HOW TO CONSERVE WATER AND WHY.

What Is Water Conservation?

Water conservation is the practice of using water efficiently to reduce unnecessary water usage. Water conservation is important because fresh clean water is a limited resource, as well as a costly one. As a homeowner, you’re probably already well aware of the financial costs of inefficient water use. Conservation of this natural resource is critical for the environment — and our wallets.

 

Why is water conservation important?

Fresh, clean water is a limited resource. In some areas of the world, access to water is limited due to contamination. People who have access to fresh water should take steps to limit their use of water to avoid waste.

The less water used or wasted by people, the less clean water will become contaminated. In some cases, using excess amounts of water puts strain on septic and sewage systems, leading to contamination of groundwater, as untreated, dirty water seeps from the sewage system into the ground.

Water conservation reduces energy use and can save homeowners money. Most families pay to use water in their cities or regions. The less water a household uses, the less they have to pay each period. Appliances that use water, such as washing machines and dishwashers, also use a considerable amount of energy.

Conserving water now allows cities and regions to plan for more efficient use of the water resources in the future. If most of an area’s clean water is wasted, there will not be water for future generations to use, meaning the city will need to come up with new ways to produce clean, fresh water, which will ultimately be at the taxpayers’ expense.

 

Steps you can take to conserve water.

  • Only run the dishwasher with a full load. Running the dishwasher multiple times for smaller loads will cause you to use twice as much water. Dishwashers also use less water per load than it would require for you to wash them by hand.
  • Turn off water when brushing your teeth or shaving.
  • Replace leaking shower heads and faucets.
  • Installing a rain sensor which automatically shuts off your sprinkler system when it rains.
  • Installing a smart controller for irrigation systems, which uses sensors about 6 inches below the surface to determine whether system needs to be activated based on the level of dryness.
  • Upgrading dishwashers and washing machines to Energy Star models that save both water and energy.
  • Use a broom instead of a hose to clean your sidewalk or patio.