consider installing a new toilet and if you are handy, | | | | can make a world of difference. For example, instead |
| you could install it yourself saving costly plumbing | | | | of washing one or two items at a time designate |
| charges. A low-flush toilet will save 22,000 gallons of | | | | one day a week to do all your laundry all at once. |
| water per year for a family of four which again boils | | | | Separate your clothes into loads and fill each load to |
| down to a huge utility saving. | | | | its maximum level. Secondly, when you do have |
| If purchasing a new low-flush toilet is not possible, | | | | smaller loads to wash, adjust your machine's water |
| consider one of the many water-saving devices | | | | level to suit the size of the load. By adjusting the |
| available for toilets today. These devices are divided | | | | machine's water levels appropriately, you will be |
| up into three generic categories: (1) water retention | | | | saving on water bills, heating bills and electricity. |
| (plastic bag or bottle); (2) water retention devices | | | | When hand-washing dishes with a double sink, it is |
| (also known as a toilet dam); or (3) alternative | | | | more cost-effective to fill a wash side and a rinse |
| flushing (early closure or what is known as a | | | | side. By doing this you will save gallons of water as |
| dual-flush). These devices are simple to install and will | | | | you aren't rinsing each and every dish individually. |
| save you hundreds of dollars on your utility bills. To | | | | Another alternative would be to wash the dishes and |
| find out more about these inexpensive devices, you | | | | then place them on a draining rack and rinsing them |
| can visit any plumbing or hardware outlet. These | | | | off with a hand-held sprayer. If you have the |
| businesses are knowledgeable about the latest and | | | | low-flow faucet aerator in place, less water is used |
| most efficient water-saving toilets and fixtures and | | | | and wasted. |
| are able to show you what products work best for | | | | On the other hand if you wash your dishes in a |
| your particular needs. | | | | dishwasher, always make sure you use it only when |
| If you can't afford to purchase any toilet device at | | | | you have a full load otherwise you are wasting water |
| this time, you can reduce your water consumption by | | | | and electricity. Another way to save water when |
| placing a 2-liter plastic soda bottle (filled with water) | | | | washing dishes is to set the dishwasher at a shorter |
| inside your toilet's tank. By using this simple technique, | | | | cycle. Many dishwashers today have a shorter cycle |
| your toilet will flush using the water available and you | | | | that uses less water and less electricity but does the |
| will save 2-liters of water every time you flush. | | | | same job as a full-cycle. If you are in the market for |
| Faucets in your home are another area where water | | | | buying a new dishwasher, you can find many |
| is often wasted. Regular faucets flow at high | | | | energy-efficient and water-saving dishwashers. To |
| volumes. By installing low-flow faucet aerators, the | | | | find out which models are most efficient, you can |
| flow of the water is more direct making it easier to | | | | get a copy of a consumer's product magazine - a |
| fill a glass of water or to brush your teeth. Low-flow | | | | magazine that reviews appliances and rates them |
| faucet spray combinations are available for kitchen | | | | yearly according to cost and efficiency. If you are |
| sinks as well. An aerator is a small screen that | | | | unable to easily purchase this magazine, all public |
| attaches to the end of a faucet. It generally costs | | | | libraries carry the most recent version and will allow |
| about $2 and takes a couple of minutes to install. To | | | | you to make photocopies or review the magazine on |
| find out more on the subject of faucet aerators find | | | | site. |
| a plumbing or hardware store nearest you. There you | | | | Conserving water is everyone's business. Taking a |
| will be able to shop and compare the many different | | | | few steps to make your home more water efficient |
| styles and prices and find out which device fits your | | | | will not only benefit your water consumption and |
| needs. | | | | your pocketbook, it will also benefit fresh water |
| Showers use a lot of water in your home. Long | | | | supplies for generations to come. |
| showers use up anywhere from 5 to 10 gallons of | | | | |