Saving Water

[brownthumb]

Here are some ways to save water not just in the garden. What about yours?

1. instead of using soap and water in washing hands, use hand sanitizer
2. use a glass when brushing your teeth; this way you can control the amount of water you are using
3. put a bucket under your air conditioner to collect water
4. save water by washing the dishes manually instead of using the dishwasher

[cosmic_girl]

Hmm, I never realized that we do all of that for as long as I can remember. Except for #3, because we don't have air conditioning here hehe.

A lot of people I know do not turn of the tap when they're washing dishes or brushing their teeth. Definitely using a glass for the water helps.

It's also good to check that your faucets, pipes and everything that makes use of water is in good condition so that no drop is wasted. Leaky faucets can make you lose tons of water in a year, and I have seen a regular sized pail fill up in less than an hour on a leaky pipe!

[Luna]

I don't wash clothes using the washing machine often. The clothes I wear on a regular basis, like shirts, underwear and shorts, I hand-wash. The soapy water I use to clean the bathroom, and the water used for rinsing is good for cleaning my house floors, windows and the patio. Finally, if I decide to use fabric softener, that's good for rinsing too.

[dandelion]

Rain barrels are very good water saving idea.
You can buy durable ones although they're pretty expensive but you can also make your own to save money.

[cosmic_girl]

Originally Posted by dandelion

Rain barrels are very good water saving idea.
You can buy durable ones although they're pretty expensive but you can also make your own to save money.

It is! I have a plastic container that can hold about 4 gallons of water. During the rainy months I bring that out, gather rainwater and use that for house cleaning. I do try not to leave it standing for too long, or at least exposed because it becomes a breeding ground for mosquitoes.

[starcandy]

We have a tank at home which we fill with rainwater and use for washing dishes and clothes, as well as watering plants and cleaning the car. It cuts down our water bill to about 20-30%, which isn't bad. It pretty much works like the rain barrel but only it's sealed and isn't accessible to insects.

[cococrab]

When you have leftover ice in your cup from a take-out restaurant, you can dispose it on your plant...

Have your plumber repair your dripping faucets and pipes...

Watering requirements during the spring or fall are lower, so better plant during those seasons...

When cleaning your driveway or walkway, use a broom or broomstick instead of water as much as possible...

[fireflies]

I also have mine:

When taking a bath, use water just enough to get wet then turn off shower when you shampoo your hair or wash your body. Also, rinsing is faster thus less water is needed when water is warmer.

If you need to bathe your pets, do it outdoors specially where you want excess water..

Punching holes into your lawn lets the soil sip more water down to the roots thus comes the efficient use of water.

[honeylemon]

Saving water is indeed very necessary specially these days that we experience hotter summer year after year and drought is happening everywhere.

I have these suggestions in mind:

When buying shower heads, choose a broader but with smaller holes to have a more controllable water downpour.

Save water by using smaller valves. There are valves commercially available that lets reduce water flow without affecting water pressure.

Use basin for rinsing the dishes instead of running water and reuse the water for watering house plants.

Collect rinse water for future use like for flushing toilet, cleaning rags or cleaning your car and garage.

When doing your laundry, use the right amount of detergent so that you won't need much rinsing.

When thawing frozen food, do not place it under a running tap. Take the food out of your fridge earlier enough for thawing.

[sakura]

Our apartment admin is implementing some guidelines for water conservation. They encourage us to fill containers with water that we could use for a day. I currently have a small five gallon container in my bathroom and another in my kitchen for washing. I refill it every day but it still saves up on water because my meter runs less. Also, when I wash clothes, instead of letting the water drain away, I use that to flush the toilet or clean the bathroom floor.

[dandelion]

Avoid staying for so long when rinsing under the shower. Just use enough water. When you have to use the bath tub, fill it with water just enough for you. Avoid overspilling.

[fleurdelys]

I think the old fashioned water dipper and bucket method when washing versus using hoses or running water is effective in saving water too.

[sakura]

I went to the mall today and I noticed that the type of faucet they have in their restrooms aren't good for saving water. Do you know the type where you press the lever to release the water, and it keeps flowing for thirty seconds until the level pops up again? I think it's wasteful because there are times when you don't need that much water

I like the ones that you can control easily. A restaurant I go to has one where you can control with your knees. Press it to release water and when you let it go, it stops.

[starcandy]

Choose to wash dishes by hand instead of loading the dishwasher especially if there's only a few of them. Don't let the water run either. Fill one sink with soap water, and use the other one for rinsing. If you have only one sink, use a small basin.

I keep a pitcher of water in the fridge instead of opening the tap everytime I want a drink. Ditto for when brushing teeth: I use glass with water for rinsing, rather than opening the tap everytime.

I also regularly check for leaks in all my faucets and pipes. Tedious, but saves money and water in the long run.

[cosmic_girl]

I stumbled upon this site today. It's got an amazing list on how you can save water. Some of the tips were already given here, but there are some unique ones we could try. Go check it out!

100 Ways To Conserve | Water – Use It Wisely

[fleurdelys]

Suddenly, I am reminded of that joke that goes "Save water! Shower together!" lol.

[starcandy]

Originally Posted by fleurdelys

Suddenly, I am reminded of that joke that goes "Save water! Shower together!" lol.

that's hilarious!

[cosmic_girl]

^Probably saves up on soap & shampoo too hehe.

It's been raining here for two days now. Just about every container we have is full of clean rainwater to be used for housecleaning & watering the indoor plants.

[Luna]

When I boil vegetables, I use the water for my other plants. The nutrients from the vegetables seem to help my other plants grow!

[honeylemon]

Originally Posted by Luna

When I boil vegetables, I use the water for my other plants. The nutrients from the vegetables seem to help my other plants grow!

Yeah. Right! But let it cool first.

[sakura]

Originally Posted by honeylemon

Yeah. Right! But let it cool first.

Haha, I'd imagine if you don't, you'd end up with cooked plants too

[starcandy]

We recently changed our toilets to the models that use less water when flushing. It definitely cut down my water bill and on laundry days, the water used for rinsing comes in handy when flushing.

[fleurdelys]

Here's a few more quick tips to conserve water while gardening:

- If you're using a garden hose, attach a shut-off device at the end of the hose so water doesn't continuously flow.
- repair hose leaks, or if they're totally unrepairable, consider getting a new hose. I think rubber hoses are more durable.
- consider using a soaker hose versus using a sprinkler if you already have a water system. This helps lessen water evaporation and ensures that your plants get their fill of water.

Does anyone have water rationing in their areas?

[arianne]

At home, we wash dishes by filling two basins with water. One basin is the wash water, filled with soapy water to wash away the grime. The other is for rinsing.

You can also save up on water by using old newspapers to wipe off grease from the plates. It'll make it easier for you to wash the plate and rinse it.

Also, when thawing, try to put the food in the refrigerator a few hours before you need it instead of putting it under running water. Not only will you save water, it's also more hygienic.

[Luna]

I read back and saw that many of us here at the forums do make use of rainwater. I think that's an excellent move, and should be adapted more especially for areas that receive a lot of rainfall year round.

Of course, rainwater isn't ideal for drinking unless you buy a water treatment kit that uses Ultra Violent Sterilization to do so, but that's expensive!

I make use of rain barrels, but you can also try making use of water butts and rainwater harvesting systems.