Water Conservation
Spring is here and as we begin the growing season and progress toward dry summer months it is important to monitor our water use. Water is a precious resource although it is one we often take for granted. Proper water management can not only save you some bucks over the summer, but is a great way to protect the environment. Enhancing your immediate environment, i.e. your home, business, lawn, grounds, garden, or landscaping can be easy, cost effective, and environmentally friendly. Follow these few tips for indoor and outdoor water conservation and see what you can save.
Indoors
Start with any fixtures that leak. Dripping faucets and leaky toilets waste hundreds of gallons of water, and your hard earned money with them. Household leaks can also cause much bigger and costly problems if they are not fixed promptly and properly. Excess moisture can cause rotting or harmful growth of bacteria and mold. Internal water damage to a home, or removing hazardous growth such as black mold can end up costing thousands of dollars.
If you want to take the next step in saving on water consider updating fixtures. Toilets since 1992 are much more efficient and use 1.6 gallons per flush, opposed to the 5-7 gallons used in older toilets. This typically saves between fifty and one hundred gallons per day (depending on household.) Dishwashing machines and clothes washers have advanced greatly in water efficiency, so an upgrade can save money. Shower heads are easily updated. Most are inexpensive and many have options to reduce water usage while increasing pressure. These can save a few gallons everyday.
We need our shower to wake up in the morning or to relax at night. And it always feels good to get clean after a day or hard work or play, but consider shaving off a few minutes each shower, this saves considerable amounts of water daily, and you end up with more time and money!
Outdoors
It is green season again! And we have some excellent ways to keep your lawn, garden, or grounds green and growing without wasting water. After our long and snowy winter we want to keep things looking green and great as long as possible, but with the economy still sluggish and dry summer months coming we need to cut costs where we can. Here are some great tips for the coming months.
Consider growing plant types that don’t need a lot of water. There are many low-maintenance, beautiful plants that do not need much water.
Have mulch put in beds. Mulch help protect to soil from sun and wind thus maintaining desired moisture levels.
Add water-retaining natural materials to your beds and lawn (these can be purchased at more lawn-care retailers and function in enhance soil retention of water or enhance plants ability to absorb and retain water.)
Water your lawn and garden early in the morning or late at night. This prevents evaporation so you get the most out of the water you use.
Use the rain water from your gutters and downspouts; redirect this water to dry spots or to areas where you can collect it. Also directing this water away from the foundation of the house will help prevent basement leaks and foundational damage to your home.
If you are considering an irrigation system make sure that it is properly regulated for pressure. Many systems need a regulator to reduce the usually city water pressure of 55psi to 35psi, this will prolong the life of your system and use a more appropriate amount of water.